Traveling While Black: Orcas Island, WA

One of the best things about living in Washington state is having access to some amazing islands. And if you watched our YouTube Episode 145, then you know that the San Juan Islands definitely fit in that category. For this experience, we took another trip to The San Juans Archipelagoes. This time to check out the second island of what we considered to be the main three; Orcas Island.  

Orcas island, which was originally inhabited by the Straits Salish peoples, surprisingly got its name not from the majestic animals that inhabited its surrounding waters, but rather from the Mexican Viceroy who financed the exploration of the area in the late 1700’s. Compared to the previous island we visited, San Juan Island, Orcas Island has some noticeable differences.

• The terrain. As opposed to San Juan Island, Orcas Island is more mountainous and forested.

• The population. While San Juan Island is more populated than Orcas Island, Orcas Island is slightly bigger. 

The islands were definitely different in those aspects. However, there would be another difference on Orcas we were told about that wasn’t so visibly seen. At least to us initially….

Prior to our previous trip to San Juan Island, we had heard that the islands overall were “magical”. Which turned out to be true based on our experience on San Juan Island’s Friday Harbor. But prior to this trip we were told that Orcas Island would in fact be where we would find the most magic. 

Hearing this really surprised us, because we didn’t think it could get more magical after our experience in Friday Harbor. With our interest peeked, we wondered what could it be that makes people consider Orcas Island to be more magical than the others? So using what we learned from our previous visit to the Islands, we booked our ferry tickets and headed off to find out the answer for ourselves. 

Drive Grade 

The journey to get from Seattle, WA to Orcas Island according to our GPS would take us around 3 hours and 2 minutes. Which included the hour and half drive to the ferry on Anacortes, WA. Taking into account the hour wait showing up at the recommended pre-departure time, the journey was about 4 hours total for us. Learning from the mistake we made our last visit to the San Juan Islands, we reserved our spot on the ferry weeks in advance making our ferry experience a lot better this time. 

Thanks to our preemptive booking, which again can be done up to 90 days in advance, we were able to get a later ferry time. Book your ferry ASAP!

The length of the ferry ride wasn’t bad either. Even with it lasting about an hour and a half, it still went by fast.

So, for our trip to Orcas Island, we give a 5 outta 5 for Drive Grade.

Level of Fun 

Once the Ferry landed we were excited to get onto Orcas to find out what was it about the island that makes people claim it to be the most magical of all the San Juan islands. But not before checking into the place where we would be laying our heads for the next couple of nights.

First, it is important to note that on Orcas Island you won’t find many traditional “hotels”. And a lot of visitors to Orcas Island come to camp at the many campsites on the island. For those not wanting to stay in a tent or camp at all; AirBnB’s and bed and breakfast type establishments more so fit the vibe of the island.

Even the historic Orcas Hotel which has been operating since 1904 feels more like a bed and breakfast. For us, we chose to stay at Otters Pond Bed and Breakfast. An adult retreat that offers 5 luxurious suites that are available year-round. 

On the East sound side of Orcas Island

Not only are the suites themselves very comfortable, the property also offers relaxing lounging areas both inside and outside with beautiful views of Otters Pond as well as wildlife. Oh yeah they even offer an outdoor hot tub, so you can really chill out while enjoying the view.

As soon as we checked in, we knew that we made the right choice for our stay on the island. On top of the amazing accommodations, we were also able to get a breakdown of the island before starting our search to understand Orcas magic.

For simplicity, Orcas Island can be divided up into two parts: East sound and West sound.

• The West sound is where you depart the Ferry. You will find a very small village with a few shops and restaurants.

• The East sound you will find the larger village with more shops and restaurants. 

Outside of their different vicinities, both East and West sound offered quite a bit. For example, both offered excellent options for food and drink. On the East sound side, we had dinner at two great places: Buck Bay Shellfish Farm and New Leaf Cafe. 

On the West sound, we enjoyed a delicious meal at Orcas Hotel Cafe. What’s interesting about this experience, is that the historic hotel where the cafe is located is reported to be haunted. We may have possibly encountered some of the actions of the supernatural resident during our dinner - spooky!

We had some great lunches and dinners on the island. As for Breakfast, we had the luxury of being served a different delicious breakfast every morning. Which lends to another great thing about Otters Pond Bed and Breakfast, in that it is owned and operated by a James Beard recognized chef; Amanda Zimlich. 

Other than great food and drink, both the East and West sound offer amazing outdoor options. Those options of course include an abundance of beaches. We must note, that it is on the West sound that you will find the only sandy beach on the island within the Deer Harbor area. 

Along with the beaches, Orcas Island offers a ton of camping and hiking options. Like Turtleback mountain on the West sound, and not one but two state parks on the East sound: Obstruction Pass State Park and Moran State Park.

Views from Mt. Constitution

On our trip we decided to check out the much bigger Moran State Park. A big reason why we chose this park over the other was the parks access to the islands highest point, Mt Constitution. We really enjoyed this mountain view experience, because while there are a multitude of multi use trails you can take to the top; you can also chose to simply drive to it. Which is exactly what we did. 

If you do choose to drive up, there is a parking lot along with a visitors center that includes some really clean public bathrooms. But of course the real payoff is the views which are enhanced by the stone watch tower. Which also offers some interesting exhibits within.

Even though we loved the shortcut to the payoff, we couldn’t visit Moran State Park without experiencing a real hike. So we found out about an often overlooked hike that offers another spectacular payoff; and even better it was decently easy.

That hike was to Cascade Falls. A moderate trail that takes hikers a quick, but peaceful hike through a beautiful forest. In less than half a mile, you come to a spectacular 45 foot waterfall. Which can be taken in, either at an upper or lower viewpoint. If you happen to be interested in more of a challenge, the trail also connects to more trails that lead to other waterfalls.

It is important to note that the parking around all of the trails within the state parks requires a Discover Pass. But there are plenty of pay stations around if you only need a day pass. Also, if you don’t have a boat or boating accessories there are plenty of places around Orcas Island that offer rentals. And renting doesn’t just stop with boats; visitors can also rent bikes, mopeds, and even cars. Cars may be a great option if you chose to take the fast ferry from Anacortes.

Yes we had a blast during our outdoor experience on Orcas Island, just like our previous experience on San Juan Island. And we can honestly say that we really enjoyed our time.

Still, at the end of it all we had to ponder, what was it that makes Orcas Island more magical than the other islands? And in asking, no one could articulate it for us. Not the locals who joined our table for our meal at Buck Bay Shellfish, not any of the locals at the local Farmers market, not even our host Amanda at Otters Pond. 

But when we thought deeper about our experiences it finally hit us; whether we were enjoying a meal at one of the restaurants, driving from place to place on the island, staring at a waterfall in Moran State Park, or even just lounging at Otters Pond Bed and Breakfast; we were always surrounded by nature. To the point we were always engulfed in it. Yes, it was magical. 

While we don’t know if we can say Orcas Island offers more or any less magic than San Juan Island; we can say that it is a different type of magic. How we sum it up is that San Juan Friday Harbor provides the type options that take you to experience the magic of the Archipelago, but Orcas Island provides options for the magic to come to you. 

Once again we definitely recommend a visit to the San Juan Islands, no matter if you chose the namesake island or Orcas Island.

In regard to this experience on Orcas Island; we give a 5 outta 5 for Level of Fun.

Comfortability for Black People

As for our comfort rating for Orcas Island, even though they don’t boast a Black mayor like Friday Harbor on San Juan Island; we still experienced the same comfortable feeling. Not only was the service at all of the establishments welcoming, the locals we encountered were extremely friendly. At Buck Bay Shellfish two ladies joined our table and engaged us in friendly conversations, as well as tips and recommendations for the island.  

The picture taken because we looked cute to an Orcas Island resident.

The friendliness of the locals continued at the Orcas Island Farmers Market, when one lady working her booth called us over to send us a picture she took of us while we were taking a picture of ourselves, simply because she thought we were cute. 

On our trip for the couple of days we’re on the island, we did see two other Black visitors and also saw some more around the ferry station both when we were arriving and leaving the island. 

In regards to the Black resident population, Orcas Island is less than 1% Black. While on the surface this could cause some reservations, but Orcas Island is still is a perfect example that the current lack of Black residents doesn’t automatically equate to an uncomfortable experience, and also a PERFECT reminder to why we do our show. 

We go to these places so we can encourage more of our people, and really more of anyone outside of the majority, to experience these amazing places despite the lack of familiar or diverse faces.

Also, we did notice quite a bit of Pride flags which visibly added to our comfort prior to interacting with the people.

All of these are reasons why for our experience on Orcas Island we give a 5 outta 5 for Comfortability for Black People. 

Watch our Orcas Island episode on YouTube!

Traveling While Black: Hiking at Pinnacle Peak

Welcome back to another blog for our first hiking series of 2024. If you saw our last blogs on our hiking series, we checked out two easy hikes: Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park and Spring Lake/Lake Desire Park.

For the next and final hiking recommendation, we are hiking Pinnacle Peak. But here’s the deal… if you were to search “Pinnacle Peak”, you may be somewhat confused because the search would return three possible options just within the state of Washington alone.

• Tatoosh Range

• North Cascades

• King County

For his hike, we are hiking the Pinnacle Peak in… King County! This Pinnacle Peak is located 25 miles north of Mount Rainier. Ironically the confusion with this Pinnacle Peak could have been avoided if it wasn’t for a flame that use to burn at the top of the original lookout. Because, the name of this summit was originally referred to as Mount Pete, in honor of a Yugoslavian immigrant who settled in in the area in the early 1900s. But throughout the years the name Pete got misconstrued as "Peak", hence the newer name, Mount Peak. Ironic because look we know something about misconstruing names … Okanogan….Vashon….Willamette….

While the name Pinnacle Peak was given due to the fire lookout at the top; we’re just saying if Mount Pete stuck then there would be no need for a third name. Nevertheless, this Mount Peak is forest covered and offers hikers two options in order to reach the payoff.

The two trails offered by Mount Pete, or Mount Peak, or the King County Pinnacle Peak, are The Cal Magnusson trail, and the simply named South Trail. The South Trail sounded like Marlie’s type of trail - a gravel road with a gentle grade that gradually leads up elevation. But because the South Trail is multi use for hikers and bikers, or possibly because Anthony miss-read the research; we amazingly chose to hike the Cal Magnusson Trail, the trail that takes hikers a whole 1000 feet in just one mile through thick forest. 

Drive Grade 

The drive to get to this hike took a little longer than the other two hikes, being that it was about 1 hour 5 minutes from Seattle. Although the hour may have been due to our GPS taking us around the south bound traffic that we would have been gridlocked in. 

The drive didn’t offer many spectacular views and with the length of the drive, it was not that exciting. This trip did have a positive, and one that reminded us of an important tip to mention when hiking… bringing snacks.

This route was not just perfect for snacks, but way more. On the way, you can stop in the South Park neighborhood. We did and grabbed some food at Uncle Eddie’s; and then some coffee from our friends at The Scene coffee; a Black owned coffee shop.

The accessibility to the good food, great coffee, and snack options definitely added to the trip. In regard to parking at the trailhead, there weren’t a lot of spots, but we were able to get lucky. You can also park along the street too. One plus, the parking is free.

As for our Drive Grade Rating, we give a 4 outta 5.

Level of Fun

Prior to embarking on the hike, we were really excited because we heard that the payoff was guaranteed to be the best of the three recommended hikes regardless of the weather. Not exactly knowing what we were getting ourselves into, we ventured into the park. But not long after we got hip to that fact that this particular trail was going to be something different. From the beginning to the end the trail led us uphill.

We hiked, and hiked, and hiked, and hiked... We passed what looked to be variety of skilled hikers. We can say the surroundings were beautiful. While that didn’t make the trek any easier, it did make it bare able. It was also cool to see the steps that formerly supported the lookout. Also the basalt outcroppings formed by the rapid cooling of lava.

Marlie wanted to turn around a couple of times, because she was triggered by one of her pet peeves. Which is when you’re passing people on a trail and they tell you, “You’re almost there” or “You’re halfway there” BUT you still have forever to go. 

Based on our experience and “scientific” research, we’ve determined that “You’re halfway there” equates to 45 minutes left and “You’re almost there” equates to 40 minutes of hike left. 

Anthony continued to encourage Marlie to finish the hike, which was beneficial because after an hour and 22 minutes, we eventually made it to the payoff at the summit lookout. 

Walking up the observation deck definitely offered some great views. We even enjoyed the views from just sitting on the log benches. 

The hard work was definitely worth it. Plus we felt really accomplished conquering such a challenging (for us) hike.

Other important points worth mentioning about the trail are:

• While the path is dirt, there are concrete steps in places throughout on some of the steepest points. 

• The Dirt Trail can very easily turn into mud; which was the case in some areas on the day of our hike.

• Dogs are welcomed on the trail, but must be on leash.

Overall we really enjoyed our experience at Mount Pete, or Mount Peak, or the King County Pinnacle Peak. And we can definitely recommend you giving it a try. Remember that if you’re looking for a less rigorous hike up the peak, you can take the South trail.

For our experience at Mount Peak via The Cal Magnusson trail we give a 5 outta 5 for Level of Fun.

Comfortability for Black People

Once again these episodes where we are in nature are going to be high on the comfort rating. Big reason why? Come on say it with us…

NATURE LOVES BLACK PEOPLE!

And for this experience, along with the nature once again we encountered some friendly people on the trail. Outside of walking up 1000 feet of elevation, we were really comfortable. And with this being the last episode of this hiking series for the year, we want to remind you to get outside and enjoy the nature. Remember, studies show that being in the outdoors can have tremendous mental health benefits. 

While this hiking series is ending the best time of year for hiking is just starting. Hopefully we see you out on the trails this spring, summer, and fall.

For this experience at Mount Peak we give give a 5 outta 5 for Comfortability for Black People.

Watch our experience on YouTube!

Traveling While Black: Hiking at Cougar Mountain

It’s that time of year here in the Pacific Northwest, when daylight starts to last a bit longer. For us, that means it’s time for hiking!

While it’s nice that winter hiking is an option here in the Pacific Northwest, it is important to remember that the time of year you are hiking. Always prepare accordingly. This was an important fact that we were reminded of when going on this hike. We didn’t see the weather report for this hiking day and we were caught off guard when it started snowing. We had to leave and comeback to attempt the hike on another day. Don’t be like us!

For the first hike, we chose to check out a trail around Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park. A park technically located in Renton, WA, but near Bellevue, WA and Issaquah, WA.

Pretty dope history fact: the area is actually believed to be part of the route used by the Duwamish tribe and others to go between Coal Creek and May Creek.

We actually hiked close to this area at a park located more south back in YouTube episode 120; when we hiked a trail in Squak Mountain State Park. Cougar Mountain is a lot like Squak Mountain, in that it’s also known for its many hiking and equestrian trails.

The trail we chose was Cougar Mountain Indian Trail.

Drive Grade

The drive to the trail from where we’re at in Seattle was around 30 minutes. The route took us east on I-90, then south on I-405, before jumping onto more residential streets. The drive on the day, or days we went, were all for the most part pretty smooth flowing. Even when we did run into a little bit of traffic we were able to slide through it pretty quickly. That’s pretty good, especially considering that on one of the days it was raining.

While the route didn’t feature any views, the experience does have a positive in that the parking by the trailhead was free. But it was a bit confusing. See the trailhead is within a residential cul-de-sac.  And even though the online trail information says that the county owns two vacant lots to ensure access, it was hard to tell where those lots start. So we had to make extra sure to park where we thought was best. Especially when there was signage threatening to tow by parking outside of those designated spots.

You don’t need a Discovery Pass to park at this trail head and that’s true for other trailheads at Cougar Mountain Windland Park. Which is also a plus!  To be honest the drive overall was pretty average. But the free parking options and the 30 minute drive, all made up for the lack of views.

So for this experience we’ll give a 4 outta 5 for Drive Grade.

Level of Fun 

After figuring out the parking we were ready to tackle our first hike of the year. Cougar Mountain Indian Trail is a somewhat easy out and back trail that is about three miles in length. Like most trails in Cougar Mountain Park, this particular trail accommodates hikers and equestrians. But be aware that it does connect to some trails that are only for hikers. Some of the connecting trails feature some pretty cool payoffs. We heard that the best is Far Country Falls. 

Since the size of the falls fluctuates greatly depending on the rainfall. From late winter until early spring is actually one of the best times to visit the falls. According to the online information we found about this trail, it supposedly takes most people about an hour and six minutes to complete. So that was our target to beat.

Although its been awhile since we been hiking, knowing that the trail was deemed easy we were confident that we could beat that. Yes, so confident that we decided that we didn’t need our walking sticks. Even though it was a rocky dirt trail, that decision didn’t hurt us.

Look even though, we were taking it easy for this first hike. Don’t get it twisted, over the years we have done our share of hikes. Enough to pick up some outdoor skills. Like, moss grows facing north. Or stay on path. And something about limestone and other rocks filtering water for drinking if you’re facing dehydration. Need to double check that one, ha!

Walking the trail was like walking through a typical Pacific Northwest forest. Tall trees covered in moss, small streams of water crossing over the path. While this hike didn’t offer a lot of views of anything really spectacular, the living and fallen trees along the path did make for some really picturesque scenery. Yes, we were loving the many opportunities to snap some beautiful pictures on top of the easy hike.

During our walk we didn’t see any wildlife. However, we did learn that the park is home to quite a few. Luckily we didn’t see any of the scary kind, like cougars, on the day of our hike.

After a while, we finally came up to the Restored Meadow project. Which meant that we had officially completed the trail! Yes even though it was easy, we still celebrated! Because it’s good to celebrate ALL wins no matter how big and small. In regard to how long it took us…look beautiful people we can’t lie we we weren’t consistent in accounting for the stops for filming. And at one point we even forgot to stop the stop watch at all… oops!

Yeah, so basically we don’t officially know how long it took us. But we can say we saw people on the trail that started around the time we did and it wasn’t long before they’d pass us on the way back. Other important notes about the trail is it is not ADA accessible; dogs are allowed on this trail, as well as off leash, cell signal is shotty, and finally there are no restrooms nearby.

All in all we enjoyed the hike, and we definitely enjoyed finishing it. But thinking on what to grade Cougar Mountain Indian Trail, we considered  the picturesque scenery provided along the path. But also the lack of any spectacular breathtaking views. The meadow restoration project was nice, but we can think of better options for a payoff.  We suppose that’s why most people use this trail to connect to Far Country Falls. Still the low difficulty of the trail makes it for a great option for people just getting into hiking.

So for this experience we’ll give a 4 outta 5 for Level of Fun.

Comfortability for Black People

Obviously hiking involves getting outside and into nature. And if you familiar with our show then you are familiar with our saying “NATURE LOVES BLACK PEOPLE”. So that means as long as we don’t encounter a bad experience in a nearby town or on the trail, the grades for these hiking experiences are more than likely going to be pretty high.

We love this because we really want to encourage the continuing of more of our people getting into the outdoors. Because it’s important! Did you know, studies show that walking for 90 minutes in a natural area, as opposed to a high-traffic urban setting can directly improve mental health.

So, if you are looking for more encouragement and information, there are a host of other dope Black creators that are great resources for getting outdoors. Like Black People Outside, not only do they create dope content, but they actually lead guided hikes!

Another great Black outdoor creator is Outdoorsy Diva. Whose travel content and blog is geared for women who love outdoor adventure, unique travel experiences, and the great outdoors. 

A final great resource for Black outdoors is Outdoor Afro; a not-for-profit that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature.

Again these are all great options worth checking out. In regard to our experience on the Cougar Mountain Indian Trail, of course we loved the nature, but also the other people we encountered on the trail we were really friendly. Everyone actually spoke! Yes, friendly greetings combined with the peaceful nature. All definitely made for a refreshing comfortable experience. One that would usually warrant a 5 outta 5.

So, for Cougar Mountain Indian Trail we give a 5 outta 5 for Comfortability for Black People.

Watch our full vlog experience at Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park!