A few weeks ago I read an article in the Whidbey New Times highlighting a new hiking trail near Coupeville. Last week as I drove to the ferry I saw this new trailhead and decided that I needed to go explore it. The trail is called Walking Ebey and it connects Admiralty Inlet via a 3.5 mile trail over to Rhododendron County Park. This trail was created by the Whidbey Camano Island Land Trust and crosses the property of 12 private property owners, so hikers need to be very respectful of the properties, obey all posted signs, pick up after dogs and leave agricultural things alone.
Friday after work, my friend Sue and I decided to check out this new trail. We parked at the new parking lot off of Engle Road and then perused the kiosk information board, choosing to take the Prairie Wayside trail for a 3 mile round trip.
We hiked along pastoral farms, listening to the cries of a hawk, enjoying blackberries and debriefing about the craziness of our day at school, which involved a fire evacuation practice, an unexpected lockdown due to a bank robber who apparently strolled right past our school with his gun, multiple fights and kids having meltdowns. Later when I got home I checked the lunar schedule and we are one day away from a full moon. Craziness explained.
I was happy to see Prairie Wayside highlighted on this trail. It is a little utilized wayside station with one picnic table and an information kiosk just off Engle Road. Sue had never stopped there, despite living in Coupeville for more than 15 years. I have visited this Wayside before and was surprised to find, five years ago, tucked at the very end of an almost unused path, an informational plaque that highlighted the "covenant" that local landowners made over 100 years ago to not rent to any Asians. I took Sue down to this plaque and was not surprised to see that informational plaque is now blank. I mean, what community wants their racist history highlighted, especially naming the families that made that "covenant," some of which are still quite well known names in Coupeville?
We returned to our cars but I was longing to explore the rest of trail so the next morning I pulled on my running shoes and returned. I wanted to get an early start because smoke was heading our way from eastern Washington. This time, I stayed on the main trail instead of taking the cutoff for Prairie Wayside. I saw a coyote run across the trail ahead of me and I made sure to sing loudly as I approached where I had seen it, not wanting to surprise it.
I jogged along the path, enjoying the farmland scenery. It reminded me of hiking in Scotland this summer, where some of that trail went through farms and the expectation is that people can walk anywhere but everyone is respectful of farmland and animals and careful to close gates. There are no gates on this trail, however, that need to be closed.
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| Look closely and you will see the hawk in the sky |
The trail was pretty well marked, with no trespassing signs at junctures that could have been confusing.
It was interesting to have the opportunity to see Ebey Prairie from a different angle and to see areas that I had never seen before. I passed a farmer watering his baby filbert trees. This dry weather has been hard on them and their leaves were starting to turn brown. I took the opportunity to thank him for letting hikers go on his land and he, too, seemed excited about this new hiking opportunity.
Eventually, at about the 2 mile mark, the trail crossed Fort Casey Road. The trail was not as clearly marked at that point and I went to the right but the trail petered out. I decided to turn around and return to the car. Looking at the map again, I realize I should have actually gone to the left, but the rest of this trail will need to be explored at another time.
Shortly before I got back to my car a huge owl swooped over the path and landed in a tree. I managed to snap a picture of it, and was told by another hike at the trailhead that there is an owl who nests in that area.
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| Can you see the owl? |
