February 2024March 2024 April 2024

03/31 - Dungeness Spit at a Low Tide

There was a low tide at the Dungeness Spit. Rather than take the usual paved trail from the entry kiosk to the spit, we took the alternative, slightly longer, primitive trail. Everything was lush and green, and even better, we spotted a woodpecker and a fair number of trilliums.

The spit itself was wide at low tide. There was less driftwood than some years, and most of the walking was on wet sand with some rocky areas here and there. We walked about about a mile and a half, all the while enjoying the ocean view on this magical spit of sand that juts out into the strait. We could see the mountains and clouds behind us as we headed out.


The primitive trail to the Dungeness Spit

Along the trail

Spring greenery

More along the trail

Can you guess?

A woodpecker

A closer view

Down on the spit proper

The view out to sea

Sand and sky

More along the spit

More clouds and driftwood

Two ducks

Cloudscape

The mountains behind

More of those mountains

The Olympic Mountains again

Driftwood below

Back in the forest

A trillium

More forest

Another trillium

More trilliums

Keywords: dungeness spit, trillium

03/22 - University of Washington Cherry Blossoms

It was a rainy day in Seattle when we made our to the University of Washington to see this year's cherry blossoms. We had been following on the webcam, and the flowers seemed to be approaching their peek. The rain may have thinned the crowd a bit. If nothing else, it discouraged picnickers. Still, there was a good crowd, and the flowers were in full bloom and stunning. We wandered the quad admiring this harbinger of warmer weather.

Our first view

A magnolia joining the fun

Another view

Across the way

Cauliflory

Flowers growing from the trunk

We don't really need all these captions.


Another flowering plant with a wonderful scent














Keywords: flowers, seattle, weather

03/21 - West of Morse Creek

We often hike west from Morse Creek down to the strait. It's a nice, easy walk and doesn't involve a lot of driving. It looks like the trail is passable again, at least on foot. We checked out the flowers and did our best to spot a woodpecker who just wouldn't pose for the camera.

Some forest floor flowers

Down by the strait

The dike detour

A hard to spot woodpecker

Not cooperating

More of the trail

And a bit more

Keywords: flowers, morse creek

03/19 - Little River Trail

It's still early spring along the Little River Trail. The big news is probably the new parking lot and relocated trail entrance. Otherwise, the trail is its wonderful self with dark forests and shining river.

We always check for this seasonal waterfall.

That waterfall again

The river

More river





Plant life

A little stream

More of the forest

More of the river - bright sun and dark forest

A bit of the trail

Is this the spirit of the forest?

Some more trail

Plant life

The portal

One of the bridges

Another fork of the river

Keywords: little river, spring, waterfall

03/04 - Marymere Falls

The hike from the Barnes Creek ranger station to Marymere Falls is one of the more popular walks in the park. The whole loop takes maybe an hour starting at the lake then through the forest and up to the falls. There's a bit of climbing, but most of it is easy going. We'll let the pictures do the talking.

Mount Storm King covered with snow

The trail through the forest

More of the trail

A fallen tree

Barnes Creek

Another view of Barnes Creek

Fern forest

The bridge over Barnes Creek

A side stream that flows from the falls into Barnes Creek

The footbridge over the side stream

Marymere Falls

The falls again

Another view, nicely framed

Plant life

A sand bar in Barnes Creek

Another view of the bridge

More of Barnes Creek

Keywords: barnes creek, marymere falls

February 2024March 2024 April 2024