It's a hike that you must do in the Bellingham area, hell, in the state. It's one of those gems…read morethat everyone talks about - and I know in Washington, everyone talks about hiking trails, but this is one of those that you have to do...if you like hiking and are in the area. We spent a weekend in Bellingham and not gonna lie, Oyster Dome was one of the primary reasons for spending time up north. Located along the Chuckanut Drive on Blanchard Mountain, it's a hike with a rewarding view at the end. So yes, it's worth it. This hike is about a five-mile, round-trip trail with an elevation gain of just over 1000. It's a good climb, but not difficult or challenging. The parking area can get filled up quickly, and you'll likely see many people along the trail and definitely up at summit. It's dog-friendly; we saw a lot of dogs on the trail and brought our little hiker, too. You'll need a Discover Pass to park here and in the lot is where there are restrooms. The hike goes through a forested area, providing tree canopy and cooler temperatures. But some parts can be rocky, especially towards the summit. Descending was worse as it can be sore on your knees, so it felt longer going down than up in my opinion. The views are incredible. You can see the mountains, the valley and even Canada. Pretty amazing.

Yet another great hiking trail we softly explored, to help our toddlers calm down before we headed…read moreback home. Oyster Dome Trail has multiple markers for guidance throughout it. Now that we've all thawed out from the winter, exploring WAs beautiful trails, parks, and landmarks come naturally; investing in a Discovery pass could be helpful. We will definitely return, and recommend!

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

This is my favorite trail in town. Because a part of the trail is uphill, it's great workout. Also,…read morethe part close to Big Rock Garden has lots of nature. It makes you feel like you are in a deep forest (although you are very close from Barkley Boulevard). Recommended route: Start at Barkley Village, walk up to Big Rock Garden, turn around, and walk back down to Barkley Village. A round trip should take about an hour if you walk at a brisk pace. From Barkley Village, take Railroad Trail (the trail behind Barkley Haggen) toward Whatcom Falls. Right after the St Clair detention basin on your left, turn left onto Klipsun Trail uphill all way to Sylvan Street. The trail continues in a woods, splitting into different trails. Follow the signs for Big Rock Garden. Warming: There are several pretty steep staircases. If you have knee or hip issues, this is probably not a great option. ***************************** If you found something useful in my review, please hit "useful" so that I can improve my future reviews. If you love food and traveling, follow me, or better yet, let's become Yelp friends! Thank you and happy Yelping! If you think your friends will find my review useful, please share it with them!

This trail takes you through a neighborhood. Most of the time you're in the trees, but you can…read morestill definitely see houses around you. If you live nearby it's a nice walk, but I felt like I was walking through someone's backyard.

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 park has been renovated since we were kids and used to play here. But the layout remains…read more Rolling hills of grassy fields, a playground - now featuring a water play area, pavilions for rent/use and plenty of trails to walk along.

Daughter took me here for the first time and I loved it. Nice trails to walk close to her house…read moreand a nice park. We will come back here to walk again .

Love this park, especially for an evening stroll or picnic!…read more This unique family park is located next to Sunnyland Elementary School and is the second oldest park in Bellingham, with a rich history and named to honor the fallen heroes of Whatcom County. Beautiful trees (30 to be exact) from Sugar Maple to Orchard Apple line the exterior and provide lots of shade. There are stone memorials dedicated to local fallen soldiers and each tree is dedicated as well. On Veteran's Day people leave flags and flowers. The back of the park leads to hiking trails, street parking is plentiful and we don't usually have trouble finding a spot. This is a beautiful, relaxing park but only way it falls short is they need more than one picnic table, so brings chairs or a blanket.

I'm a fan of this simple neighborhood park…read more Memorial Park offers a very large grassy area which is perfect for physical activity or lounging. Access to the Railroad trail can be found here. Street parking does not seem to be a problem. I wasn't at all concerned for the safety of my vehicle. The park is equipped with only one picnic table, offers several benches, but no cooking grills. I-5 traffic can be rather loud and irritating when trying to carry on a conversation.

Pine and Cedar Lakes Trail is a solid kick in the pants with 1500 ft of elevation gain in 1.5…read moremiles. I spent two days camping at Pine Lake and saw one other person. Another bonus is that the hills mask the hum if I-5. There are plenty of boot tracks to explore along the North Shore. A very peaceful place with solitude in spades!

Great hike. I made it a loop and ended up at Falls Drive and walked along the main road back to the…read moretrailhead. I went alone and didn't encounter a single person in the 4-5 hours it took for me to do the loop. Not all maps show the trail that leads off so you can make the loop. You go to the south from an off shoot in between cedar and Pine lake. The trails at this point are very overgrown. There is more opportunities to go on trails but I stuck on the service roads for the most part. Lots of good lookout points over Lake Samish. The original hike to get to Pine and Cedar lake is very steep. Once you get past that point it is more rolling hills or flat. I highly recommend turning left and heading toward the overlook NW of Cedar lake. Great views of the San Juan's and on the other side you can see Baker. For the Lakes there is camping opportunities available (primitive). Also there are no toilets available. Swimming in the lakes might be possible but they look as if the water is stagnant and there is much muck. I'm only knocking it down because of the hill. The overgrown section isn't part of this trail but is a fun way to go if you want more mileage and to make a loop of it. Just be aware you will be walking back along the road and there is little to no shoulder at times so walk towards the oncoming traffic to step out of the way when they approach.

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.