There are doggy trash bags and doggy bags along the trail if you are walking/hiking with your dog…read more It's a well maintained trail, although it can get muddy at times. If you want to see a waterfall, you can take the main trail and then take a right at the sign to see it. It's a 1.5 mile loop total.

Bellingham, WA hike -Lookout Mountain Preserve Easy hike…read morethrough the green moss covered woods about 1.5 hours to the Watcom lookout and back. First there is initial 1 mile trail to get to the main trailheads then There is a loop trail about 2 miles and another .4 miles to the lookout. The hike gives some shade but not fully covered so if there is rain you will definitely get wet! It's fairly easy with gentle climbs to the lookout and due to the tall trees the view wasn't as great as I pictured but still a great hike meandering through the forest. It is very muddy in the wet months with some permafrost near the top. Value 5/5 Atmosphere 4/5 Service 4/5 Quality 4/5 17/20

There isn't a more quintessential park in the Bellingham area than Berthusen Park. When you pull…read moreinto the driveway, you pass a red barn into a deep forest. There are several parking areas each by shaded playgrounds. There's a public restroom and trails that take you onto the forest with stunning Pacific Northwest views.

Super cool old growth park in Lynden. I came with my bicycle based on a recommendation and was not…read moredisappointed. There are so many trails that one can cover in a relatively short amount of time. Trail information can be obtained through a pamphlet provided at the park. I was able to ride through a few trails and chose to walk others due to hills. As a new cyclist, I'd have hurt myself because it was an especially wet day. There's a playground, facilities, and picnic areas. The information pamphlet also provides a short history of how the land became a park. Very cool and beautiful place. I'll likely visit anytime I find myself in Lynden.

Pulling into a parking spot in one of the parking areas in Cornwall Park in Bellingham this…read moremorning, Wednesday 20 September 2023, I noticed a gray squirrel burying something. Trying to get my camera out in time while still in my car, I got one blurry picture before it scurried off. Grabbing my bag and getting out of my car, I noticed something new to me, a black squirrel. It was on the ground foraging. I took a few pictures and a video and then said hello out loud. It came to attention and started making its way towards me. Eventually, it came to sit on a curb by my car and looked at me, letting me take an up-close picture. After the click it continued on. Exploring the park on foot, I found walkers, runners, foraging gray squirrels, and foraging black squirrels. Walking paths through the trees were gravel and relatively flat near the parking area. Gray squirrels towards the entrance of the park were shelling felled chestnuts and carrying them away. A black squirrel or two ran past with a peanut, not sure from where. Sunlight broke through the canopy of the trees, lighting up the leaves and spots of ground.

I love all the little hidden parks in Bellingham, but Cornwall takes the cake. You don't realize…read morehow expansive this park is until you're in it. There are several different entrances into the park from all surrounding streets. The trails connect all the entrances, but the roads do not connect though. Cornwall park has pickleball courts, tennis courts, basketball courts, frisbee golf, a wading fountain, fields to play in, trails to run on AND MORE! Every time I walk my dogs here, I find new trails and features I haven't seen before. It is well maintained and has a ton of parking within the park so you don't have to walk far. I would recommend pulling up a map if you are looking to get to a specific part of the park for the first time!

This is a great starting point for a lot of destinations. For my initial trip, I covered Chuckanut…read moreFalls and Hemlock Trails. Pleasant but nothing too wildly exciting. This wouldn't be the place I'd first recommend to out of towners. As usual, take rest breaks as needed and pace yourself. It's not a real tough trail but may be a challenge if you're just getting into exercising/walking a great distance. There's a nice parking area with a fair amount of space. I could see that this may get packed on a nice day. There's one portable toilet at the parking area. I didn't see a sign requiring Discovery Pass but went ahead and put it out anyhow. I've noticed that some areas I had assumed that I didn't need it had in fact required.

One of my favorite hikes in the Bellingham area! Beginner level! Would be good with kids. Stunning!!read more

I've crossed the bridge over the Nooksack River by car and have contemplated stopping to check it…read moreout for years. This weekend, I finally did. If you are headed east on Mt. Baker Highway, turn right just before you reach the roundabout. This single lane road will lead you past the WHS Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, and then the road will turn rough with gravel. Keep going about 50 more yards, and on your left, you will find about 5 parking spots in front of a grassy field. Follow the trail sign and tree-lined path to the water where you will have spectacular views of snow-capped Mt. Baker. The Nooksack river will be flowing pretty fast all year long, but is more calm along the shoreline where you might consider dipping your toes during the summer. The cold river water will feel good on a hot day. Unfortunately, the beach is rocky, so bring some sturdy water shoes for navigating the plethora of pebbles and boulders. Leashed dogs are allowed here too, but I saw plenty running free on both sides of the shore. One dog kept charging and barking at me despite his owner's best efforts to recall and control him by voice. According to one park sign, you can fish here. I'm not sure if there are designated points. I didn't see any bathroom or picnic table facilities, so "go" before you arrive and bring your own blankets, towels and chairs if you plan on hanging out. The park is open from sunrise to sunset which is great for those wanting to photograph the natural beauty of this place.

I like this hidden little park. There are about 5 parking spots available to use but the location…read moreis hidden from the street so there are seldom anyone here during the weekdays. One thing that I like a lot about this park is the open field adjacent to the river. I have flown my drone around to get footage of the river and mountains and the views are amazing! Plenty of rocky shoreline to relax by the water as well.

This place is the ultimate escape--think sunsets, beach bonfires, and pure relaxation vibes!…read more If you're into scenic workouts, you've hit the jackpot. Start your loop from Semiahmoo Resort, take the paved path by the marina on the left side, and stop by the Alaska Packers Association Museum for a breather. Then, stroll back along the beach, where you can swap bird-watching on Drayton Harbor's side for seal-spotting in Semiahmoo Bay. And trust me, there's no shortage of seals--they're practically putting on a show! Shell hunting? Jackpot--whole oysters everywhere! It's like the beach said, "Here, have some treasure." Oh, and if you're a dog lover, this park is like doggy paradise. Picture your pup frolicking in the sun, while you hunt down those blackberries that grow all over the Drayton bay side of the path. If you're staying at the resort, grab one of their free bikes and cruise the spit. Summer does its thing here, making the whole place feel like the set of a feel-good beach movie, complete with breathtaking sunsets that will make your Instagram followers jealous. This place is like a vacation for your soul.

We were lucky enough to visit the Semiahmoo Spit during low tide. I've never seen so many clams and…read moreoysters in one place, it was incredible. It was also cool to be able to cross the street and be right back on the beach. My dog had a great time running and playing on the beach, and my wife and I enjoyed picking black berries on the trails that run along the shore. The drive out to Semiahmoo was also beautiful. There is a museum/gift shop where you can park as well as a parking area further down the road past the museum. Its a great place for a day trip for a beach day.

Pioneer Park is the perfect combination of a beautiful outdoor park plus the chance to take in some…read morelocal history. When you first enter the park you're greeted by a row of hand-built, historical buildings made by Whatcom County's earliest settlers and relocated to (what would eventually become) Pioneer Park. If you go on a day that some of the houses are open, for a small donation you can take a tour hosted by volunteers who know pretty much everything about the history of Ferndale and the county! The tour houses are set up with relics from the past - it's so interesting to see how the early settlers lived. Past the houses are open spaces where concerts are held, and the iconic barn which is the home of weddings, dances, and beer gardens throughout the summer. It's always fun to attend one of Pioneer Park's signature events, the Old Settlers Festival, where you are greeted with a ribbon denoting how long you've lived in these here parts, and then you get to enjoy the various vendors (and of course food!) before embarking to the barn where you will pretty much run into everyone you've ever known! Pioneer Park is also home to the beautiful and amazing Star Park, a children's playground build entirely by community volunteers. So now there are fun things for the little ones to do here, too!

Super cool park with lots of cool stuff to climb around on. My daughter loved it. And it had a…read morecreek running through it

A pleasant little park in a tiny Pacific Northwest city. Took my daughter here during some downtime…read morerecently and was pleasantly surprised by how well-kept and overall safe the playground was. She's almost 3 but absolutely loved the "big kids" portion of the playground - so much to explore and scamper upon. The little kids playground is a bit lackluster and blasé. The playgrounds have a small fence running around the perimeter so that kids don't wander off too easily. Nearby walking paths, a large bridge, relatively clean and functional bathrooms, a large gravel parking lot, and of course a small forest complete the park. FYI the big kids' playground has a bizarrely slippery and sleek steep bridge on it - would consider refiguring or resurfacing this bridge. There were also a decent amount of cigarette butts on the edge of the parking lot.