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tion to anglers casting for salmon and steelhead. In the timbered foothills outside of Gold
Bar(anamethatrecalls thetown'spastasamecca forprospectors)liesWallace FallsState
Park.Atrailherewindstothebrinkofatumbling265-footwaterfall,rewardinghikerswith
stunning views of both the Skykomish Valley and nearby Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National
Forest.
17.
Everett
As Highway 2 follows the Skykomish River downstream towards the ocean, the rugged
highlands of the Cascade Range gradually give way to the rocky coastline typical of the
coast along the inland waters of Puget Sound. At the port town of Everett, visitors can
glimpse the swarms of ferries mixed with pleasure craft that ply the waterway, and hear
the plaintive doglike barks of the many Steller sea lions that bask on the beaches and off-
shore rocks. Everett has become a center for aviation enthusiasts. Spend an afternoon vis-
iting three key facilities clustered around Paine Field: the Future of Flight Aviation Center
& Boeing Plant Tour, the Flying Heritage Collection, and the Historic Flight Education
Center.
18.
Whidbey Island
Theturn-of-the-centurylighthouseatMukilteorecedesfromviewastheferrychugsacross
Possession Sound to Whidbey Island, with its charming towns and cliff-backed coves. The
bayside village of Langley is a favorite weekend getaway for local urbanites, who come to
stroll streets lined with boutiques, antique shops, and galleries. For a somewhat “wilder”
environment,headtoSouthWhidbeyStatePark,a340-acrehabitatforold-growthDouglas
firs and red cedars, as well as eagles and black-tailed deer.
Farther up-island, at Fort Ebey State Park, a fortification dating from World War IIsur-
rounds what many locals consider the prettiest beach on Whidbey Island: Partridge Point.
For views of the Olympic Mountains and Mt. Rainier framed by boughs of pine and fir,
you can take the Ebey's Landing Loop Trail, which traverses windblown bluffs and paths
lined alternately with driftwood and wild roses.
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