The Mt. Baker Highway Scenic Byway.
In 1937 about 1400 acres of old growth forest was set
aside at Milepost 42 on the Mt.
Baker Highway, east of Bellingham, WA. This grove is on both sides of the Highway
and some of the Ancient Trees are so close to the road that it seems the
highway goes around them. To find the
grove take Interstate-5 Exit 255 in Bellingham,
WA and drive 42 miles
east. There are no improvements or
even a sign to tell you that you are there but you cant miss the trees right
beside the roadway. If you are not
into hiking or handicapped this is a spot where you can get right into old
growth without hiking.
More information can be found on the northwestplaces.com
website at
http://www.northwestplaces.com/trips001/MBakerHwy001.htm
Go to milepost 42 on the highway.
Canyon Lake
Community Forest
A Whatcom County
Park
In 1999 Whatcom County
in partnership with the Whatcom Land Trust and other private donors purchased
2,300 acres of forestland in the Canyon Lake Creek watershed east of Bellingham. A 600 acre portion of this purchase
contains old growth forest with trees from 800 to 1000 years old according to
forestry experts. Whatcom County
entered into a joint maintenance and research agreement with Western Washington University
and the Whatcom Land Trust to care for the park.
Visit our Canyon Lake Old
Growth Page
Lake Ann Trail #600 Mt.
Baker Snoqualmie National
Forest
The 4.1 mile long Lake Ann Trail begins at 4,700 feet in
elevation Austin Pass. The trail
enters the Mt. Baker Wilderness Area
and winds down switchbacks to the headwaters of the Swift Creek
Drainage. This is a difficult trail
for advanced hikers.
For more information visit our Lake Ann Trail page.
Welcome Pass Trail #698 Mt. Baker
Snoqualmie National Forest
The 2.5 mile long Welcome Pass
Trail begins with a gentle grade of a former logging road. After 0.5 miles it becomes a steep,
difficult trail through old growth forest up switchbacks and very steep
terrain. In the last 2 miles you gain
3,000 feet elevation. To visit the old
growth forest you do not have to complete the hike.
For more information visit our Welcome Pass Trail
page.
Horseshoe Bend Trail
#687 Mt.
Baker Snoqualmie National
Forest
The 1.5 mile
Horseshoe Bend trail winds along the North Fork of the Nooksack River
among lush old growth forest. The
trail begins by descending down a staircase from the trail head. It ends at a stone bench next to a small
waterfall. The increase in elevation
is only about 100 feet over the 1.5 miles making this a nice family hike.
For more information visit our Horseshoe Bend
Trail page.
Heliotrope Ridge Trail
#677 Mt.
Baker Snoqualmie National
Forest
The Heliotrope Ridge trail is
very busy because it is the main access to Mt. Baker
for those who want to climb the mountain.
It begins in dense old growth forest and leads up a 1,400 climb to
flower laiden avalanche chutes and the snowy alpine zone.
For more information visit our Heliotrope Ridge
Trail page.
Nooksack Cirque trail #750 Mt. Baker
Snoqualmie National Forest
If you can ford the creek,
follow the old roadbed for 2.0 miles.
You will meander through second growth forest for about a mile and
then enter the Mt. Baker Wilderness
area. From here you will wind through
old growth forest for about a mile until you com out on the bank of the North
Fork of the Nooksack
River.
For more information visit our Nooksack Cirque
page
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