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Whistler Canyon Trail-Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail


























Saturday turned into a good day weather wise....not a lot of color or clouds in the sky on a sad note....Makes pictures look like there is no sky.....nice temperatures...about 41 degrees give or take....late Friday night we looked through the Washington Trails site looking for somewhere in the Okanogan Highlands area to hike...not sure what our options where and what elevation we were looking at for snow cleared trails.....I had found this trail information last year on Whistler Canyon Trail close to Oroville, but just hadn't had the time to check it out....looked like a good place to see some wildlife....the trail head is easy to find....Follow Hwy 97 through Tonasket and up towards Oroville it is prior to Oroville nice brown marker sign stating trail 1/4 mile on the right....not sure if it list the trail head name on the sign.....I think it is at mile marker 329....the road has white rock looks like a driveway, it splits right off the highway...stay to the left....wide open parking....appears very new...lots of space for horse trailers and cars.....the trail is a fairly easy grade up...switches back and fourth to get you in and around private land that it backs up to....the trail head sign states that it is part of the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail....The Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail is 1200 miles, running from the continental divide to the Pacific ocean....we just hiked a short distance on it.....lots to see...very well laid out trail....very new and fresh....the creek had broke its dam in one area and was flowing down the trail....very easy to get around....lots of fresh moose droppings....we didn't get to see any wildlife....but lots of signs....maybe next visit we will get to see something....we almost made it to Black Diamond Lake trail before we decided we would wait till the snow completely melts.....lots of lovely natural rock walls....wildflowers will be showing soon...the moss is nice and bright green....the trail in spots is easy and a two year old managed to take a break from her pack and hike some on her own....made for a great start to the hiking season....and a nice opportunity to explore the Okanogan Highlands....get a taste and plan for the next adventure...can't wait for Craig Romano's book Day Hiking Eastern Washington comes out.....I plan to hike more trails this year in and around the Okanogan Highlands....need to get busy studying trails and the area.



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