Oak Harbor
WA 98227
Koma Kulshan Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society
Field Trip: Goose Rock
Goose Rock is the highest point on Whidbey Island at about 480 feet. Starting from the parking area at the east end of North Beach, we’ll hike under the bridge, through the forest, and up to the bald at the top to see a great diversity of wildflowers and other native bald/meadow plants. On a clear day, there are fantastic island views from the top. On the way down, I hope we’ll find Pacific rhododendron, Rhododendron macrophyllum, in bloom along part of the loop trail. There is no plant list for Goose Rock yet – please come and help build one. I visited this area two years ago and have a preliminary list I can share. Bring a lunch if you like and we’ll stop to eat somewhere along the way. This is an easy to moderate hike, about 2-3 miles in length and ~500 feet elevation gain with some steep and/or slippery sections. It is in Deception Pass State Park and you will need a Discover Pass to park. We are visiting on a weekday because Deception Pass is a busy tourist area. It’s about 50 minutes to drive from Bellingham to the trailhead. We’ll meet at the trailhead at 9:15 am. Please contact Katie Mitchell, katie.henken [at] gmail.com to register or for more information.
Photo by Katie Mitchell.
