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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Melanie Munk, Features Editor munk@heraldnet.com   Published: Saturday, October 4, 2008 Call ahead, check parking situation at trail heads By Sharon Wootton Herald Columnist Don't waste you time or gas money driving to a trail head only to find the parking area or trail is closed. Here are a couple of reasons why calling ahead to a ranger station is always a good idea. Lake Twenty-two trail head parking area will be closed from Oct. 13 to the end of the year. It's being expanded from 30 to 48 spots and will get new toilets and signs. Some parking will be available across the highway in the nearby Hemple Creek Picnic area. Lake Twenty-two trail is on the Mountain Loop Highway at milepost 13.2, east of Granite Falls. The Mount Dickerman trail head parking area closed Sept. 29 and will stay that way through April 2009. It's being expanded from 20 parking spots to 70 to add parking for the Perry Creek trail. A connector trail will be built from the Perry Creek trail to the Dickerman trail head and when it is finished, the Perry Creek road will be closed. Mount Dickerman Trail is on the Mountain Loop Highway at milepost 27.3, east of Granite Falls. For information on road and trail conditions, go to www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/. "Shooting" birds: Seven award-winning photographers have their photographs of the birds of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in an exhibit through Dec. 31 at the Burke Museum in Seattle. "Arctic Wings: Miracle of Migration" features 30 birds that migrate each spring. For more information, call 206-543-5590. Passing the hat: The Washington State Parks Foundation has launched a $4 million capital campaign for four projects, including two practically in our in our back yard. If the fundraising is successful, Cama Beach State Park on the southwest shore of Camano Island might receive money to help the Center for Wooden Boats remodel buildings that will lead to offer marine programs ($1.2 million). With an infusion of foundation money, Rosario Beach at Deception Pass State Park could build a 2,000-square-foot interpretive center and turn an old boathouse into a classroom ($1.2 million). With $4 million, another goal would be to build 100 miles of trails and build 25 new yurts and cabins. Celebrate refuges: National wildlife refuges are dedicated to providing an environment in which fish and wildlife can thrive while offering opportunities for observation, interpretation, education, hunting and fishing on 2,500 miles of land and water trails. National Wildlife Refuge Week, Oct. 12-18, also celebrates the 75th anniversary of the federal duck stamp and the 50th anniversary of the Small-Wetlands Program. Nationwide, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's refuge system protects 97 million acres and 548 refuges as well as more than 4,800 miles of paved and unpaved public roads; 5,400 miles of administrative roads; more than 5,125 parking lots; 225 bridges; and more than 1,500 miles of foot trails and boardwalks. There are about two dozen national wildlife refuges in Washington, from the Flattery Rocks NWR to the Umatilla NWR. Birds and bluegrass: Birders can catch winged friends and bluegrass music at Birdfest and Bluegrass 2008 Oct. 11-12 at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. Sponsored by the Friends of the Refuge, the festival features guided bird walks, kayak trips, children's activities and live bluegrass music. All proceeds go to benefit the refuge, which provides habitat for more than 200 species of birds. Sandhill cranes are the stars of the weekend because of their height (up to 4 feet) and wingspan (up to 6 feet). Guided tours are offered at sunrise and sunset each day; there's also a viewing blind. Ridgefield is just west of I-5, between Longview and Vancouver. For more information, see www.ridgefieldfriends.org. Osprey update: Mike Blackbird and Bill Lider will provide the latest information on the plan for pilings for Port Gardner's ospreys at the 7 p.m. Oct. 11 meeting of the Pilchuck Audubon Society, which is open to all. The meeting will be held at the Everett Firefighters Hall, 2411 Hewitt Ave., Everett. For more information, call 425-252-0926. November's topic will be Birds of the Bering Sea and Nome by Ray White. Columnist Sharon Wootton can be reached at 360-468-3964 or www.songandword.com. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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