Stimpson Family Nature Reserve

We wanted a place to hike that was nearby and one we hadn't hiked before.  We had heard of the Stimpson Family Nature Reserve and decided to try it, though we are always a bit leery of places that are in the city or very nearby - they tend to be overrun with people, dogs and bikes (the latter two forbidden on the trails of the reserve.  This place wasn't and once on the trail it was difficult to imagine that we were in the city limits.  The reserve is 350 acres near Lake Whatcom and has over six miles of trails.  There is a beaver pond, old growth forest and a small lake.

We had a pleasant hike though we did not find very many wildflowers and no orchids (we know they are there from the person who recommended the place) besides some Western Trillium, some Bugbane and some Salmonberries still in bloom, but we always find something to enjoy and photograph even if we do not find what we are looking for.  The weather was mostly cloudy with rain threatening, but we stayed dry.  The rain started only on the way home.  This is place we will visit again and would highly recommend for day-hiking.

Salmonberry

  Lake Louise

Geneva Pond

Common Horsetail

 Turkey Tail Fungus

 Young Red-banded Polypore

 Bugbane

Deer Foot

Western Trillium

Western Trillium

Beaver Pond

Red Alders

Tulips and Daffodils

On April 17th we visited the tulip and daffodil fields of the Skagit Valley.  This is usually the peak of the annual bulb festival, but this year the fields were almost all finished, due to an early and warm spring.  We spent most of our time as a result at the Roozengaarde display gardens photographing the flowers there.  A few fields beyond the display gardens were still blooming and it was possible to walk to them, but we could find no other fields with any flowers.