Kid-Friendly Hikes and Nature Walks in Skagit County

If you like a bit of industry punctuating your views of Mount Baker and the North Cascades, the Tommy Thompson Trail is a 3.3-mile paved trail starting at the Port of Anacortes and ending at the Shell/Tesoro refinery across Fidalgo Bay. The nature/industry juxtaposition is surprisingly restorative for the suggestion of nature’s ability to bounce back from human impact: How often can you walk across a retired railway trestle over water with the scent of native Madrone and the call of gulls accompanying your amble?

Find it: You can park for free at multiple trail locations; near the refinery on March Point Road, at the Fidalgo Bay Resort, or at the Port of Anacortes. The paved trail is open to bikes, dogs and walkers and is accessible for the entire length. Port-a-potties and benches dot the route about every mile.

Next stop: Burlington Dike Trail