Fragrance Lake in February...

             


                One thing I have been trying to do some research on lately, are hikes that end at lake that I can go fishing at. From what I’ve read there are tons of options, but many are inaccessible during the winter months. So trying to find a place to hike and fish during the middle of February that is not covered in snow and is open to fishing was a little more difficult than I imagined.


                People have told us about Fragrance lake up in Bellingham before, and it was something we had been meaning to do for quite some time. It was the middle of last month when we finally made it up there. It was about an hour drive from Everett out onto Chuckanut drive, which makes for a nice drive in itself.  Once you arrive to the park you’ll quickly learn that this is hike is no secret to the public.

             We arrived to the Clayton Beach lot about 10:00 in the morning where there were already several empty cars from people who had already begun the hike.  There were also several people preparing to head up the hill. One gentleman that looked to be twice my age asked me if I was going to be running in the Chuckanut 50k. First off, I was unaware that a 50k was even a thing. Second, just the thought of a 50k made me start to hyperventilate. But I learned that the Chuckanut 50K is one of the biggest trail running races in the country.  It seemed that at least half of the people we encountered that day were trail running.

                To get to Fragrance Lake there are two different routes. The first route is to the right of the ranger station where you head up Fragrance Lake road. This road is a 2.5 mile winding gravel road up the side of the mountain.  Other than the road being a constant incline, it is a relatively easy walk. About 2.2 miles up the road, you will come to trail signs to Fragrance lake, its another .3 miles off the gravel road on a pretty easy trail to the lake.

                The other route is to the left of the ranger station where it starts out on the interurban trail and converges to the Fragrance Lake trail a few hundred feet on the right. This trail is much more “hike like” than the gravel road. It is a pretty well maintained trail that is full of switchbacks right up the side of the hill. If you are looking for some good leg exercise and a tiring walk up the side of the mountain, this is the way to go. Even though this route is more difficult, it was a bit more enjoyable, because you don’t feel like you are strolling down a logging road. Both routes have about 1000 feet of elevation gain (since they both start and end at the same place). 

                When you get to the lake, the trail continues about .7 miles all the way around the lake. We went up there with fly fishing intentions, however we should have gone with rooster tail and spinning rod intentions. There are a couple small areas with pretty good lake access, but fly fishing is not really an option unless you have a killer roll cast.  The whole lake is pretty well covered with trees and shrubs, and a back cast will not work.  We did not have any luck, and the one other person we spoke to that was fishing also did not have any luck. The lake is open to fishing year round, unless otherwise posted. Make sure to check with the ranger station and the reader boards to make sure it is open to fishing on the day you are there.

                Overall, this was an enjoyable trip. It was a windy and rainy day, but the thick cover of the trees and hills kept up pretty well protected from the elements. The hike was nice, and would be great training ground for trail runners. Even though it was a steep incline with many switch backs, this is probably a hike that a whole family could do since it is relatively short and there are many rest stops along the way. This is also a hike that can be done anytime of the year. Perhaps with the right equipment the fishing would have been better. But, if fishing is not the primary purpose of your trip, then this is a decent one.