Guemes Mountain on Guemes Island sits north of Mount Erie, the heart of Fidalgo Island. It got its name from the Viceroy of New Spain, Juan Vicente de Güemes. Moreover, it’s a quick five-minute ferry ride from Anacortes.
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Guemes Mountain at a Glance
Access: Guemes Mountain Trailhead
Round Trip: TBD
Elevation Range: 80′-688′
Gear: none
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: yes
The Preface on Guemes Island
We got lots of needed sunshine on Anderson Mountain last week. Then this weekend, we sought Guemes Mountain in the rain shadow, away from the Cascade rain. It’s an ongoing effort to avoid bad weather whenever possible.
I’d seen the island from Oyster Dome several times in the past. Since we’ve spent the most time in the Cascades and east, it was a surprise to find this hidden gem. The fact that it’s open to the public was the icing on the cake.
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Guemes Mountain Summit Views
After a short ferry ride to the other side, we drove two miles along the south shore to the trailhead. Spotty views were en route, but we were in for great weather. The overlook at 450′ let in views of the flat land below and Cypress Island.
It didn’t take long before finishing the mere one-mile walk to the top. A couple with their pups left the top as we arrived. We all agreed to have lucked out despite the grim forecast. Then we stayed for a long time and savored views of the other islands.
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Leaving San Juan Islands
On the way down, I opted to take the south trail to loop the trip. The path soon turned into an old road before we came upon the interesting “Rainbarn” by the radio tower. Then we viewed the cloud-capped mountains to the east before going onto Holiday Boulevard.
Soon, we turned west and down to South Shore Road. We walked north under half a mile back to the car with another behind us. Since it was only 1 o’clock, we drove through the area and returned to the dock.
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