Yellow Pages
You will need a fishing or conservation placard to use the area. The placard must be displayed so it can be seen through the windshield of the vehicle.
Distance: Three miles
Destination: North and south treks along the dike
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation gain: None
Getting there: From I-5, take the Stanwood, State Route 532 exit. Turn right on Pioneer Highway. After 2.7 miles, turn left on Old Pacific Highway. After crossing a set of railroad tracks, turn right on a dirt road. The trailhead parking lot is at the end of the road.
The Trek: Don’t let the name scare you away. Granted, the trek is along a dike above a slough that could very well be considered an oversized ditch.
This slough is scenic and bustling with birds.
After parking, head up a small hill and continue through an antique turnstile. After passing through, proceed to the right or the left. The trail to the left leads to the south end of Big Ditch Slough.
For the purpose of this hike, I began by heading south.
After passing through a split-wood gate, wind along a narrow trail that leads to the slough’s southern end. Here, Big Ditch Slough empties into Puget Sound. The mud flats are up close and shorebirds are plentiful. Camano Island lies just across the mud and water.
High grass makes this area prime for birds. Look close for shorebirds, great blue herons and the occasional hawk.
After taking it all in, return down the path and back through the spit-rail gate. Continue north atop the dike. In the distance, if it’s not socked in, Mount Baker and the Twin Sisters range dominate the skyline.
The marshland to the left is a forest of reeds. Swaths of broken reeds show that plenty of game animals frequent the area.
Birds by the hundreds can be seen hopping and flying from reed to reed. Their chirps and squawks are heard throughout the area.
Be sure to bring your binoculars so you can see what species are making all the noise.
The waters of Puget Sound are seen as a large blue streak to the west.
If the sun is out, waves shimmer in the deeper pockets of water trapped in the tidal flats.
Large logs are scattered throughout the area. They have been either flushed out of local rivers or washed from the decks of barges. Most are bleached white. Those in the distance resemble the carcasses of dead whales.
This trail is a straight shot. It eventually leads to a small enclave of rugged shore dwellings. The structures have been built upon pilings. At a “no trespassing” sign, turn around and head back to the rig.
Big Ditch Slough
Last Updated: April 02, 2009 - 11:08 AM
Vince Richardson
Logs dot the shoreline along the trail.
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