DARRINGTON — Hope.
It’s what the people of Darrington have leaned on during a rough couple of decades in this town, topped off last year by the tragic loss of 43 lives in a landslide west of here and the lengthy closure of Highway 530 that followed.
With the economy-crushing downturn in the logging industry in the 1990s and flooding in the 2000s that wiped out some of the National Forest’s riverside roads popular with recreation folks, Darrington has seen its share of troubles.
Now a new partnership established this past week between loggers, conservationists, lawmakers and educators is aimed at creating sustainable timber harvests in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. In addition, Snohomish County has invested in the promotion of tourism in the Darrington area and business space in town that had been shuttered for years is filling up again.
Things are looking up.
Darrington has a lot going for it, starting with its stunning view of nearby Whitehorse Mountain.
Especially in the summer Darrington is a terrific day trip or camping destination.
The town hosts many events, and this is a great weekend for a visit.
Starting July 18, the Whitehorse Farmers Market is open at 1080 Seeman St., where you can buy local produce and on Saturdays explore the market’s Vendors Village. The annual rock and gem club show is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 18 and 19 at the Mansford Grange (1265 Railroad Ave.) and the Darrington Bluegrass Festival, continues through Sunday evening at the music park on Highway 530 west of town.
On Aug. 6 through 9, the Summer Meltdown music festival takes over the music park. In June the Spur Festival was launched and offered country rock at the music park. The Darrington Timberbowl Rodeo is an annual June event just next door.
Ever notice the tall archery sculpture in town? Made by former Darrington art teacher Marvin Kastning, it celebrates the activities of the Darrington Archers organization, which every few years hosts the National Field Archery Outdoor National Championships on its wooded archery range. The next one is scheduled for July 25 through 29, 2016.
The nearby Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe hosts the annual Celebration of Generations pow wow gathering on its reservation north of town, this year from July 31 through Aug. 2.
If you are in town during the high school basketball season, December through February, make a point to watch a game in the gym of the community center, built by people in town in the early 1950s. The Darrington gym is considered by some to be one of the finest old athletic facilities in Western Washington, with its all-wood interior and built-in seating for 1,200 people, who all look down on the action on the gym floor. In the adjacent dining room, see old photos of Darrington and landscape paintings by the late historian Nels Bruseth.
Darrington Day in May features great displays from the Darrington Historical Society.
Hungry? Pick up to-go food at the IGA grocery store or sandwiches at the Burger Barn, both located on the highway. The Mountain Loop Books and Coffee (a great little bookstore that shows art, too, at 1085 Darrington St.) serves espresso and treats, and the Hometown Bakery Cafe (1180 Cascade St.) makes a great pizza. Bradley’s Diner, right on the highway, is a good place for comfort food, whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Also, make a stop at 650 Emens Ave. where Darrington’s former town hall is now the home of River Time Brewing. The motto there is “Beer at an appropriate pace.”
Two outdoor recreation businesses in Darrington are worth checking out. Go horse packing or take trail rides into the wilderness with The PackStation. Call 360-631-7219 for more information. If you would rather take a float trip or paddle through whitewater on the Sauk River, contact Adventure Cascades at 360-393-6815 or stop by the office at 1055 Seeman St.
Martha Rasmussen, whose husband Nels is a chiropractor in town, has spearheaded many efforts to encourage tourism in Darrington. Her website www.darringtonwatourism.com is a good one for all sorts of information.
Before heading out into the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, check in at the Darrington Ranger Station on the highway heading north out of town. On your wait out, carefully cross the highway to see the display of old Sauk-Suiattle dugout canoes.
Inside the ranger station you can pick up all sorts of materials, including Darrington Tourism’s area recreation map, and get some knowledgable advice about hikes to waterfalls and lakes, and camping off the Mountain Loop Highway or Suiattle River Road, which is open again all the way to its end. If you have kids, try a stay at Buck Creek Campground.
Last on the list of suggestions, when the weather turns cold, there is nothing like taking kids out into the forest to cut down a Christmas tree. Obtain a permit at the ranger station.
Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.
Twitter: @galefiege.
Tourist in your own town
In each of our local cities, we have tourist attractions often overlooked by the people who live in this region. Have you been a Tourist in Your Own Town? This is the 19th in a series of monthly explorations of our hometowns. For other Tourist in Your Own Town stories and for links to more information and photos about Darrington and each town we’ve covered, go to www.heraldnet.com/tourist.
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