Hiking to the Balds aka Goose Rock

Last week we hiked on the other side of the bridge (Fidalgo Island: Rosario Bowman Bay), you can read about that hike HERE. Today we hiked on the Whidbey Island side of the bridge and to the Balds/Goose Rock from the Deception Pass bridge parking lot. We usually start at the Cranberry lake/ West beach parking lot, but we made it a little shorter by beginning at the bridge. You can read WTA's trip report here if you want to hike the 4.3 mile route from the beach: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/deception-pass-goose-rock.

We followed the stairs near the bridge and made our way west until we came to our Trail junction, we then made our way through the tunnel and under highway 20. 

Our dog Scoutina obediently waiting for people to pass us on the trail💖

My husband has been teaching her to sit when people and dogs go by or anytime we stop walking, she's getting pretty good at it.

View of North Beach from the trail.

In the map photo below I put red hashes on our route. There is an unmarked trail that goes off of the North beach connector trail that connects with the Discovery trail. The Discovery trail connects to this trail at the overpass tunnel.

Click to enlarge the map. 

Tiny mushrooms on a mossy log.

We then made our way around the point, with it's great views of Cornet bay. 

So many old trees on this trail.

Wood Nymph sighting in the forest.

Making our way on the fall leaf covered trail.

Enjoying the Cornet bay view.

Madrona bark peeling.

Making our way up and over a rocky cliff.

Back down at the water level of the trail, we saw Mt. Baker.

Mt. Baker looking nice in it's new snow.

Tiny mushrooms

Almost at the top.

A reminder to respect the Balds, all of them!

The Balds

Glacier scratched rock at the Summit.

Views from the top and yes our dog.

My husband stopped and pointed out at something.

Ah, yes he spotted a 

deer.

Back to the bridge. Just some stairs up to the parking lot and we were done.

Our heart shaped route!

3.2 miles

719 feet elevation gain.