Chanterelle
Trail is 2.4 miles with 1000 feet of elevation gain on long switchbacks through
a mix of forest types, supporting a variety of wildlife. The views make it
worth the effort, ending with a breath-taking vista of Lake Whatcom, the
Cascade foothills, Bellingham Bay and the San Juan Islands.
This
gorgeous loop hike has it all: big views of Mounts Baker and Shuksan, as well
as the North Cascades, alpine lakes for swimming, and well-maintained trail
winding through meadows and heather. And with wildflowers in spring, blueberry
bushes for trail-side snacking in late summer and blazing color in the fall,
you can't pick a bad season to visit.
If
you'd like nose-to-nose access to Mount Baker, this first-rate woodsy walk
delivers. Over a relatively short, well-maintained trail with mild elevation
gain, you can be glacier-side in no time... if the creek crossings allow.
Oyster
Dome is a rocky face on the western slope of Blanchard Mountain, the grandest
member of the Chuckanut Mountain range, an extension of the Cascades that rises
directly from the ocean. The sheer cliffs of Oyster Dome offer year-round
access to commanding views of the San Juans, Skagit River flats, Olympic
Mountains, and Samish Bay.
The
Skyline Divide is a 6000-foot-high ridgeline extension of Mount Baker that
transforms itself into a summertime paradise of unrivaled mountain views and
unending wildflower fields, a trail that deposits you just 3.5 miles from the
summit itself.