A Weekend in Eastern Skagit County

For year-round entertainment and a refreshing taste of the North Cascades National Park, eastern Skagit County is tough to beat. Outdoor concerts and movies, great restaurants, cozy lodging options, and breathtaking scenery await every visitor.

The jewel of eastern Skagit County is the North Cascades National Park. Filled with trails and panoramic views, the park is relatively uncrowded – one of western Washington’s bestkept secrets. Plan your trip at www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/index.htm

Start your weekend in Sedro-Woolley, with its traditional downtown and North Cascades National Park Service headquarters and visitor center at 810 State Route 20 (360.854.7200).

Continue east to Lyman and marvel at the historic Minkler Mansion, which houses the community’s Town Hall. From Lyman it’s just a short hop farther to Hamilton, with its own museum.

Lyman

Lyman is a small town located just east of Sedro-Woolley on Highway 20, nestled in the beautiful Skagit River Valley. Abundant timber, fish, mineral resources and Native American history, give the town a rich heritage. Today the town has its own grade school and water utility and is home to over 400 residents. Located in Lyman is the historic Minkler Mansion, built in 1891 by Birdsey Minker who be-

A few minutes farther east and you’re in Concrete, “the center of the known universe,” where you can stroll its quaint Town Center, wander through a community garden, and taste some of the best pizza in the state at Annie’s Pizza Station. You might want to stock up on food at Albert’s Red Apple Market, too.

On weekends, don’t miss the Puget Sound Energy adult fish trap and visitor center just across the Baker River via the historic Henry Thompson bridge in Concrete. Eight miles to the east, you’ll find Rockport and its popular Howard Miller Steelhead Park campground. The Rockport store can supply you with anything you forgot while packing.

East of Rockport, Marblemount especially bustles during the summer months, offering top-notch and varied cuisines, plus a host of lodging options. A civil war reenactment every April fills SR 20 with the sights, came a State Senator in 1906. The mansion is on the National Register of Historic Places and can be seen from the Skagit River.

Hamilton

Further east on Highway 20 from Lyman is the town of Hamilton. Situated alongside the Skagit River, much of the town is prone to flooding every couple of years. The early 1900’s were boom times for Hamilton due mostly in part to tim- sounds, and smells of that period in U.S. history. ber harvesting and the railroad that was built.

Drop into Newhalem for provisions and several trails around the Seattle City Light hydroelectric complex there. And consider a fun tour hosted by Seattle City Light; details can be found at www.seattle.gov/light/tours/skagit.

For more information on lodging and events in eastern Skagit County, go to the Sedro-Woolley Chamber of Commerce Web site at www.sedro-woolley.com, the Concrete Chamber of Commerce at www.concrete-wa.com, and the North Cascades Visitor Information Center at www.marblemount.com.

Jason Miller is publisher and editor of the Concrete Herald, a monthly community newspaper dating back to the late 1800s. Jason is also the current mayor of Concrete. He can be reached at 360 853-8213 or editor@concrete-herald.com.

Birdsview

Continuing east on Highway 20, you will find the unofficial town of Birdsview which includes a gas station, country store, Birdsview Burgers and the Birdsview Brewing Co. Nearby is Rasar State Park, a 169 acre camping park with over 4,000 feet of freshwater shoreline.