Trail Update: Thanks for a great build year!

We concluded our build year for 2023-2024 on a beautiful day, working with amazing people.

The Trail!

Thanks to incredible support from our community, Hill Creek Trail is now ready for summer hikes, cycling, and exploration! The trail stretches a little over 2 miles, following Hill Creek from the Pump House Bridge all the way to the mossy walls of Big Rock. It passes along the east bank of Hansen Creek through native forest and opens up into a large meadow filled with wildflowers and grass.

During our last two work parties, we added a lovely bonus loop through the meadow. In the fall, we will return to complete the final layer of fine gravel and plant additional grass and wildflower seeds.

The People!

We were thrilled to have many special guests join us! Students from the Mountaineers GoHike Course enjoyed an educational hike and a day of stewardship.

Volunteers from United General Hospital District 304 and Sedro Woolley High School helped dig roots, spread soil, and enjoyed the company of their fellow volunteers.

Amy, our trail-building friend who moved to California last year, surprised us with a visit and spent a day of her vacation digging in the dirt and laughing with friends!

The Treats!

Beth, our friend from United General Hospital District 304, treated us to freshly-baked berry and butter scones and Sedro Woolley Starbuck’s donated coffee. During lunch, we enjoyed ice cream treats, generously donated by Mary and Kevin McGoffin.

After the work party, we headed to the BullPen in Sedro Woolley for dinner. We played “Trail Builders Trivia” and awarded T-shirts as prizes, thanks to a donation from Adam at Treelines Northwest!

Future Projects

We await information from Skagit County and their contractor about the pending bridge project. Rest assured, we will share more details as soon as we have them!

Our fall sign-up schedule is set. When we return in September, we will complete gravel capping on the Hill Creek Trail bonus loop, plant more grass and wildflower seeds, work on the bridge connector trail, and continue our trail-side restoration work.