Hikes on Whidbey Island – Ebey’s Landing Bluff Trail

I love living on Whidbey Island. The beauty that I am surrounded with everyday, the Olympic Mountains to the west and the Cascade Mountains to the east. The crystal clear salty waters that surround me. The crisp and clean ocean air. The sound of ships blowing their deep fog horns on misty fall mornings. The rolling hills and fields surrounded by forests. Whidbey Island is a little piece of heaven here on earth.

One of my favorite parts about living on Whidbey Island is its Maritime Climate. Because of this climate, our weather is very temperate. We don’t get super hot in the summer, nor do we get super cold in the winter. We might get one snow event per winter and one “heat wave” in the summer. This climate lends itself to many bonuses such as year-round gardening, year-round beach combing and walking, and year-round hiking.

Having grown up in a small mountain town in the Cascades, I have a deep-rooted love of hiking. Once we moved to Whidbey (almost 25 years ago), it was my mission to find some great hiking spots – both forest and beach. I will be posting several of my favorite Hikes on Whidbey Island in the future.

One of my favorite hikes is the Bluff Trail, located in Ebey’s Landing Historic Reserve. (https://www.ebeysreserve.com) It boasts some of the Island’s most beautiful scenery. To the west, magnificent views across Admiralty Inlet to Port Townsend and the Olympic Mountains beyond. To the south, Whidbey’s coastline, Fort Casey, with beach and forest views extending down to Mount Rainier on a clear day. Looking east, you will be rewarded with views of Ebey’s Landing Reserve and its rolling prairie, farmland, and historic barns with Mount Baker in the distance setting a splendid backdrop.

This Whidbey Island Hike begins at the beach. A few sets of wooden stairs will bring you up to the bluff, where the trail will follow the bluff’s edge – level at first, then a short climb to the top of the bluff (total elevation gain is about 300 ft). From here, you will be skirting the edge of the wind-swept forest on one side and the steep edge of the bluff on the other. The trail has several gentle “ups and downs” as you go along. After walking about 1.5 miles, you will reach a point where you will have to determine whether you want to head down many switchbacks to the beach, or turn around and take the trail back.

This Whidbey Island Hike can either be an “out and back” or a loop – depending on your mood and the tides. If you plan a loop, you will be walking back on the beach, so be sure to check the tide table to make sure that you actually have enough beach to walk on! (https://www.saltwatertides.com/dynamic.dir/washingtonsites.html) I usually try for at least 2 hours past the high tide, as the tide is going out. If you do choose to walk the beach back, be sure to keep an eye out for agates and other beautiful beach treasures. Also, keep your eyes peeled for eagles, sea lions, sea otters, and other wildlife.

Ebey’s Bluff Trail is a year round hike and changes with the seasons. Lush and green in the late fall, winter, and spring, changing to a golden brown during the dry summer months. It is wonderful to experience the trail in all types of weather, whether it be a howling wind, gentle drizzle, or a hot summer’s day. If possible, plan to hike it just before sunset so you can catch the sun slipping down below the Olympics from one of Whidbey’s most scenic spots.

Getting There

Whether you are coming from the north or south, it is easy to get to Ebey’s Bluff Trail. Traveling from the south on highway 20, you will pass through the only traffic light in Coupeville. Once past the light you will take a left onto South Ebey Rd. From the North on highway 20, you will turn right onto South Ebey Rd. just before you get to the light in Coupeville. Follow the S. Ebey Road until you reach the beach and parking lot. You can park for free along the road, or in the parking lot with a WA State Parks Pass. The trail starts at the end of the parking lot.