It’s been that kind of summer.
The weather is changing faster than Michael Pineda’s fastball; children play barefoot on the beach while parents in parkas huddle over grills.
We recently ate our picnic lunch in the glassed-in portion of the shelter at Moran State Park and watched the wind rough up Cascade Lake. It was warmer in Fairbanks, Alaska, than it was at the 5,252-acre Orcas Island park.
The park offers terrific views, as well as swimming, boating, campgrounds and 38-plus miles of trails, allowing hikers to brave the wind with an open hike or take a sheltered walk through the forest.
Natalie Herner, owner of Deer Harbor Activities (www.orcas islandhikes.com), guides groups on hikes in the park, Washington’s fourth-largest state park. She combines park history with nature, identifying diverse plants, including some species not found on the mainland.
What you see depends on the season, Herner said.
In the spring, there are Calypso orchids (aka fairy slippers), Indian paintbrush and camas. The blooming progresses with Nitka roses, then the yellow blooms, such as asters and mullein. The leaves of the latter can be used in boots of shoes to help cushion the feet, Herner said.
People often are surprised at the amount of wild edibles, she said, including salmonberries, thimbleberries, Oregon grape, wild lettuce and Siberian Miner’s lettuce.
Old-growth trees in the park shelter marbled murrelet nests, she said.
The park trails offer something for nearly everyone. It’s possible to hike from near sea level to the peak of Mount Constitution, elevation 2,409 feet and the highest point in the San Juan Islands. There are one-way trails, looping trails and intersecting trails, rated easy (Cascade Lake) to difficult (Mount Constitution Loop).
Hike, bike or drive to the peak of Mount Constitution, topped by a climbable tower patterned after 12th-century watchtowers of Europe’s Caucasus Mountain, and built of Orcas sandstone by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
From Mount Constitution on a clear day, you can see the Cascade and Olympic ranges, Mount Baker and Mount Rainier, the San Juan and Canadian Gulf islands, and Vancouver Island, including Mount Garibaldi.
While there are a few easy hikes, most of the other outings are rated difficult or challenging by the park rangers. Here are some hiking options:
Mount Constitution Loop: Difficult 6.7-mile heavily forested trail through hemlock and Douglas fir, a 1,500-foot elevation gain.
Reward yourself with views from the tower, then hike down to Twin Lakes and back to Mountain Lake, which you can see from the top.
The elevation gain is a little misleading because a fair portion of the trail is level, especially along the lakes.
It is, however, quite the climb after Twin Lakes, about 1,000 feet in less than a mile.
Be aware of your surroundings and you might spot deer, blue heron, eagles, woodpeckers, chipmunks and other wildlife.
If you decide not to tackle the last section after reaching Twin Lakes, there are always side trips, such as the loops around Twin Lakes, Little Summit and Cascade Falls.
Cascade Falls Trail: Easy ¼-mile wooded trail that drops 130 feet in elevation to a 75-foot-high falls.
Cascade Lake Loop: An easy 2.7-mile trail, most of it within sight of the water.
Sunrise Rock: A challenging ¾-mile trail. The rock gained it name from the great view from the top of the rock, including Cascade Lake.
Little Summit Trail: A challenging 2.2-mile trail through one of the largest of the lodgepole pine forests in Western Washington.
These hikes are best done during the week to avoid the weekend summer crowds and the challenge of getting off the island on Sundays.
There are more than 150 campsites but reserve early. Don’t go assuming that you can show up Friday and snare one.
Information: www.thesanjuans.com or www.visitsanjuans.com.
Columnist Sharon Wootton can be reached at 360-468-3964 or www.songandword.com.
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