Trails lined with rhodies make the hike all the more enjoyable

If you’ve lived in the Northwest for most of your life, it’s easy to forget how fabulous our rhododendrons are.

In May, they bloom everywhere in shades from shocking pink to elegant white.

I always miss them when they start to fade at the end of the season. So I was delighted when a friend suggested a hike that promised wild rhododendrons in bloom — the wild rhodies tend to peak later than those in the city.

Mount Zion, near Quilcene on the Olympic Peninsula, is an excellent trail for rhododendron lovers. It’s an easy day trip from Snohomish County — just take the Edmonds-Kingston ferry.

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Even with the ferry and the hike, you’ll have time for a leisurely snack at the top and a stop at a restaurant on the way home.

I went recently with two friends on a cloudy but not rainy day. The trail starts climbing pretty quickly, without much of a chance to warm up. I remembered how much time I have spent sitting at my desk when I was breathing hard within 5 minutes.

Don’t let that deter you. This is not a hard trail, even if you’re out of shape. It’s beautifully smooth and never overly steep.

As we hiked the trail, my friend Katie and I paused frequently to take photos of the rhododendrons. Our friend Michelle — a patient soul who is in great shape and could have easily beat us up the mountain — put up with our obsessions with the magenta buds.

The rhodies looked perfectly at home in the misty forest, which was covered in moss and ferns. I love how the wild rhodies have such a different character than cultivated varieties. The wild ones are long and leggy, reaching out for patches of sun — not that they found many that day.

The cloud cover made the forest shockingly quiet. When we stopped chatting — we hadn’t all been together in months, and had a lot to catch up on — the silence called attention to itself. Even the birds and squirrels were hunkered down. It felt good to soak in that deep calm of the forest.

The trip write-up for Mount Zion promises a view at the top. And I’m sure that’s true. All we saw, however, was the inside of a cloud. We didn’t mind. The sense of a great, calm space in front of us was satisfying enough.

After the summit, there’s an option to head farther along and slightly downhill to a second viewpoint — the trip description promises panoramic views. The trail to that section is rougher than the earlier part, but it’s short. We opted to find a cozy spot for a snack, and settled in rather than heading down to another view of clouds. We’ll come back someday for the true view.

The trip down was quick and easy. We made it back to Quilcene, where we had beer and pizza, just after lunchtime. The brown ale I ordered was served in a mason jar. I was charmed, and the beer was excellent and very cold.

We caught the Bainbridge Ferry home — it was Sunday afternoon and the wait was less than taking the Kingston ferry.

On the way to Seattle, Katie and I stood on the sun deck at the top of the ferry. The sun had finally come out. Puget Sound sparkled blindingly in the sun. Sailboats were everywhere. The Space Needle and the skyline of Seattle glittered. Mount Rainier looked impossibly tall.

Our trip had turned into a glorious loop that showed off some of the very best of Western Washington.

Without even trying hard, we packed a day with saltwater and beach views, a lovely drive, an even lovelier hike in the mountains and a final ferry ride to a glittering city.

I feel lucky to live here.

If you go

The trail is 4.6 miles roundtrip, with 1,300 feet of gain. See the Washington Trail Association, www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/mount-zion, for more details and driving directions. Northwest Forest Pass required for parking.

Check out the 101 Brewery at Twana Roadhouse in Quilcene for a laid-back lunch or dinner; 101brewery.com. The Hook Tender Honey Brown Ale and the veggie pizza really hit the spot.

Need more rhodies, which should last just a bit longer, or Olympic trail beauty? Here are a few other trails to consider: