Tursi Trail in Anacortes: Kids Love Old Mines
The Tursi Trail is a 1.1 mile trail that connects Pass Lake Loop Trail to Lake Campbell in Anacortes. It is part of the Pacific Northwest Trail and has some great highlights. Read about the making of this trail and some history on John Tursi HERE.
I really hadn't read up on the trail prior to taking the girls up there for one of our Saturday hikes and it was nice not expecting things like the old mine and cabin. There are also a couple of beautiful viewpoints.
Note: There is no parking on Donnell Road and the trailhead sign indicates parking is at Pass Lake. We found a nice parking area at the intersection of Sharpe Road and Campbell Lake Road with a Tursi Trail Parking sign.
Donnell Road had zero traffic and a backside view of Lake Campbell that made me want to buy a house! The girls didn't struggle as the trail left Donnell onto a steep, overgrown dirt road. Soon tread of the Tursi Trail takes over and leaves the old road behind.
Peekaboo views of Mount Erie and Campbell Lake can be seen here as the path climbs a bit more. After just a bit further we happened upon the old mine! I had not heard of any mines in the area and so I was quite surprised. The girls kept wanting to go in, but never could get up enough courage.
Just after the mine we stumbled upon the cabin, which has been cleaned out with no roof or debris. We all went "in" the cabin.
Continuing on the trail dips down and rolls up and down for. Sometimes showing views of Mount Baker and other times the cliffs of the hill just to the East between the trail and Highway 20.
Eventually we saw some other hikers when we arrived at some craggy overlooks, peering south at Pass Lake. We learned after descending the trail these hikers came up, that it is the Ginnett Trail, completing our route to find Pass Lake Loop.
The kids loved this hike despite the steep beginning!