What: A 2-mile walk on the Centennial Trail.
Where: From the trailhead at Machias Road and Division Street in Machias south to Williams Creek and return.
Why: We’ve covered just about every section along the Centennial Trail from Snohomish to Lake Stevens except this part. Park at the nicely equipped trailhead lot with its parklike setting, restrooms and picnic tables, and head south this time, back toward Snohomish. The paved rural route runs through a designated wetlands area, hidden from the traffic on Machias Road. After a scant .4 of mile, cross the junction of Machias Cutoff, Machias Road, Snohomish-Machias Road and the railroad tracks. Stop and look all ways carefully. There are stop signs and a crosswalk for trail users, but many people roar through here with barely a nod to the signs. At this point the paved trail is flanked on one side by farms and the road on the other. Horses, sensibly wearing coats this time of year, note your passing. Continue on, as far as you like, really, but just past the little bridge over Williams Creek there’s a stop sign at the road to Marysville Paving. The trusty pedometer says 1 mile, as good a place as any to turn around. The 12-foot wide path is suitable for all wheeled conveyances and, as always, four-footed friends are welcome if they obey the leash and scoop rules.
Next week we’ll explore the newly paved section of the trail north from Lake Stevens as it pushes toward Arlington.
Sally Birks
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