This is another 2-mile loop hike with one steep climb going up, whether you start on the Perimeter trail or the Goose Rock summit trail. It is good hike to do at the beginning of hiking season to help get in shape. It has about a 500-foot elevation gain. We prefer to climb the steeper, shorter route at the beginning and therefore take the Goose Rock summit trail to the top. That allows us to take our time coming down on the other side. Taking the loop in that order makes the downward trail, which is longer and more challenging, a slower trip. Trekking poles can be helpful when going down this side as there are some tricky switchbacks, plus narrow, rocky and steep areas. The reward is views of water and mountains as well as patches of wildflowers and a glen of native rhododendrons. Unfortunately, we were too early to see the rhodies in bloom.
Views from the top of Goose Rock
This is in Deception Pass State Park and a very popular place. It has restrooms, a parking area and requires a Discover Pass. To get to the trails, go down the stairs, turn right, go under the bridge to the trailheads for Perimeter and Goose Rock. To access the beach, turn left at the foot of the stairs and continue downward.
We dubbed the backside of Goose Rock “Flower Rock” since it is where some marvelous finds grow. This time we found Chocolate Lilies, Naked Broomrape (hard to find and a somewhat rare), Spring Gold, Pink Sea Blush, Blue-eyed Mary, Death Camus, Camus, Indian Paintbrush, and Stonecrop. The wildlife moment for the day was hearing eagles calling and looking up to see one flying overhead.
Spring Gold and Pink Sea Blush
Kninickkinnick
Blue-eyed Mary, very, very tiny this is magnified
Stonecrop
Chocolate Lily
We must really be back to hiking mode as we are counting hikers and dogs again--
totals for the day:
45 hikers and 4 dogs
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