Scenic Chuckanut Drive offers activity and relaxation

Nestled in Chuckanut Mountain, Fragrance Lake is a two-mile hike that awaits those looking to stray from the beaten path. North of Stanwood on a sun-splashed afternoon, exit 231 from Interstate 5 encourages a slower pace for behind-the-wheel scene seekers along Chuckanut Drive (SR11).

A stone’s throw from abundant tulip fields south of Edison, the Skagit flats — mere feet above sea level — are shadowed by Mount Baker to the east.

Leaving the pastoral beauty, the drive leads to forested twists and turns hugging the North Puget Sound with Blanchard and Chuckanut mountains carved out at the shoulder.

Around milepost 10 is a pullout for Oyster Dome Trail, popular for bat caves. The 3.5-mile one-way hike up Blanchard Mountain is steep, rugged and rewarding. Views of the San Juan Islands and the Skagit flats rejuvenate weary legs.

The pristine shellfish beds along Samish Bay may inspire a stop at the Oyster Bar or Oyster Creek Inn, both located a mile past the bat caves on the left. The restaurants’ names give away the specialties.

Be careful parking as space is limited along the shoulder.

If restaurant fare isn’t on the itinerary, a bucket of oysters or clams is available at Taylor Shellfish Farms. The entrance shoots from the Oyster Creek Inn down a one-way road to the shoreline. Follow a gravel approach over the railroad tracks and buck up to one of the picnic tables for an afternoon snack in the sea breeze.

A large pullout to the left at milepost 13 hosts views across Samish Bay to Anacortes. Known as the Heritage Marker pullout, an interpretive sign depicts the history of Chuckanut Drive. Completed in 1896, SR 11 was part of the Pacific Highway connecting San Diego to Vancouver, British Columbia from 1913 to 1931.

Two miles north of the marker is Larrabee State Park, Clayton Beach trailhead and Fragrance Lake trailhead.

Day-use parking is available at the park. Larrabee, Washington’s first state park, established in 1915, has more than a mile of shoreline, 80 sites for camping and 15 miles of connected hiking trails.

Clayton Beach is a pop- ular spot for family outings and climbers working on their bouldering skills. The ebb and flow of the tide fill pools in the rocky shoreline housing starfish and other aquatic life.

A two-mile hike to Fragrance Lake is well worth the effort. Dense forest gives way to spectacular vantage points leading to a hidden oasis, a perfect setting for a packed-in picnic.

For a relaxed walk along the Interurban Trail, a wellmarked and wide path, stop at milepost 19 in the large North Chuckanut trailhead parking area. As with any trailhead, be sure to lock your vehicle and take any valuables with you.

At the end of the 20-mile drive, Fairhaven Park allows visitors to stretch their legs among the rose gardens as little ones splash in the spray park or climb on the play structures. The park is also a prime spot to unload a bicycle and tour the historic town of Fairhaven.

Officially part of Bellingham, the district is known for its artsy charm; niche shops and cafes include boutiques, galleries and watering holes.

From Fairhaven, travelers can head east to I-5, continue north to Bellingham or head back south to catch glimpses of the sunset on the way home.

Staff Reporter Adam Stewart: 629-8066 ext. 115 or astewart@scnews.com.