Many people haven’t heard of the Skagit River Valley, unless you are from Washington State. But this region, just a little over an hour north of Seattle has so much to offer. The people are extremely welcoming and it’s a beautiful mixture of fields and mountains.
Many people come for the annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in April, stopping in places like Tulip Town, but if you don’t explore outside of that you are seriously missing out. One of the top things to do is to come a see the wildlife. These are the top places to visit on your next road trip to the Pacific Northwest.
Visit North Cascades National Park
North Cascades National Park is one of the must visit National Parks and is a bit of a best kept secret about Washington. Driving towards the park with views of Mount Baker along scenic roads, there are several stops along the way.
One of those stops is the suspension bridge to the trail of the cedars. This bridge takes you to the start of a short 0.3 miles. It’s an easy walk and wheelchair accessible. During the creation of this trail the superintendent of lighting, J.D. Ross wanted guests to believe that “anything was possible with electricity” and he planted lots of exotic plants and placed lampposts all along the trail that is still seen today. The trail ends at a small waterfall amidst the cedars.
Keep driving and you will come to a popular spot and overlook to Lake Diablo. This turquoise body of water is created by the way the sediment reflects the sunlight and is just a taste of what you can see during a hike in the North Cascades.
Visit a small town
Concrete
On the drive up to North Cascades National Park is the town of Concrete. This hidden gem is a great place to stop after a day in the park. You can have lunch at 5b’s Bakery, where everything is gluten free and then head to one of the areas hidden gems, Act One Ice Cream. This 100-year-old movie theater still has daily movie showings and you can get an ice cream cone while you are there (they also have a couple of dairy free options).
The owner is an amazing woman, who puts so much into the town and her and her husband went on a tour of the country to find the best ice cream to bring back to the town, and they nailed it.
Mt. Vernon
Every town in Skagit is so cute, including downtown Mount Vernon. There’s tons of restaurants, breweries and shops to wander around. I recommend a stop at Temperate Habits Brewing for both their beer and for dinner.
La Conner
This is another cute town with a distinct artsy vibe. One your way into La Conner, however, make sure to stop at the Conway Muse for some live music at this converted barn.
Hike Deception Pass state park
Deception Pass state park is consistently rated one of the top state parks in Washington. The most photographed spot being the bridge crossing the water, but you can hike several trails that give you great marine life viewing with the mountains in the background.
Check out the best hikes in Deception Pass for more.
Float down the Skagit River to see the bald eagles
There are a ton of opportunities to go wildlife viewing in Washington state. One, maybe lesser known, adventure is to float down the Skagit River to see the hundreds of bald eagles who come here in the winter. The best time to see them is between November and January and even though it’s cold and probably going to rain on you, you are likely to see the peak in the number of eagles along the shoreline.
Eat at Chuckanut Manor
One of the most scenic roads in Skagit county is Chuckanut drive. This winding road cuts along the water with ocean views while driving through that quintessential Pacific Northwest forest with moss sticking to the trunk and branches of trees, vibrant green.
A great spot for dinner is Chuckanut Manor Seafood and Grill. The restaurant is situated overlooking the water with the entire wall lined with windows, there isn’t a bad seat in the place. I highly recommend the scallops and nice glass of Washington red wine.
Go see the snow geese and Trumpeter swans
The tulip fields are awesome places not only to see the tulips in April but to come and see the masses of snow geese and trumpeter swans stopping over during their migration. The best time to see them is between early November and mid-March. One of the other popular places to see these birds is on the Samish Flats.
Skagit Valley is a major wintering ground for a lot of bird species and if you can brave the weather, you are in for a treat! Check out the Skagit Audubon Society for more.
Concluding Thoughts
Skagit county is a great jumping off point for North Cascade National Park, but it has so much to offer it should be a stay all on its own. For great travel guides and trip planning suggestions check out the Skagit Tourism Bureau, they have a ton of unique recommendations.
Heading to the Olympic Peninsula? Check out my ultimate guide to Olympic National Park.
