Urban Adventure - Skagit Valley

Trip

Urban Adventure - Skagit Valley

This is a walking field trip to Tulip Town in the Skagit Valley to photograph fields of tulips. We will do a little walking around the fields. It is an easy walk with no elevation gain.

  • Easy
  • Mileage: 0.5
  • High Point Elevation: 100 ft
  • Pace: Slow Photographers Pace

Meet at the Tulip Town entrance at 8:50 am on Sunday, March 8. The gates open at 9:00. Parking is free, but an Entry Fee of $7.00 is required by participants. At 9:00 we will enter Tulip Town, and depending on the weather, will go directly to the fields or view the undercover displays. The field trip will end at 12:00pm, but your entry is good for all day. Tulip Town provides shuttle wagons out into the fields for $2.00 per person. Or you can walk. The walking is flat, muddy, and slippery.

Tulip Town has restrooms, bulb orders, gift shop, and food sales. 

At 9:00 am you shouldn't have problems parking. As the day proceeds, it gets more and more crowded.

More information about the tulip festival and a bloom map is linked here.

 

Please do not take photos of the farm workers without asking for permission. Given the political environment, it is very unsettling for the employees who are fearful they are being photographed by immigration authorities.

For those inclined, I will lead an evening sunset photo shoot at a sight TBD on Saturday, April 7th. The location will be determined by the weather, position that maximizes the tulip fields and sunset. We'll meet at 6:30pm to prepare. Sunset on April, 7 is at 7:46. A tripod is recommended. I will email and text those interested on Saturday afternoon with exact location.

On April 8, I will also organize a sunrise photo op. Same as above, the location is TBD. I will email and text the location on Saturday evening. Meet at the designated spot at 5:30 am. We will hopefully catch the morning light coming over the Cascades onto the fields of tulips. Pouring rain will cancel.

To lead the sunset and sunrise photo ops, I will be camping at Bayview State Park. I reserved site #20. I will have room for two campers with one tent if you want to share. You will need to pay $10 extra car fee.

Route/Place
Roster
Required Equipment

Required Equipment

Water, snacks, appropriate outerwear and sturdy shoes.

Bring a variety of lenses: wide angle, telephoto, and macro if desired. A polarizing filter is a must due to reflections and glare. Graduated neutral density filters can be helpful to deal with contrast. A tripod is recommended, but not required.

The tulips grow in fields of clay. It is very slippery, muddy, and gets on everything. Where waterproof boots, with a traction sole and old clothes. Bring newspaper or plastic to put your boots on when you remove them. Be prepared for any weather. This is a rain or shine field trip.

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