Trip Report: Northern State Recreation Area

This recreation area is nestled in the fertile valleys outside of the town of Sedro-Woolley at the foot of the North Cascades. It was a state asylum "farm" that was in operation from 1909 until 1973, when most of the property was closed and later turned over to become a recreation area filled with hiking/walking trails and a disc golf course.

You can explore the remains of the old dairy buildings near the parking lot, or you can walk further afield and find a few more ruins sprinkled around the property, namely old electrical sheds and a creepy pump house.

For a somewhat sunny December hike with no snow, this was an easy choice. It is actually more strolling than hiking, considering that the majority of the trails are old road beds and there is no elevation gain.

There are some pretty areas that feel more "wild" if you follow the main road/trail and bypass the bridge that leads to the area of the hospital that is still in use. Back here, we found a pretty little creek (that may or may not have been on private property -- beware poor signage!) and plenty of wildlife sign -- raccoon and bobcat scat, mainly, with a bit of coyote track thrown in for good measure.

WTA.org lists trail mileage as 5 miles in the park. We hiked 6.25 miles, but I'm guessing that some of that was backtracking as we explored the various buildings and little spur trails.

If you head out here in December, expect some muddy trail conditions and choose your footwear accordingly so you don't have to go off-trail. Also, be aware that NO ONE follows the leash rules here. There are plastic encased baggies of dog poo littering the trail sides, or unbagged piles of dog shit sitting center stage right where you are about to place your boot. Not all the pups are friendly, either. We encountered an equestrian with a spooked horse that had been attacked by an off-leash dog.

Pretty cool to visit, and worth heading out to at least once!

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