The hike is rated as both easy and picturesque, winding down through a half mile of cedar rainforest then along the long, long narrow spit to the lighthouse at the end – five miles, one way. And then back. Hiking guidebooks recommend doing this hike at low tide; I second that! As the tide rises, there’s an awful lot of scrambling through driftwood and deep sand required.

The wildlife refuge exists to protect native colonies of Brant geese and other birds; we saw cranes, murres, murrelets and finches. I didn’t even try to get pictures, still, it was fun trying to spot them.

I’d never done a day hike this long before, but figured it would be flat and easy, why not try? And I did it. Still, with the shifting sand and beach pebbles and the driftwood scrambling, I’m definitely going to feel it tomorrow.

Ben and I went hiking today at Fort Flagler State Park, on Marrowstone Island, about an hour from home. It’s a pretty fascinating little piece of military history in our own backyard.

Marrowstone Point

Gun emplacement at Battery Lee

Fort Flagler, along with two other Puget Sound area forts, guarded the waterways. Established in the late 1890′s, they became the first line of a fortification system designed to prevent a hostile fleet from reaching the Bremerton Naval Yard and the cities of Seattle, Tacoma and Everett.

Battery Revere

Winch at Battery Rawlins

During World War I, ten of the fort’s guns were redeployed – only two remain onsite. During World War II and the Korean War the fort was used for training in amphibious warfare, and at the end of the Korean War, June 7, 1953, Fort Flagler was deactivated.

Battery Calwell

Battery Wansboro, with one of the two remaining guns.

As always, click through to enlarge an image, or for more pictures in my Flickr photo set from the day’s adventure.

To celebrate, I went hiking, independently. I drove the MINI up to Cape Flattery and walked the Shi Shi Beach trail.

It was a lovely day in the Puget Sound area, predicted to hit 80+, but on the coast it was 60 – perfect for hiking. Parts of the 4.5 mi trail were deep rainforest, parts were sunny boardwalk, and parts were misty ocean bluff – totally gorgeous.

The first 2 miles of the trail were easy, wide trails and gradual incline. The last ¼ mile, though, was the killer – about 300 vertical feet, scrambling up and down steep switchbacks, and using tangled tree roots like irregular stairsteps. The view at the bottom was worth it, though!

There are more pics on Flickr, which all these images link to, of the day’s scenery.

Even though Maggie the MINI is fun to drive, the drive was a bit long – three hours each way. The last 45, though, was pretty much perpetual S-curve and hairpin turns, as fun to drive in the MINI as a roller coaster ride.

I’m glad I got out and pushed myself!

The Seattle premium outlet malls. Needless to say, more side-tripping got done than actual hiking, and that was ok. My husband not only accompanied me voluntarily – he actually suggested the outing.

He is a Big Dogs fan, and picked up new t-shirts for everyone. He got me a new sleep shirt that reads “It’s cute that you think I’m listening.”

We finished up the date day with dinner at ubiquitous mall-chain-restaurant staple PF Changs. Yum.

It wasn’t Olympic National Park – but in many ways was just as good for body and soul.

I decided on the Staircase Rapids hike; it was just right for my state of physical unfitness. The out-and-back trail was two miles (one out and one back) without much elevation gain, a cool, low impact winding trail through the old-growth rainforest along the banks of the Skokomish river. I ended up exploring a bit off trail as well, climbing up and down the river bank a few times to explore the river and get good pictures.

The trail is pretty inviting.

Yep, definitely a rainforest.

First look at the river.

The trail follows the river for a while.

Where is my fishing pole?

Heading up into deeper forest.

Baby tree growing out of an old dead one.

Looking down into the river canyon.

Down at river level near the end of the trail.

I’m pretty fortunate to live in such gorgeous country – I need to do this a lot more often – and maybe even take a fishing rod with me when the opportunity is right.