Bear Creek: This stand is part of the Skagit Forest Board trust. It is managed by DNR to perpetuate the timber resource and provide funding to support Skagit County public services, including schools, roads, hospital and emergency services. This conifer stand was harvested in 1999 and planted with douglas fir and western red cedar in 2000. Trust lands on Blanchard Mountain receive a lot of recreational use including hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, hang gliding and bird watching.
The Chuckanut Mountain area is popular for recreation. Talus slopes, caves, high cliffs, waterfalls, wetlands, streams, lakes, and marine shoreline are all part of the mixed coniferous ecosystem that covers Chuckanut Mountain.
This cache explores the working forest side of the mountain. Much of the Chuckanut and Samish Bay area was extensively logged in the past. Portions of the area are still currently managed for commercial forestry. The area managed by DNR is a working forest. Visitors may encounter a variety of modern forest management techniques. Great care is taken in designing individual timber sales to protect this biologically diverse ecosystem.
To get to the DNR trail heads from I-5, take exit 240. Go N on Samish Lake Rd for 0.5 mi, then turn left on Barrel Springs Rd. Go 1.0 mi, then turn right on DNR B-1000 Rd. Continue a little over a mile to the upper trail head and the gate.
In addition to the DNR, Chuckanut Mountain has trails supported by Larrabee State Park, Whatcom County Parks and Recreation, and City of Bellingham Parks and Recreation.
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources publishes a trail map of the Chuckanut Mountain Trail Systems. You can usually pick one up free at the DNR region office in Sedro Woolley:
Northwest Region
919 N. Township St.
Sedro Woolley, WA 98284-9384
(360) 856-3500
You can also purchase a complete DNR Recreation Kit
online, including Chuckanut Mountain, for $23.06.
The Kit includes one each of the following:
- Loomis State Forest and Loup Loup Map
- Capitol State Forest Map
- Tiger Mountain State Forest Map
- Ahtanum Multipurpose Use Area Map
- Tahuya State Forest Map
- Elbe/Tahoma State Forests Map
- Chuckanut Mountain Trail Systems Map
- Dishman Hills Trail Map
- Green Mountain State Forest Trail Map
- Greider Ridge NRCA Trail Systems Map
- Little Pend Oreille Trails Map
- McLane Creek Nature Trail Map
- Mitchell Peak Trail Systems Map
- Mount Pilchuck NRCA Trail Systems Map
- Mount Si NRCA and Upper Snoqualmie Valley Map
- Northern Olympic Pennisula Trail Map
- Tahuya State Forest Trail Map
- Tarbell and Jones Creek Trail Systems Map
- Walker Valley Trail System Map
- Major Public Lands Map