Recreation

Seven miles south of Bellingham on Chuckanut Drive [1], Larrabee State Park (360/676-2093) was the state’s first, created in 1923 when Charles Xavier Larrabee’s family donated 20 acres in his honor. The park contains a popular campground with tent ($14) and RV ($20) sites, plus coin-operated showers. It’s open year-round. Make reservations ($7 extra) at 888/226-7688 or www.parks.wa.gov [2]. Now covering more than 2,500 acres of mountainous land, the park borders Samish Bay, with a boat launch, a sandy beach for sunning, and tidepools for marine explorations.

Nine miles of hiking trails include the southern end of the Interurban Trail, connecting the park with Bellingham [3]. Other trails lead to scenic Fragrance and Lost Lakes for trout fishing, and to dramatic vistas from the 1,941-foot summit of Chuckanut Mountain (also accessible via a gravel road).

Continue north from Larrabee State Park [4] to Teddy Bear Cove, located at the foot of the cliff just before you enter the Fairhaven District [5]. For many years it was an unofficial nude beach, but the county purchased the land and started fining the au naturel crowd $125 per infraction in 1997. The prudes strike again.