There are many choices when it comes to Snowshoeing, Cross-Country Skiing and Snowmobiling in Skagit County. Baker Lake is a great place to start your winter wonderland exploration!
Before you know it, the Winter Wonderland of the North Cascades will have enveloped you with its beauty, its serenity, its solitude, its wildness. Stop. Listen. Look around you. Admire it all!
Skagit Guided Adventures offers day tours for Snowshoeing in the North Cascades. They provide snowshoes and offer Snowshoeing 101 lessons for beginners.
For downhill skiing, Skagitonianstake the day trip to Mt Baker Ski Area in our neighboring Whatcom County.
Skagit Valley is a watchable wildlife paradise and now home of the Skagit Birds of Winter Experience Festival.
Some of the watchable wildlife are:
Elk, Whales, Salmon, a large diversity of birds.
Skagit County offers an array of State Park choices from a 670-acre camping park in an ancient forest to marine parks accessible only by boat.
The mountains, forests, rivers and lakes of North Cascades National Park provides a rich tapestry of visitor experience for all abilities and interests. Almost 400 miles of trails and vast undeveloped wilderness allow visitors to experience nature with minimal human-caused intrusions. Possible experiences range from accessible trails to world class mountaineering, including scenic drives, hiking, camping, nature-watching, relaxation, boating and fishing.
The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest offers two tall volcanoes, Mt. Baker and Glacier Peak, tower thousands of feet above the adjacent ridges; more glaciers and snow fields than any other National Forest in the lower 48; rich in lakes, with about 800, mostly in alpine areas. Baker Lake, a 10-mile long reservoir near Mt. Baker, produces hydro power for local electric utilities and provides exceptional recreation opportunities.
Fly fishing, lake & river fishing, saltwater fishing, and shellfishingare part of Skagit Valley’s heritage. The Skagit River, one of the largest rivers on our Pacific Coast, is home to 1/3 of the Puget Sound salmon.
Archaeological records prove humans have been fishing in the Cascade Mountains for at least 8,000 years. The North Puget Sound, rivers, streams, ponds, and alpine lakes provide opportunities to fish in a spectacular and unspoiled environment.
Fishing regulations have been adopted to help protect and restore nature aquatic habitats and the abundance and distribution of fish species.
Skagit Farm to Pint Passport Tour
Skagit Valley’s deep and fertile alluvial soils are rated by USDA as among the best in the world. The Skagit Valley farmer’s grow the barley varietals, Skagit Valley Malting takes these new varieties to bring out taste and flavor, and then all 11 of the Skagit Valley Breweries use the malt to make great craft beer. The Skagit Farm to Pint Passport Tour includes a map and passport to collect stamps. Once you have collected all your stamps, you are awarded with a pint glass at the last brewery you visit.
Skagit Valley is also home to Skagit Beer Week, Brewing Academy, fields of Barley and five Brewery Festivals: Bier on the Pier (First weekend of October), Brew on the Slough (Third weekend of October) Brew Fest on the Skagit (Second Saturday of August), the Skagit Wine & Beer Festival (November) and the Skagit Farm to Pint Fest in March. Not surprising that we ranked #10 in the USA on the “Hidden Beer Gems in the USA” list!
Wineries
Surrounded by the majestic North Cascades, the Skagit River, crystal clear lakes, neighboring the San Juan Islands, Deception Pass, nestled in historic communities like La Conner and Edison, an agricultural cornucopia and a scenic rural country side setting, the Skagit Valley wine region is a perfect destination. The Skagit River now hosts seven wineries along its banks established from Rockport to Conway. These are family-owned wineries where people love grapes and fruit, love to make high quality wine and want to share them with the community.
The Skagit Valley is a unique wine region, capitalizing on the rich agricultural fruit products grown locally, access to premium Washington vineyards, and varietals grown in near perfect conditions in the valley. The Skagit Valley is an ideal growing location for a number of Germanic grape varietals like Siegerrebe, and Agria, as well as popular red wines such as Pinot Noir. The Skagit Valley has a similar climate and growing conditions as some of the popular European wine growing regions.
Land and Sea Harvest
Agriculture is the #1 industry in Skagit County with 93,000 acres of active farmlands. The Skagit Maritime Valley is home to 90 different crops from blueberries, raspberries, strawberries to specialty potatoes, jonagold apples, and green peas. The Valley has numerous dairy & cheese farms along with ranches offering homegrown ranch meat. Fisheries is also an important industry in Skagit County. Our bountiful Salish Sea is famous for Wild Salmon, Halibut, Dungeness Crab, and Oysters.
Markets & Festivals
Explore a Skagit Valley Farmer’s Market for fresh food and family fun. Taste the best of Skagit Valley’s farm produce in relaxing small town environments.
The Valley’s markets feature fresh picked organic and local produce, meats, eggs, herbs, cut flowers, bedding plants and nursery stock, locally made cheese, organic bread, honey, handmade soaps and skin care products, jewelry, coffee and ready to eat foods.
Visit https://www.visitskagitvalley.com/ for even more information on your future and never ending adventures in Skagit County
