We’ve spent many a summer day hiking in the beautiful Pacific Northwest and I wanted to share some of our very favorite hike locations with all of you! I didn’t used to be much of a hiker, but thanks to my outdoorsy husband and this beautiful place we live in, I’ve fallen in love with getting outdoors, especially in the beautiful summer season when most all of the trails are open! Below are our top five hikes with short descriptions as well as a few tips, particularly for Artist Point!
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Heather Meadows and Picture Lake!
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Picture Lake comes up as you reach the top of the hill coming up to the Mount Baker Ski Area. You can park around the lake and I the walk around the lake is absolutely lovely and totally flat. There are gorgeous views and a few little docks you can climb out on. A perfect place for those epic Pacific Northwest Photographs!
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Heather Meadows is just a little bit further up the mountain and offers a ton of different hiking paths. You walk down a fairly large hillside either down a long trail of stairs or a long winding path that leads you to a small lake and stream. I would consider this a fairly easy hike if you have experience with hiking in the PNW. Well maintained trail, stunning views of the mountains and lakes, a cute little bridge. Would definitely suggest doing this on a weekday if possible to have the least crowds possible. Highly recommend!
2. Damfino Lakes and Excelsior Peak:
It is a little bit of a drive to get to this spot, but MAN is it worth it. Damfino Lake is a beautiful little area with wood bridges and is very easy to walk around. If you keep heading up you’ll go through beautiful meadows before reaching the peak and an amazing view of Mount Baker! This second portion is a medium hike, but really is breathtaking.
3. Mount Erie:
Located near Anacortes, this hike and view are an awesome way to spend the afternoon! The cool thing about this spot is that there is a whole series of hiking trails that eventually lead you you to the top of the mountain. There is also a road that is closed to cars that you can use to walk up or down. This makes it perfect for any kind of hiker and great for families! You could easily spend the whole day here hiking around and seeing the various lakes nearby as well.
4. Anderson and Watson Lakes:
Access in Concrete, WA, this hike made me think of our time in the Alpine Meadows in Europe. Such an absolutely stunning area with a few different hikes all in one spot. We didn’t actually make it to the lakes because we chose to head left up the trails to a high spot called Noisy-Diobsud Wilderness where we could see the last remnants of snow. This trail was fairly difficult, but again, there are a number of different hikes all in this area for all levels of hikers.
5. Last, but CERTAINLY not least, Artist Point:
Just an absolute MUST DO. The road typically opens in July and stays open through September, but I do recommend checking out the forest website to double check before heading up. This is an easy little jaunt from the parking lot for a view the first shot below OR you can can hike in a little further on relatively flat ground to get some even more phenomenal views! I honestly think this is the best hike in Whatcom County – don’t miss it! Here are a few tips for hiking this area and be sure to click here for more tips about Artist Point!
Artist Point Hiking Tips:
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Head up early! This is an international attraction and can be quite busy. The parking lot is small, so if you head up earlier in the day you can beat the crows, guarantee a parking spot and enjoy a little bit more peace and quite before the mobs of people arrive!
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Go on a weekday if possible! Again, this is such a popular spot that finding any way to reduce the crowds will benefit you!
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Don’t forget your Forest Pass! This is required for Artist Point and Heather Meadows and is different from your annual Discover Pass!
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Be ready for snow! Depending on the time of year, there is very likely to still be snow in the parking lot and along the trails. Late August or early September are the best time to go if you’re trying to avoid snow!
