- The Cottonwood Island Unit is a unique forested property that is representative of a historic habitat type that would have been more widespread along the lower Skagit River Valley. It provides valuable mature cottonwood forest habitat for a variety of forest birds and raptors, primarily buteos and eagles. The remnant of Cottonwood Slough also provides off-channel habitat for salmonids during certain times of the year and has been evaluated for potential habitat restoration projects.
- Twin Sisters (wa100.dnr.wa.gov)
Wouldn’t it be cool to have a view deep into the Earth? Or should we say it would be hot? Luckily, you don’t need to make a journey to the center of the earth to look at or even touch a piece of Earth’s mantle. Visit the craggy peaks of the Twin Sisters massif and you will see a relatively rare type of mantle rock known as dunite. Hundreds of geologists have studied these rocks in order to untangle their mysteries. Of course, geology is not the only reason to visit the Twin Sisters. In winter, find snow-dotted peaks nestled against a backdrop of forested hills and pastures. In summer, the deep orange to brown shades of the iron-rich ridgeline provide clues about the geologic origins of these mountains. Catch some great mountain sunsets from the valley or hike up the backside of the mountain to the Park Butte lookout for unobstructed views of Mount Baker and Twin Sisters.
- Skagit Wildlife Area (wdfw.wa.gov)
The Skagit Wildlife Area contains 18,138 acres of wildlife habitat composed primarily of intertidal estuary, managed agricultural lands, and native habitats. The area is divided into 21 separate management units, the majority of which are scattered throughout the west half of Skagit County, with some in Island, Snohomish, and San Juan counties…