Trail of the Cedars

The Trail of the Cedars is a self-guided nature trail in Newhalem (down the street from the Gorge Powerhouse) that introduces visitors to a wide variety of native plants and animals.  The meandering trail travels through towering Western red cedars, maples, paper birch, Douglas Fir, and Pacific Yew.

Entrance to the trail

The path initially enters a new forest, created after the original forest burned and new plants invaded and established themselves.

New forest

We then explore types of trees pointed out by signage along the trail.

Paper birch

Tree that survived the fire

Trees that didn't

We wander by a "see-through" tree.  Most mature Western red cedar are rotten in the middle due to a fungus that causes rot in the heartwood, hollowing out the tree.  Food is manufactured in the needles and carried down the external trunk, while water is carried up.

See-through tree

The trail passes by the Newhalem Powerhouse built in 1921 to provide power from the Skagit River to operate a sawmill.  A new powerhouse was built on the site in 1970 and is controlled from the nearby Gorge Powerhouse control room.

Newhalem Powerhouse

At the output of the powerhouse, a tailrace barrier prevents salmon from swimming the wrong way up the river and into the powerhouse turbines.  We look up the unfamiliar word "tailrace" and find that it is the channel that carries water away from a powerhouse or dam, located immediately downstream.

Keeping the salmon out

Skagit River hydroelectric projects

The path loops around and continues back toward the entrance.

Continuing along the path

Looking up at the land around us, we are told that it forms a three-story forest.  The large evergreens form the top layer.  The middle layer is Vine Maple, growing to a height of 20 to 30 feet (6 to 9 meters).  The ground layer here is Oregon Grape, an evergreen shrub.

Three-story forest

Lots of stumps

We come across a dead Western Hemlock covered with woodpecker holes.  Insects attacking the dead wood provide food for woodpeckers who drill holes in the tree to get at them.

Woodpecker tree

We finish our walk and continue out out into the town of Newhalem on the Skagit river, a company town owned by Seattle City Light and populated entirely by employees of the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project and county, state, or federal agencies.

Skagit River

As we leave town, we pass by a sawmill, surrounded by logs that have been hauled in the by logging trucks which we see all over the roads.

Sawmill yard

We've had a great adventure in the Northern Cascades and are now heading home.

Thunder Knob Trail

Thunder Knob Trail leads from Washington State Route 20 up to ridges overlooking Diablo Lake and Diablo Dam.  Starting at the Colonial Creek Campground, the trail first crosses the creek over a bridge that is removed in the winter to prevent damage from the rampaging water in the creek.

Crossing Colonial Creek

Continuing along the creek

We soon start up toward the top of Thunder Knob.

Heading up

As we reach the half-way point, we are rewarded with views of Diablo Lake, after which the trail becomes much steeper to bring us to the top.

Diablo Lake

Steeper with switchbacks

Views of nearby peaks (in the clouds)

Rest stop along the way

Soon we reach the top and absorb the breathtaking views of the lake and the dam.

At the top

We head down to the trailhead to resume our journey west out of the national park.  This trail has been a great opportunity to take a break from driving through the mountains and see more incredible views.

Ross Lake and the Three Hydroelectric Dams

Heading back from our trip to the Northern Cascade Mountain Range, we follow Washington State Route 20 over Washington Pass and back down the western side of the mountains, visiting some of the dams and trails on the Pacific side of the mountains.

We pass many logging trucks along the way, carrying fresh-cut trees to the mills.

Logging truck

We stop briefly at Ross Lake and Ross Dam, one of the world's highest arch dams at 540 feet (165 meters).  The dam is one of three (Gorge, Diablo, and Ross) built between 1919 and 1961 to produce electricity for the Seattle area.

Ross Lake and Ross Dam

Diablo Dam

Along the road, we find lots of tall waterfalls, carrying water down the mountain into the rivers and lakes.

Waterfalls along the way

We make another stop at the Gorge Powerhouse in Newhalem, walking the trails alongside the dam and admiring the waterfalls.

Gorge Powerhouse

More waterfalls

This has been an interesting visit to the dams and powerhouses that provide about 40 percent of Seattle's power.