Mileage: 1-5 miles
Elevation Gain/Highest: minimal
Map: You can pick up a booklet of maps at any of these locations or my GAIA
Favorite Eats After Hike: Skagit Valley Co-op, Shambala Bistro and Bakery, Mammoth Burger Company, or just Pack A Cooler. You can learn more about these places in my Must Hike Must Eat Eating Out Guide.
Find out current conditions and as always, practice Leave No Trace. Pretty please.
Hike Details:
The Camano Ridge Forest Preserve is a trail system on Camano Island on 400 acres of forested uplands once owned by DNR but now set aside to protect aquifer recharge and wildlife habitat. The wide trails designed for multi-use are perfect for a rainy day wander or if you just have a few hours to get out and enjoy nature. It offers hikers, bikers and equestrians a variety of paths from old roads to established trails to faint boot paths with minimal elevation gain and a plethora of flora and fauna to explore. You can couple a walk here with a stroll on the beach at Camano Island State Park!
My Hikes:
5/23/2020
Even before the coronavirus, I had decided that 2020 would be the year of repeat trails and staying closer to home. Of course, I didn’t realize HOW close to home that would mean.
I hiked here in 2017 in the rain and decided it was time to return and wander a bit on the trails. Last time we parked at the animal shelter and walked up Can Ku Road so this time I opted to park at the newish trailhead on Camano Ridge Road.
There were about 7 cars when I arrived to the relatively large trailhead a little after 5pm but how folks parked could have been better. I saw a few bikers here and a few hikers as I walked in but after that I had the whole place to myself.
I made a large loop clockwise, turning left on the Ridgeline Trail which was a wide abandoned road. I noticed quite a few little bootpaths off to the sides, a few led to dilapidated cars. Then a mosquito bit me in the leg and a few others were busy around my head. Well, hello! I put my hood on just to keep them off my head.
The trail turned west and deeper into the forest on the Sockeye Trail for hikers and bikers. It was very well maintained and mud was at a minimum. And surprisingly, the bugs diminished. Logging stumps punctuated the second growth forest that allowed plenty of light to shine through.
In a little over a mile the trail connected with the Forest Loop and I took left hand turns to stay on the outside and off the main trail. I could hear a group of people laughing but never saw them, I’m guessing they were in a nearby neighborhood.
At almost 2 miles, I reached the junction with the Can Ku Trail and saw the only trail signs so far, two yellow arrows on a single post. I walked down it a short while until it became familiar and I realized what it was then turned around and back up to the Forest Loop.
Shortly after the junction I took a left again onto the Wetlands Loop to stay off the wider gravel trail. This one had a but of up and down, clearly designed to give mountain bikers a thrill.
From here the trail reconnects with the Can Ku To Camano Ridge Trail and it is out to the parking lot again for a roughly 3.5 mile loop. I nibbled on a loganberry and will return for some of the ample thimbleberry now in bloom stage. A tiny little bunny was all the company I had when I returned to an empty parking lot at quarter to 7.
3/18/2017 As part of “free time” on my annual women’s retreat, we headed over to try some hiking on Camano Island. It had been raining enthusiastically all day and no one really wanted to climb without hope of a view. This hike was nearby and would offer an opportunity for good company to wander in between raindrops but not have to commit to a lengthy soaking.
There are two access points, one off the Camano Ridge Road and one off the Can Ku Road. We opted for the Can Ku trailhead because one of us had hiked in this way before.
We parked at the Camano Park and animal shelter on the SR, mostly because there really isn’t established parking up at the trailhead. Because my friend wasn’t entirely sure how they had gotten up to the Can Ku trailhead from here, we wandered a bit up past the Camano Park and a side road before crossing back behind the Island Transit, through a gate and up Can Ku Road (ignore the No Trespassing signs!).
You can just keep to the right of the shelter and walk up Can Ku Road and past the transit area. It’s a nice little hill and warm up to the hike!
The trailhead is marked by a small yellow arrow on the right hand side of the road. Consulting our booklet, it looked like we could make a big loop counterclockwise so we headed in and tried to keep to the right. There was a main trail to follow and some more yellow markers along the way. There were various boot paths, bike trails and fences blocking off vegetation rehabilitation.
After about an hour of meandering, we ran into a gate and the end of an old road close to North Camano Ridge Road.
At this point the group decided it was time to start making our way back to the car, so we turned around followed the same track back out. Our “loop” turned out to be more of a crossing of the ridge.
On the way back down the road, we stopped at the Kristoferson Creek Beaver Marsh right cross from the Island Transit, something you might miss if you just drive up the road. I’d love to return with a booklet of my own and see if I can spend more time exploring and making the rounds on the loops and boot paths. It looks like someone could have a lot of fun getting “lost” in the solitude here. Here is my GAIA for the trip.
Directions: From I-5, take the Stanwood-Camano Island exit for SR 532 westbound. Drive through Stanwood and on to Camano Island. Stay left when SR 532 becomes East Camano Road at Terry’s Corner and go through the first stoplight.
There are two places to park to connect with the trail system. One, stay on East Camano Road to Cross Island Road (the second stoplight) and turn right. In 2 miles, turn left on North Camano Ridge Road. In a little less than a mile, the trailhead is on the left up a gravel road just before Carp Lake Road. There is no sign. Second, stay on East Camano Road to Can Ku Road, turn right and drive up about a quarter mile to a small pullout on the left across from the Can Ku Trail on the right.
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Need some eating out suggestions when friends want to stop after a hike? I have a Pacific Northwest Eating Guide here.
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