Vulcan's Lair

Vulcan’s Lair is a fun add on to your drive to Portland and beyond as both park are within 20 miles of I-5 and offer wonderful examples of wild geologic forces that built the world and laid foundation for our beautiful state. Of the nearly 20 volcanoes that run parallel to the coast in the cascade range extending from California to southern British Columbia, Washington is home to 5: Mt Baker, Glacier Peak, Mt Rainier, Mt St Helens, and Mt Adams. But according to geologist Nick Zenter, there is plenty of evidence that these 5 are the youngest in a family of even more ancient volcanoes. This road trip introduces you to the most recent and most active of all the cascade volcanoes and one very old eruption.

So, head south with me and we’ll pull off the highway near Castlerock to visit Seaquest State Park and views of Mt St Helens. The main portion of Seaquest is across the road from where we’re exploring which is the Silver Lake Mt St Helens Visitor Center and nature trail. If you have the time, the lush forest across the street (easy access by an underground tunnel), is well worth the visit. But on this trip, we’re here to see volcanoes.

Five dollars will get you in to see the exhibits and other programs in the visitor center. Displays of the history of the area before and after the 1980 eruption discuss the interactions between humans, the fertile lands in the area, and the often-disruptive peak. I like heading down into the model volcano to understand more about the geology and ingredients needed for an eruption like the one that occurred 38 years ago. Stop in the theater for a short movie about the eruption and the destructive forces before heading out to see the (for now) quiet volcano.

From the visitor center, make your way towards the lake and a looped trail that meanders along boardwalks connecting small islets in the marshy areas of the lake. From the board walk and trail you will have views of the now collapsed mountain – if it’s a clear day. Create depth in your images by placing the marsh vegetation in the foreground, find interesting lines or unique foliage that help lead the viewer’s eye to the often-snowy mountain. There are several good spots to photograph the mountain and you walk along the path.

Once done with the boardwalk trail, hop back in your car to continue south to the little town of Battle Ground and the little nearly perfect circle of a lake there. 7700 years ago, a cluster of volcanoes in Oregon erupted and in the aftermath of the explosion a lake formed in the leftover caldera. Crater Lake is considered to be one of the bluest clearest lakes in North America. And is well worth the drive to see it. But just north of Vancouver, WA you can see a miniature caldera lake even older than Crater Lake.

In an event called the Boring Lava Volcanics, the eruptions left a small caldera at the foot of the cascades about 100,000 years ago. The caldera filled with water to become a miniature Crater Lake except without the blue water and Wizard Island. But the depression is a sweet surprise in the forested landscape. Several trails encircle the lake to let you experience the terrain left over from the more active volcanic periods. The trails closer to the lake edge hike past volcanic rocks, remnants of the eruptions so long ago. Higher, on the crater rim, the forest is thick with vine maples that in the late fall bathe the park in a yellow glow. Stop long enough for a picnic on the lake’s shore and watch families fish from the dock before heading on your way.

Directions from Olympia (mileages are approximate):

To Seaquest State Park: Drive south on I-5 for 55 miles to exit 49 and highway 504 east. Head east for 6 miles to the park. The Mt Saint Helens Visitor Center and boardwalk are on the south side of the highway. The campground and wooded hiking trails are on the north side of the highway. There is a pedestrian underpass that links both sides of the park.

To Battle Ground Lake State Park: Leave Seaquest Park and head west on highway 504 back to I-5 south. Continue on I-5 south for 38 miles to exit 11, highway 502 east to the town of Battle Ground. Continue on highway 502 for 6 miles to town and drive through town. Turn left on NE Grace Ave. In ½ mile turn right on NE 10^th St and continue on NE Heisson Road which turns into NE 244^th St then then NE Palmer Road. After all that, turn left on NE 249^th St and the park.

River of Eagles

Pack a picnic and get an early start, for our Nation’s national symbol is at the heart of this trip to the Skagit Valley. At just 46 miles from start to finish you’ll have plenty of time to stop at all the way-sides to look for Bald Eagles. You can find eagles here anytime of the year, but your best bet to photograph these gorgeous raptors is between the end of November to the beginning of March so make sure you bundle up and bring your longest lens.

Bald Eagles migrate into the Skagit River Valley during the winter to feed on spawning salmon battling their way upstream to end their life cycle and nourish another. The eagle numbers are so great here that the towns in the Skagit Valley host an Eagle Festival every year and wildlife spotters help tourists identify and understand these great raptors. That’s one of the reasons I love this trip – all the little waysides that will get you close enough to really watch eagles roost and hunt or scavenge.

Our first stop on this trip is on Padilla Bay not too far from the mouth of the Skagit River at a little park named Bay View State Park. Padilla Bay and its mud flats filled with tasty bird treats (insects and small marine life) are well known in birding circles. While looking for eagles roosting high in the trees, keep an eye out for wintering water birds in the bay or Great Blue Herons perched on the shore. Just north of the park is the Breazeale Padilla Bay Interpretive Center. Swing by to learn more about the role the area plays in the healthy eco-system.

Thirty miles east along the Skagit River, just off highway 20, is Rasar State Park. Perfectly situated along a stretch of wide shallow water, eagles love to roost in the trees looking for the perfect salmon to snack on and screech at each other. From the parking lot, hike down through a meadow with views of Sauk Mountain and listen for the high-pitched screechy call in the trees above. Once you get to the river, walk easterly and look up. Eagles enjoy roosting in the leaf-bare alders here – better fish viewing for them and better bird viewing for you.

As your morning winds down, hop back in your car to drive another 16 miles east on highway 20 to Rockport State Park. While there isn’t river access from this park, the thick old growth forest aides in keeping the river healthy so salmon and Bald Eagles return every year. Check the calendar for one of the ranger led walks through the forest ecosystem to learn more about the interconnectedness of the forest, river, salmon, and eagles.

If you want to continue your adventure, keep heading east on highway 20 through the towns of Rockport and Marblemount. There are several stops along the way with opportunities to photograph eagles. The first is in Rockport at the Howard Miller Steelhead Park where you will find an eagle interpretive center and can take part in interpretive walks. Further along the road at milepost 101, a small park has open views to allow for eagle viewing. And in Marblemount, head across the river to the boat access where you can walk a trail leading down river a bit and eagles watching from trees. 

Directions from Mount Vernon (mileages are approximate):

To Bay View State Park: In Mount Vernon, follow highway 536 through town to the junction with highway 20 in 7 miles. Head west on highway 20. In 2 miles turn north onto Bay View Edison Rd and drive 1.5 miles to the park. The entrance is one your right then you’ll need to take an immediate left into the to drive under the road to the day use area and the shoreline. The Padilla Bay Education Center is just a half mile up the road from the park.

To Rasar State Park: Drive back into the town of Bay View then head east on Josh Wilson Rd. Stay on this road for 8 miles to the junction with I-5. Head north on I-5 for a mile then take the exit to Cook Rd. Follow Cook Rd through 2 round-abouts. The first one, take the second exit. The second one, take the third exit, this will have you driving on highway 20 eastbound. Follow highway 20 for 15.5 miles to Lusk Rd and turn right. Turn left onto Cape Horn Rd and in 1 mile you come to the park. On the left is the group camp area and the right is the campground and day use area with the trail along the river.

To Rockport State Park: Head back to Cape Horn Rd and turn right (east) then turn left onto Russell Rd. This will take you back to highway 20. Continue east on highway 20 for 13.5 miles. Access to the park is on the north side of the highway, but the park spans the highway.

Westward Ho! Part 1

As we remember back through our childhood history lessons and the Euro-American migration west crossing the Mississippi Rivers, through the great plains and over the Rocky Mountains, you might recall that there were basically 4 stages of population influx into Indian lands.  First, we saw trappers and miners exploring the wilderness. As interest in settling the west grew, forts were built to help tame the wilderness and protect the settlers from the Native Americans whose homelands they took. Homesteaders followed closely on the heels of the army, they built towns that would support their agrarian business. Finally the great iron roads of the railroad barons began crossing the plains bringing in a greater number of Euro-American settlers and the wilderness of the west was considered tamed.

It was a time of great changes and great troubles as the accomplishments of one people did not benefit all people. Looking at history comes with its own challenges but a historian friend of mine often reminds me that it is a trap with no clear answers or escape to judge yesterday’s actions with today’s sensibilities. All we can really do is observe and report, watch trends and tendencies with the hope of learning from the past and not passing judgment.

Fort Simcoe was built in 1856 near a fresh spring used as a gathering place for the Yakama Indians. The translated name for the area means bubbling water. I can imagine trappers introducing the Yakama Nation to Euro-Americans here. But it is the fort that visitors come to see, and right now I have no proof that ever occurred. The fort was originally built to keep the peace between the native people and settlers and this fertile area was coveted by both populations. So the army being the army, settled the matter and built a fort. Once the treaty between the Yakama and United States was ratified in 1859, the army abandoned the fort to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and it became a controversial boarding school for Yakama children. It’s a hard history to understand, but the beauty of Fort Simcoe will show you why it was a treasured place for the Yakama people.

The fort sits on a hill overlooking the fertile lands of the Yakima River Valley. While most of the buildings are reconstructed – the officer’s quarters and a block house a distance from the main fort are original. Enlisted barracks, jails, block house, and interpretive center are reconstructed in the construction techniques of the time. The Officer’s Quarters are styled in Gothic Revival with high pitched dormers to add a perfect contrast to the rolling hills of Eastern Washington. You can also explore the officer’s quarters and the park has created styled vignettes in each of the rooms.

I like focusing in on the details of the buildings and construction techniques. Try to record the details that help record the era. The vignettes in the officer’s quarters are blocked off as in most historical homes but I’ll use a longer lens and a high ISO to zoom in on the settings and furnishings.

A mile-long trail around the park takes you through shrub steppe and oak forest, giving you an idea of what the land may have looked like before Euro-Americans settled here.

We’ll next drive 72 miles north and a few years beyond Fort Simcoe to 1875 and Olmstead Place Historical State Park to photograph life on a frontier homestead. The Olmsteads settled along the Altapes Creek in Kittitas Valley. Their modest cabin soon grew into storage and animal sheds. As the prosperity through cattle grew in the region so did the Olmsteads. The homestead now includes a pioneer cabin, original out buildings, a more modern barn and house, plus a heritage garden filled with colorful flowers.

The out buildings are filled with agricultural implements from the 19^th and early 20^th centuries while the cabin is filled with home making supplies so the visitor can imagine life on the farm on the frontier. Use whatever lens you’re comfortable with and look for patterns and textures in the details.

We’ll need to speed forward a few years to 1909 and 35 miles west to the Chicago, Milwaukee, St Paul and Pacific Railroad South Cle ElumRail Yard – I just call it the South Cle Elum Rail Yard. As Railroads began to cross the expanse of our nation, a greater number of Euro-Americans made the trek to cities large and small to open libraries, schools, and businesses not entirely dependent on the agrarian culture. The beginning of the industrialization of the west began – very few areas of the west were considered frontier.

Now the South Cle Elum Rail Yard is managed by the Cascade Rail Foundation in partnership with Washington State Parks. It is what is called an affiliated site as it has been preserved through funds and administration of the Washington State Parks Commission. The Milwaukee Road is now a mostly paved trail  - the Palouse to Cascades Trail - stretching from North Bend to Vantage with plans to extend the trail when possible.

But our focus is on the old depot. South Cle Elum became a division point where locomotives were serviced and crews switched on and off. Passengers and freight could also board or depart the trains in the points. A short interpretive trail circles a meadow where you can see some of the old foundations of structures needed to run a depot such as the roundhouse and water tank. The depot is open with exhibits and stop by Smokey’s Bar-B-Que next door in the depot for dinner to end your day.

Directions from Yakima, 106 miles between parks

To get to Fort Simcoe from Yakima: Drive south on I-82 for 7.5 miles to Lateral A Road. Turn right and follow Lateral A Rd for 10 miles to Fort Road. Turn right on Fort road and follow to White Swan in 14 miles. Turn Left on Signal Peak Road then another right onto Fort Simcoe Road. The park will be on your left.

Fort Simcoe to Olmstead Place: Go backwards from the above directions and pass through Yakima on I-82 heading north until the Thrall Road exit just before the junction with I-90. Turn left onto Thrall Road and another left onto Number 6 Road. In 4 miles, turn right onto Kittitas Hiway and follow to the park on your right.

Olmstead Place to South Cle Elum Railyard: Head back out to Kittitas Highway and turn left, follow into Ellensburg to Canyon Road. Turn left on Canyon Rd then another left onto I-90 westbound. In 25 miles, take exit 84 from I-90. Turn right onto Oakes Ave in Cle Elum follow to 1^st Ave then turn Left. Make another left onto S Cle Elum Way. Follow S Cle Elum way into South Cle Elum then turn right onto Madison Ave. Turn left onto 6^th and another right onto Milwaukee Ave. The depot and park will be on your left.

Fall into Northwest Foliage I

As Labor Day rolls past my calendar, my mind turns to thoughts of Autumn. The season doesn’t officially start for another few weeks, but I start thinking of pumpkin spice breves, school supplies, fogy mornings giving way to crisp sunny days, and fiery fall foliage.

Leaves begin to tarnish in the high alpine zones of our Pacific Northwest Mountains in August emphasizing a short rowing season where just a month prior the meadows were exhibiting the fertile vibrancy of mountain meadows speckled with pinks, yellows, and purples of wildflowers. Bees and mosquitoes fill the air with ever-present buzzing. Birds sing from the trees and deer nibble on the plant life. The colors turn red and gold in August as the air quiets. Deer are migrating to fresher fields leaving the meadows to marmots and pika gathering stores for the long winter ahead of them.

Summer holds on for another month in the Puget Sound lowlands. Big leaf maples start yellowing in September and the vine maple secluded in the evergreen forests become ablaze in October. Cooler days and more often then not, overcast skies. If you remember your 4 F’s – the subjects best suited to overcast days – forests are one of the F’s. With cloudy skies, you get less harsh shadows, and fewer blown out highlights – in general, more pleasing images without a lot of post processing headaches. You will also need to make sure you grab your tripod; cloudy days mean less light through the lens so often slower shutter speeds – which can be used for fun creative effects.

As you walk through the parks on each of these trips, look for branches of leaves extending across the trunks of conifers or into the scenery. Open your aperture wide to capture just a single leaf in focus with a splash of color in the background. Look for fallen leaves in the trail, on rocks, on ferns, or anywhere really. Grab your macro equipment and focus in on the veins of a leaf or head out after a rain and compose images with rain drops hanging onto the edge. Slow your shutter down and play with creative zooms and pans. Are you out and about while the sun is shining? Don’t be afraid to turn your lens towards the sun and capture leaves glowing with backlit wonder. Your images are only limited by the amount of daylight you have to play in.

This road trip takes you to 4 parks in the Enumclaw area that have a nice variety of forests for your creativity and pleasure.

First we’ll go to Kanasket-Palmer State Park along the Green River near the outflow of the Green River Gorge. Hike the trails along the river shore for views of the Green River Gorge. Rafters and kayakers are often seen drifting past on the current; their colorful boats are a wonderful punctuation on grey days. Look for fallen leaves along the river’s shore – here is a nice area to practice long exposures composing for the stillness of a leaf on a rock with blurred water surrounding the stationary subject.

From there, head to Nolte State Park. This little lake can often be overlooked as a photographic destination but we’re here to shatter those perceptions. A visit in the fall will have you walking through golden vine maples, their leaves drifting to the ground like vibrant snowflakes. Take the time to meander along the mile long trail around the lake. On sunny days point your camera to the sun for leaves that seem to be glowing from within.

Our next stop is to Flaming Geyser State Park. While the namesake of the park – a gas pocket burning above ground – is pretty much gone, the forest of big leaf maples will hold your interest as you hike the trail to the bubbling geyser. As the leaves fall into the grey sulfur mud they sparkle with color. Spend some time exploring the marshes near the parking lot for birds and wild critter settling in for winter.

Finally we’ll drive out highway 410 to Federation Forest State Park along the White River. With over 9 miles of trails, your adventure here can be as long as you want to make it. Start with the interpretive trail near the Catherine Montgomery Interpretive Center. Vine maple grow in abundance here and offer a bright contrast against the heavy bark of douglas-fir trees.

With Enumclaw as the hub for your road trip, make sure you stop at one of the fine restaurants for lunch to refuel your adventure.

Directions from Enumclaw - 40 miles between parks

To Kanasket-Palmer State Park: From Highway 410 in Enumclaw take 284th Ave SE heading north out of town. In a mile and a half the road turns into Veazie-Cumberland Rd SE. Continue to follow Veazie-Cumberland Rd SE as it turns into Cumberland-Kanasket Rd SE, just after Nolte State Park. After Nolte State Park, travel another 2.3 miles to Kanasket Palmer State Park Rd, turn left and drive to the day-use parking lot near the river.

To Nolte: Travel back along Cumberland Kanasket Rd SE towards Enumclaw and turn into Nolte State Park at 2.3 miles.

To Flaming Geyser State Park: Return towards Enumclaw via Veazie Cumberland Rd SE, turn right on 392nd St. which turns into SE 400th Way. After 2 miles, turn right onto State Route 169. Stay on State Route 169 for 3.3 miles then turn left on SE Green Valley Rd. Turn left into the park at 2.8 miles.

To Federation Forest State Park: Return to Enumclaw via State Route 169. Head east on Highway 410 for 15 miles to arrive at Federation Forest State Park.

But it's icky Outside.

It happens the the best of us. We work all week, planning in our mind what we'll do after 5 pm on Friday. We imagine the places we'll see. The grand vistas to photograph at golden hour. The joy we'll have as we hike along the trail in beautiful meadows. As Friday afternoon winds down and gets closer to your time, the clouds creep in and the rain begins to fall and with it your heart.

Don't despair. There is still so much photography to do.

One of my favorite rainy day photo activities is to head to the nursery or greenhouse. In Seattle we're lucky enough to have the Volunteer Park Conservatory - a large greenhouse filled with tropical plants, orchids, and cacti. It's always warm on a cold rainy day.

As it is so warm and humid inside, you'll need to take care of your camera. The lens will immediately steam up as will the viewfinder and the screen. I bring a microfiber cleaning cloth with me to wipe off excess moisture while I meander around looking at the orchids and waiting for my camera to match the greenhouse temperature.

I also wipe the moisture of my diopter filters. I use these instead of a macro lens because I'm cheap and I really have no issue with the focus fall-off they can have. I rather like it - as I'm one of those artsy photographers.

The conservatory (and other greenhouses like them) frowns on the use of tripods so make sure you bump your ISO up to accommodate for hand-holding. On bright rainy days, I can usually get away with 400 ISO. When working with flowers and macro, I tend to open up my aperture fairly wide so I have a very narrow plane of focus. If you like more detail and want a smaller aperture, you'll want to bump your ISO up to 800 or more if your camera can handle the increased sensitivity without adding too much noise. Always be respectful of the rules. Tripods tend to get in the way of other visitors.

I have a few indoor destinations that I like to head to when the weather turns wet. Check your area for a few that you can run to for some playtime with your camera. There is never a need to put away your camera when it's raining. You can still have some photo fun and then go home, make some popcorn, put in a sappy movie, and edit your macro treasures.

Jewels in the Meadow

Clouds hang low over the mountain meadows dampening the fiery hues of autumn. Grey mists create a backdrop to the reds of the huckleberry and golden grasses. There is no distance for your eyes to wander so instead they wander through the meadow followed closely by your feet.

Raindrops clinging tenuously to leaves and blades of grass quiver in the slight breeze letting go as you pass, anxious to wet your shoes. You stop to watch as they fall. As gravity pulls them downward, they stretch grasping desperately to their perch until suddenly they let go and splatter onto your boots.

Drops sparkle in the muted sunlight - a string of jewels along a stalk of grass bowing deeply to your passing. Glittering in a cluster in the palm of a dried lupine. Dangling precariously from the tip of a brightly colored leaf. One breath and they fall. One step and they're gone.

The meadow beckons you forward and you follow to see the views - not up and out, but down and inward.

Washington State Parks: Palouse Falls

Palouse Falls is so well-loved by Washingtonians that it is our official state waterfall. It is also well-loved by photographers. And it's not hard to see why.

There is drama in the landscape here. The walls of the canyon, carved from the land by the Missoula Floods expose rugged columnar basalt. The Palouse River winds through the canyon first dropping over the upper falls, a plummet of about 20 feet. It looks to be almost a set of rapids in comparison to the 198 foot drop of the park's main attraction, lower falls. It then meanders through curved canyons until it reaches its confluence with the Snake River.

Most people and almost all photographers come for the views of the lower falls as it plunges into a deep bowl. From the view points along the short rim trail, you can photograph the gentle rolling Palouse hill landscape in contrast with the rugged canyons. Even a snapshot gathers applause.

A wide angle lens is used for the sweeping vistas one can get from the view points. These images show the contrast between the surrounding hills and the deep canyons, hidden from view until you reach the rim.

But don't put your telephoto lens away. Details of the canyon such as the castle rocks that stand guard at the edge of lower falls can be isolated from the scene. And there's a lot of beauty in the details of Palouse Falls.

Late afternoon can bring a special show to the falls. Stand at the far north end of the rim trail, where the rim is blocked and you can see a rainbow near the base of the falls. You may not want to move as it shimmers in the spray of the falls.

As with most waterfalls, seasonal changes can be quite dramatic. Winter and spring rains can have the waterfall gushing over the edge and summer's droughts can reduce the falls to a trickle. The meadows of the park can also have varying changes for the seasons with flowers blooming in the spring and summer and dried grasses in the autumn.

There is a darker side to Palouse Falls State Park, a sad story of the misuse by the people who love it so. This past October, park staff erected a fence blocking entry to the north end of the park and with it blocking access to the upper falls and some of the more iconic views of the falls.

Why? Because visitors couldn't respect the park or the land.

Social trails criss-cross the north end of the park and once visitors got to the view of upper falls, they'd climb down the basalt walls to the canyon floor, sometimes getting stuck and needing rescue. Vandalism was also occurring regularly to park machinery in the area. Park staff decided the best way to protect the park and the visitors was to close off that section of the park.

The only authorized trail in the park is the rim trail. All other trails including the one to the base of lower falls are social trails. Please be careful if you decide to hike this trail as it is not maintained as it is not an authorized trail. Maybe with more funding and staffing it could be safer to hike, but if that trail is also misused staff may need to close off that section of the park too.

Palouse Falls State Park is a camping park but for tents only. All campsites are walk-in campsites. There are train tracks that go through a small canyon just west of the entrance and yes, trains travel through there during the night. So if you do camp out, take ear plugs.

Getting there: From highway 26 in Eastern Washington, head south on highway 260/261. Drive 6.5 miles and turn left staying on highway 261 (highway 260 continues straight). Continue on highway 261 for 8.5 miles to Palouse Falls Rd and follow the step road to the park.

Heidi's Hotspots: Mt Rainier National Park: Burroughs Mountain

It's a difficult task to find a photo location on Mt Rainier that isn't spectacular.

When I start to think of my favorite places or places to recommend to friends, my brain starts with the obvious - Paradise. Paradise is located on the south slope of Washington's iconic mountain and is bewitching throughout the year. One of the bonus points for Paradise is it's location. The light is almost always favorable any time of day, any time of the year.

It has to do with the mountain facing the sun so as you're creating your images, the sun is at your back. It's easy to spend a day, a weekend or more photographing the scenes and beauty around the paradise area.

On the other side of the mountain, is the Sunrise area which is beautiful in it's own right. And yes, as the name reflects sunrise and early mornings are the best times of day to photograph this side of the mountain. As mid-day approaches and into the afternoon, you end up photographing into the sun.

And yet, this hot-spot is on the north-ish side of Mt Rainier where the light isn't almost always wonderful. Nor is it accessible all year.

You come here in the morning during the summer and autumn (the road usually opens around July 4 and closes after the first significant snowfall), hike out past Frozen Lake and up to 1st then 2nd (and if you have enough UMPH left) then 3rd Burroughs and you will see views hearkening back to the ice age.

Views from 1st Burroughs reach northward from Berkeley Park just below you to Fremont lookout then the Cascade Range north to Mt Stuart, Glacier Peak and Mt Baker. Don't forget to look at your feet. This is alpine tundra up here. The alpine spring brings out the low-lying color of delicate flowers.

Continue up to 2nd Burroughs to look down into the glacial moraine of the Emmons Glacier. Bring a long lens to zoom in on the crevasses, deep and plentiful near the toe of the glacier. Also bring a coat for the ever present wind gets cold even on hot summer days.

Third Burroughs brings you all that much closer to the glacier for a vision of what the northern continent looked like during the ice age.

All in the shadow of the mountain. The closer you get, the harder it is to photograph the whole mountain even with a wide angle lens. Yet, dare I say, you'll be focusing in on the mountain's details to such an extent you won't really mind.

Oh, one last use for that long lens - goats. Rarely have I been to Burroughs Mountain without seeing goats. Dozens of them.The white specks in the image above are goats (guess who didn't bother with her long lens on that trip). And I've seen the odd bear in the area too - a cinnamon colored one.

Washington State Parks: Potholes

This may be just the park the started it all. Not my initial thoughts on photographing Washington State Parks, but to write a book about them and for them.

I had been reading another photography guide book that I had been recommending to others and even lead a group out on one of the authors "trips." The book is well written, filled with insightful hints and tips. My intent here is not to discredit the author or his book. I have great respect for the author who is a talented photographer and writer who has written more than one photography guide that I use - which is why I am not sharing the title here.

However, while researching some parks on the east side of the Cascades, I ran across a passage for Potholes State Park that got me thinking. The passage said that Potholes State Park, like most Washington State Parks was no more than a campground in a mowed lawn. The author did go on to say that there were some nice marsh areas along the shore of the reservoir lake that are perfect for birds and bird photographers. But it was the - like most Washington State Parks, mowed lawn and campground - that got me wondering. Is this really the perception of our State Parks?

If that is the perception, then I want to change that perception. I wanted to show others that Washington's state parks can be photographic destinations.

And then the birth of a book.

I will admit that it you go to many of the parks that have campgrounds, the campsites are mostly on mowed lawns. Does make for room for kids to run and play near their parents. And the primary camping are for Potholes is just that. The cabins and tent sites are tucked away in the trees closer to the lake and creek. Here cottonwoods line the campsites, willows separate you from the marshes, marshes lead into the lake. Each of these provide food and shelter for birds and subject matter for bird photographers. There is also plenty of textures to photograph in these areas.

Near the day-use area and boat ramp are views of the lake and low-lying hills of the surrounding agricultural land. The park sits on the west end of the lake and faces the sunrise in the morning. They are tranquil mornings on the lake before the campers are awake. The birders begin to stir and swim across the pastel colored lake waters or fly through the multi-colored sky.

Beyond the campground, away from the lake is a landscape filled with sage and rabbit brush. Follow the short trail along the creek through the brush and grasses. More birds can be found here, but don't forget to look to your feet. In the spring lupine, phlox, lomatium and other wildflowers grow in the shade of the shrubs. I've even watched a beaver swimming in the grasses along the creek bed.

There is a lot here to explore and photograph.

Getting here:
From I-90 east bound - Take exit 164 for C NW Rd/Dodson Rd. Head south to Frenchman Hills Rd W, 10 miles and turn left. Follow Frenchman Hills Rd W to WA-262, 5 miles and turn left. Continue on WA-262 for 5 1/2 miles to Potholes State Park.
From I-90 west bound - Take exit 179 for WA 17 S and head south to Rd M SE for 2 miles. Turn right on Rd M SE and continue to WA-262, 7 miles. Follow WA-262 to Potholes State Park in another 7 miles.

Washington State Parks: Conconully

On the outskirts of the little town of Conconully which lies on the edge of the Okanagan National Forest, sits the small park of Conconully State Park. On the east side of the park site the town of (at last count) 210 residents and on the west side, Conconully Lake, a reservoir lake created by the Conconully dam.

I fist came here late one 4th of July. I didn't have a reservation for the campground and the town was buzzing with revelers. For a small town, they sure do know how to throw a party with live music well into the night and an old western-style gun battle scheduled for the next day. I found a parking spot just outside of the park along one of the roads, in between a truck and a couple of motorcycles, the riders of which were in town having some fun.

Zillah and I snuggled into the front seat of the car for a restless night's sleep - at some point in my life, sleeping in the car has ceased to be fun - but we made the best of the situation. At some point in the night, a storm passed through and fat raindrops splattered against the open window and into the car. I rolled the window up a bit. Cars drove by, drunks stumbled home and the night turned into morning.

It was morning that gave me my first sight of Conconully State Park, nestled in the hills looking out over the lake. Zillah and I startled some ducks as we meandered along the shore. An osprey dove into the water fishing for breakfast and the sunlight lit the surrounding hills, still trying to hold onto the last of the green of spring.

But that was last year. This year is a different story - the town residents and visitors have been ordered to evacuate the town as a fire bears down on the lake, the park and the historic buildings.

Fire has no direction - it goes as the winds push it and the fuel pulls it. And now a cute little town with 100+ years of history, festivals and western gun fights is in the path that fuel and wind have built for the fire. The little park on the shores of Conconully Lake with the ducks, osprey and old cottonwoods could be surrounded not by rolling green hills but hills blackened by flame and smoke and soot.

My thoughts and prayers are with those who had to flee for safety and the fire fighters trying to save the town. And prayers for big fat raindrops splashing down.

Washington State Parks: Willie Keil's Grave

On a small hill in a cow pasture nestled in the Willapa Hills of SW Washington stands a testament of the strength of a father's promise to his son. Willie Keil's Grave is no more than a pullout along highway 6 but it's story if far grander.

Willie's father was the leader of a religious sect called the Bethelites based in Bethel, MO. The group of Bethelites decided to look for their "promised land" in the fertile hills of the Oregon Territory. The year was 1855 and the way to the northwest from Missouri was a long arduous trek over the great plains by wagon. Willie was 19 and enthusiastic about the adventure. He learned to drive the oxen team that would pull his family's wagon across the plains. He became so proficient that the Bethelites awarded him the honor of driving the lead team.

However, prior to the departure, Willies became ill with Malaria. His father promised that he would not leave Willie behind - no matter what. Four days before the departure, Willie died. Remembering his promise to his son, he built a sturdy coffin lined with lead and filled it with whiskey to preserve Willie's body, put the coffin in the lead wagon and proceeded to lead his followers to the fertile lands of the northwest.

Six months later Willie was finally laid to rest in his coffin filled with whiskey in the rolling green hills of the Willapa valley.

Sadly, the Bethelites moved south of the Columbia River a few years later, but they left Willie in the lands he had dreamed of.

Now, you might not think there is much to photograph at a highway roadside along a cow pasture, but it is these situations where you can really exercise your creativity. While on road trips, have you ever grabbed your camera while running to the bathroom at the rest area? If so then you know what I'm talking about. If not, why not?

Practicing your photographic craft isn't all about the grand landscape with stunning lighting and awe-inspiring sunlight reflected in the clouds. Practicing photography is finding the elements of a landscape that help portray your emotions and experience at that time. It's in places like waysides when you want to stretch your legs that are perfect for stretching your creative muscles.

Camera memory is cheap so why not play and practice to understand what you're aiming for and how to get there. Maybe at some point, you will be asked to lead the way as Willie was. Just stay healthy so when you reach your goal you can appreciate it.

To get there: Willie Keil's Grave State park is located on Highway 6 just 4 miles east of Raymond or 51 miles west of Chehalis.

Washington State Parks: Jarrell Cove

To borrow a phrase from my sister when she described Jarrell Cove, this is a little gem of a park.

With two large docks, 14 off-shore moorage bouys and several boat-in camping areas, Jarrell Cove is used primarily for boaters out fishing in the waters off Key Peninsula or out for a relaxing paddle around the islands. But there is so much more to this park.

A trail allows visitors to stroll through the forest, towering douglas-fir reaching towards the sky with salal and sword fern greening the forest floor. Wildflowers and mushrooms peak out from under moss covered logs that appear to glow in the light. It's a forest that seems so wild but always just a few yards from the campground and road.

But there is more. Walk to the "L" dock for views further into the cove. Come here in the morning to catch the morning glow over the trees or the evening to catch the last rays of light on those same trees - it will feel different in the different light. On the "T" dock look across to the boats moored on the other side of the cove or look out into Pickering Passage.

Come to Jarrell Cove for a quiet respite, your camera will not be disappointed.

To get here: From Shelton drive north on Highway 3 for 6 miles or south on Highway 3 from Bremerton for 23 1/2 miles. Turn east on E Pickering Rd for 3 miles across the Harstine Island Bridge then turn left on North Island Dr. Follow North Island Drive for 3 1/2 miles and turn left on E Wingert Rd to the park.

Washington State Parks: Wanapum

The mighty Columbia River starts with not so humble beginnings in the Columbia Icefields of the Canadian Rockies and flows 1,243 miles to the Pacific Ocean. When Lewis & Clark first explored the west and David Douglas investigated the native flora and fauna, the Columbia ran free and wild. But in recent history this grand river was tamed and tethered, passing through 14 dams providing flood control, irrigation and electricity to the populations of the northwest.

Among these is Wanapum Dam which forms LakeWanapum near Vantage. The dam lies south of Vantage and between the town and the dam on the shores of Lake Wanapum lies Wanapum State Park.

Sitting on a small hill above the lake, Wanapum has a nice view of the dam to the south – far enough away the ever illuminated lights aren’t a nuisance to campers. Wait for the vibrant blue of twilight and the lights from the dam against twilight and the canyon walls can make a compelling image. Walk through the sage hillside in the spring to photograph wildflowers in the scrubby brush. Beautiful floral colors against the grey green sage creates a beautiful contrast.

When the waters in Lake Wanapum are low, walk the sandy beach between the day use area and the boat ramp. The beach here is littered with thousands of tiny clam shells, some no larger than a dime. Try photographing them backlit by the sun to show off their glowing transluscence.

For a small park built primarily for camping to accommodate the visitors to Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park to the north and boaters visiting Lake Wanapum, Wanapum State Park has a lot of potential for beauty.

To get there:  From I-90 either east or west take exit 136 from Vantage/Huntzinger Rd. Turn south and drive for 3 miles to the park.

Washington State Parks: Ginkgo Petrified Forest

Once upon a time there was a vast forest covering what is now the dry landscape of eastern Washington. Douglas-fir, oak, hemlock, walnut and ginkgo forested the land stretching for miles in a blanket of greens. Then volcanic eruptions blanketed the land east of the cascades in lava and ash killing the forest and covering lakes. Soon any logs that had fallen into the lakes were preserved in a chemical process where nutrients in the logs were replaced with silica turning them to stone.

Fossilized trees.

Kind of cool really. But what’s really cool about the petrified trees of Ginkgo is that this is one of the few places on earth where fossilized remains of ginkgo trees exist. Ginkgo trees no longer grow naturally in the wild, they are a cultivated tree but at one time they could be found in forests growing freely. And this is why Ginkgo State Park is named after the tree – it holds the proof that these trees were once wild.

The park is essentially separated in two distinct areas although much of the land surrounding Ginkgo is under Washington State Park protection, it is undeveloped. The developed areas contain 3 miles of hiking trails, picnic areas, boat launch and Interpretive Center. 

The first area of the park is where you will see the petrified trees. Looping trails meander through the hills giving you views of the sage country and glimpses of the petrified trees. The trees are partially submerged in the earth locked behind iron fencing. But it you place your lens on the fencing and zoom in past the fence, you can easily capture details of the trunks. Also bring along a medium sized diffuser to help block the sun from casting harsh shadows across your subject. But the trees aren't the only things to photograph here. Song birds fly and sing amongst the sage brush and in the spring flowers spread across the land shaded by the shrubs. And the views are simple yet soothing.

In the town of Vantage is the second area to explore. High on a bluff overlooking the Columbia River stands the interpretive center telling the story of the natural and cultural histories of the area. Here you can find more petrified logs and petroglyphs rescued from the flooding River when Wanapum Dam was built about 5 miles south of the park. From this vantage point, you have views up and down the Columbia River and the basalt cliffs that contain the river.

A trip to both areas is well worth your time.

To get there: From I-90 heading either east or west, take exit 136 (Vantage/Huntzinger Rd) and turn north to Vantage.  For the Interpretive Center, drive through Vantage on Main St and turn right on Ginkgo Ave. Drive to the end to the parking lot. For the Petrified Forest trails, continue on Main St as it curves to the left and becomes Vantage Highway. The parking area for the trails is approximately 2 miles on the right. 

Washington State Parks: Field's Spring

Sometimes it pays to talk to the park rangers, volunteers and other employees of the state parks.
On my recent trip to Field's Spring, a park I had never visited before but will be visiting again, I was meandering around the parking lot and the trails between one of the lodges and the campground. The park is know for being a wildflower heaven during the months of May and June, so I was looking at all of the forest wildflowers popping up and was completely thrilled to be able to photograph both the male and female flowers of the meadowrue.

Before I had decided to stay close to camp (I was rather tired after the drive from Seattle to south of Clarkston), I had the opportunity to chat with Mike & Kathy the campground hosts. A very kind couple who enthusiastically showed me the wildflowers pictures they had taken on their hike up Puffer Butte, the high point of the park with views into Oregon and Idaho.  They found lupine, lomatium, calypso orchids, phlox, paintbrush and several other flowers on the trail and in the meadow at the top. Feeling the exhaustion set in, I decided to stick around camp and head up the hill for sunrise and morning golden hour photography.

So there I was, meandering around the campground and lodges when a beat up red sedan pulled up next to me with an older gentleman driving, his passenger was a big German Shepard standing in the passenger seat nose to the windshield and tongue hanging out. "You looking for birds?" he asked leaning his head out the window. One look at the car and the monster of a dog next to him, I knew he was someone with something to say. "No, not really. I'm looking for wildflowers - they're easier to spot."

"Oh. You want wildflowers. Well, have you been out the corral trail yet?"

"No. Where is that."

"You'll want to follow the dirt road here past the lodge to the gate. Go through the gate onto the trail. Take the Morning Song Trail and at the end of that trail there's a smaller trail that follows the ridge. You can go out there. You can go anywhere - it all belongs to the park, so it's ok. But that's where you'll find all the wildflowers you want. I know - I used to work here."

"Oh, thank you. This road here?"

"Yep. you can drive out to the gate too - there's a parking lot there."

"Thanks."

I watched as he drove off with his dog balancing in the front seat. I looked at the road he pointed out and decided that I needed to explore every corner since that is why I was there. His advice did not disappoint.

Just off the Corral Trail was the Morning Song Trail. A short walk brought me to sweeping views of the Blue Mountains and at my feet - flowers. Lupine, Balsamroot, Scarlett Gilia, Indian Paintbrush in so many colors I lost count and flowers I had never before seen.

I followed Morning Song to it's end but it hooked back into the Corral Trail. There was no trail along the ridge. I thought to retrace my steps, but instead continued along the Corral Trail to its end. I did find the trail along the ridge but will tell you about it in the book in a feature named Insider's Tips. These will be hints and tips from the people who know the park from the inside out.

Oh, and at the end of the Corral Trail is an old broken down corral and more views including a view of Puffer Butte.

To Get There: It's a short 29 miles from Clarkston, WA. Follow Highway 129 south to Asotin. In Asotin, Highway 129 turns right to head up into the plateau. Turn right to continue on Highway 129. The park is on your left 22 miles from Asotin.

Washington State Parks: Camano Island State Park

Camino Island State Park is a case study of a community coming together with a common goal and building a long lasting legacy. Organized by the South Camano Grange on July 27, 1949, 500 volunteers from Camano Island and nearby Stanwood built the park. In one day, they cleared the land, built roads and trails, picnic tables and a parking area. The South Camano Grange won 3rd prize in a national contest for the event and the park.

Over the years Camano Island State Park has grown but the devotion of a small group of residents who believed that they could build a park and create access to the beach for everyone can still be felt in every trail, campsite and table.

The parks sits on a wooded high bluff overlooking Saratoga Passage and includes the rocky beach below. Trails meander throughout the park weaving through the thick forest of Douglas Fir and Sword Fern. The Al Emerson Nature Trail built in remembrance for the first park ranger takes a hiker on a journey through the life cycle of the forest. A photographer can find small intimate vignettes of nature and life in the trees.

From viewpoints along the bluff, you have sweeping views of Saratoga Passage and the mountains of the Olympics and southeast towards Mt Rainier. head down towards the beach and you'll find on the east side of the parking lot a marsh filled with cattails and birds. The beach is rocky and popular with shellfish harvesters. Which can be a boon to photographers looking for details on the beach. Textures abound as do small vignettes of sea life. While on the beach, throw your polarizer on your lens and play with the reflections on the ripples and the rocks below. Don't leave before sunset, for here is a grand place for the colors of the evening.

To Get There:

From I-5 North or South, take exit 212 for State Route 532 to Stanwood and Camano Island. Follow SR 532 west for approximately 10 miles and continue onto E Camano Island Dr. In about 6 miles turn right onto E Monticello Dr. Turn right on SW Camano Dr and then right on Lowell Point Rd.

Washington State Parks: Keystone Spit

You almost don't realize that this State Park is there and if you do, you probably think that it's just an extension of Fort Casey just to the north. To be fair, Keystone Spit is managed by the staff at Fort Casey but it is designated as it's own and why it's separated here.

There's good reason why the two are managed together though, while buildings were being constructed at Fort Casey housing was built on nearby Keystone Spit for the workers.

The spit is a narrow piece of land separating Admiralty Strait from the marshy Crockett Lake. Highway 20 runs along the crest, but this is a peaceful area. Even as the ferry comes and goes at the north end of the spit you can find wilderness here. Having the privilege of close vicinity to Coupeville and Ebey's Landing National Historical Preserve, it's easy to get lost in the quiet ebb and flow of the tides, seasons and farming life.

The beach is rocky and often lined with fishermen during the season. You can photograph little vignettes of beach life along the shore - colorful rocks and interesting pieces of driftwood. Or fishermen in the early morning light.

If it's wildlife you seek, carefully cross the 2 lane highway (very few cars travel this stretch but read the warning below) to Crockett Lake. Here is a birder's paradise. A photographer can photograph shore birds, raptors, waterfowl, song birds and all manners of feathered friends. Bring your long lens and sit for an hour or a day, you will not be disappointed.

If you're in the area visiting Fort Casey or nearby Coupeville, stop by to watch the ferries come and go, watch the fishermen, watch the birds or just relax and watch the day go by. Keystone Spit is a quiet respite from the more hectic Fort Casey and well worth a visit.

Safety Note. Please be careful when crossing the road from the beach area to view the birds at Crockett Lake. There are no crosswalks or protective barriers at this time for pedestrians. Crossing the road or walking on the shoulder can be very dangerous.

To get there.

On Whidbey Island from the north: Follow Highway 20 south to Coupeville and turn right on S Main Street. S Main Street turns into S Engle Road. Continue on S Engle Road past the entrance to Fort Casey State Park and the Keystone ferry terminal. Parking for the park is on your right just past the terminal and at the south end of the park.

On Whidbey Island from the South: Follow Highway 525 to the junction with Highway 20 (W Wanamaker Rd). Turn left and follow Highway 20 towards Fort Casey and the Keystone ferry terminal. Parking for the park will be on the left as the road turns north and closer to the ferry terminal.

A Northwest Winter

It's been a pretty sucky winter here in the Northwest. I am sure there are folks out there who are loving the warm and sunny days, but let's face it. Warm and sunny days do not bring snow to our mountains. Many of our ski slopes are bare - embarrassingly bare. The type of bare that makes your eye's pop wide as the guy in the next campsite swings his trailer door wide open to let his dog run free as well as his parts.

What I'm getting at here is that while it's ok to live your life in the nude - it's the unexpected exposure that can be a bit, well, uncomfortable. And that's how it feel in the Northwest right now. Our mountains are unintentionally bare.

We should have piles of snow covering our plants and hordes of happy snow-frolickers playing to their hearts' content in our winter wonderland. I'm pretty sure while we're looking to the Northeast with envy, they are looking at us with the same longing.

And I think somewhere my mind thought "head east not-so-young photographer lady" to get the snowy photos you want. So east I went, to Mt Spokane.

There I was met with . . . the same bare slopes as I found in the Cascades. Oh well. Time to make the best of a not so amazing situation.

There are approximately 100 miles of trails on Mt Spokane and I hiked a very small fraction - a nice little loop trail through a forest with several stands of larch (look for the beautiful spots of yellow in the fall) and a climb to the summit. Most of the year you can drive to the summit and the lodge that's there, but in the winter it's a hike to the top. A short hike of 4 miles round trip with a little less than 1400' of elevation gain. It's pretty steep though as you head straight up the hill in the snow. And in the winter, watch out for skiers.

Sadly I didn't see many skiers out and about as the slopes barely held any snow. And no snow encrusted trees as I was hoping for. The views were amazing. I was still able to find some small winter vignettes, but as important I began making plans for return trips.

Yep, trips. There are, as I mentioned, 100 miles worth of trail to explore.

This is a park where you can easily spend a weekend or more exploring the trails and views.

To get here: From I-90 take exit 287 for Argonne Rd. Head north on Argonne Rd for 6 miles, Argonne then turns into Bruce Rd continue on Bruce Rd for another 2 1/2 miles to a traffic circle. Take the first exit off the traffic circle (WA-206) and follow the road to Mt Spokane State Park.