Day Hike - Oyster Dome & North Butte

Meet at the Samish Overlook parking area at 9 AM. Carpooling is highly encouraged, as this is a popular destination with limited trailhead parking. Please be prepared to stay together as a group and plan to be back at the trailhead by 2PM. Following the hike, hikers are welcome to have a post-hike bite to eat at the Mt. Vernon Co-op.

All trip members must agree to abide by Leave No Trace ethics, remembering to reduce contact with wild animals (please do not feed the wildlife). Review the LNT guidelines here: https://lnt.org/learn/7-principles

If the weather forecast becomes worse than a chance of rain, this hike will be rescheduled. Please check your email 3-4 days prior to the hike for more details and information about carpooling.

DIRECTIONS TO SAMISH OVERLOOK DAY USE AREA

From I-5, take exit 240 (Alger) and head west on Lake Samish Road. Take the first left onto Barrel Springs Road and travel 0.6 mile, to where there is a sign reading “Blanchard Forest Block”. Turn right on the dirt road and travel another 1.7 miles to a sign for “Samish Overlook”. Turn left and pass through the yellow gate (open one hour before sunrise to one hour past sunset) and continue 2.2 miles to the Samish Overlook Day Use Area. There is parking for 20 vehicles (day use only.) There are vault toilets, picnic tables and benches. A Discover Pass is required.

Trail Map: https://www.dnr.wa.gov/publications/amp_rec_blanchard_2012.pdf

HIKING ROUTE

We will begin the hike at the Samish Overlook parking area, following the brief Chuckanut connector to the Samish Bay trail, and briefly stop at the Oyster Dome overlook. Then we will continue past Lily Lake towards North Butte where we will stop for a longer break to enjoy the secluded viewpoint. To return to the trailhead, we will take Max’s shortcut and the Larry Reid trail.