Created a custom route to maximum the hiking experience

2/13/2025 Oyster Dome and Blanchard State Forest

On this cold day, I wanted a hike that would have a snow-free trailhead and would allow me to add on to the hike if my sore knee permitted. I chose to hike to Oyster Dome, and then evaluate my options from there.

There are different options to get to Oyster Dome. The route I chose was to start off of Chuckanut Drive, which is close to sea level. The alternative is to park at the Samish Overlook, which puts you at a higher starting point. I'm glad I did not begin at the Samish Overlook, because, as I discovered towards the end of my hike, the road to it was covered in snow. There were no cars in the parking lot there, so I assumed the road was closed.

The trail beginning at Chuckanut Drive starts steep and snow-free. Once I reached the junction with the trail originating at the Samish Lookout, the conditions were icy. Most of the hike had a moderate amount of snow and ice, but it was easily managed with microspikes, the great enabler of winter hiking.

Oyster Dome is a fabulous rocky viewpoint with a steep drop-off (see the cover photo for this post). The views are to the west across the San Juan Islands and towards the Olympic Mountains. I had the place entirely to myself as I planned my next move.

With my knee feeling good, I continued on to the east along a fairly flat stretch of the trail towards Lily Lake and Lizard Lake. Honestly, these are just mediocre lakes, but they were still pretty being covered in snow. I was surprised to see footprints on the lake, as I would not trust the lake to be frozen solid enough at these elevations. I very much enjoyed just walking through the forest in the snow on a sunny day. I only saw five people total the entire time, which added to the peacefulness of the hike.

One of my favorite parts of the hike is the short detour up to North Butte. Here you will find a nice bench to relax on, with similar views to the west as from Oyster Dome. With a little bit of a going off trail, you'll find a "peekaboo" view of Mount Baker to the north.

The return leg of my customized hike looped me around to the south in the direction of the Samish Overlook. It was odd to see no people here.

In the end, I logged about 12 miles on a day I wasn't sure how far I would go. In hindsight, maybe I should have shortened the hike, as my sore knee is reminding me to take it easy for a while.

An added bonus of this hike is the drive along Highway 11 through the scenic Skagit Valley farmlands, best know for its Tulip Festival in the spring. However, this time of year, you will see lots of birds, including snow geese and bald eagles. In the morning, I spotted a dozen or so bald eagles with their white heads illuminated by the morning sun.

I would also recommend continuing to drive north on Highway 11 (a.k.a. Chuckanut Drive) to Bellingham. The drive is beautiful and the city has a lot to offer. Better yet, take a day to explore Bellingham, and then drive south along Chuckanut Drive, which makes it easier to pull over at the viewpoints, all on the west side of the road.