Kulshan logo

Clark's Point

Address

Southern End of Fieldston Road
Bellingham , WA 98225

Hours

Every day Dawn - Dusk

Review

Clark's Point is really two short walking trails offering the casual hiker two very different outdoor experiences.

On a warm summer day, the western trail takes you through a forest of second growth Douglas Fir, Maple and Alder trees. In the forest canopy above, the sounds of birds calling echo into the distance. Along the trail, the sweet scent of blooming salmon berry draws the occasional bee.

Climbing up one small rise, the trail terminates on the sandstone bluff of Jones Point. The bluff is about thirty feet above Puget Sound and offers a spectacular head-on view of Lummi Island. Orcas Island and the rest of the San Juan Islands fan out to the South and behind Lummi. On a clear day, the Olympic Mountains to the South and the Canadian Cascades to the North add the final touch to this great viewpoint.

A short but steep side trail on Jones Point brings you down closer to the shore and the railroad tracks. At low tide a small beach is exposed just below the bluff. The remainder of the shoreline along the tracks is all large rock used to reinforce the trackbed and is home to crabs, starfish and other sea life. A small man-made lagoon is on the other side of the tracks.

While the western trail primarily offers an incredible view of the San Juans, if you visit Clark's Point with children, you'll find the eastern trail provides more opportunities for youngsters to explore. This short trail takes you to the Chuckanut Creek Estuary which is the North end of Chuckanut Bay. Again the railbed is a prominent feature here--it's a World War I era causeway that creates a calm bay on its north side, dampening the effect of strong winter storms, and providing a safe haven for sea life.

Children will enjoy the small beaches on either side of the track. Further out on the causeway, an angler may be trying their luck, casting out from the trestle, taking advantage of an incoming tide. Be sure to check a tide timetable if you want to beachcomb at Clark's Point. Much of the beach is accessible only at low tide. Each trail is only about a five minute walk, which is an amazingly short journey to be transported into such a spectacular setting.
Written By: Rob Olason
On: 3/3/1999

Directions

From Fairhaven, head south on Chuckanut Drive. Turn right on Viewcrest, at Fieldston turn left. There is public parking at Fieldston and Arbutus.

Features

Kid Friendly | Walking Trails

Map

Copyright 1998-2012 Berry International ALL RIGHTS RESERVED