Edelman and I had a great 10.8-mile hike on what we call the Chanterelle Loop. If you take the first 1.8 miles of the Hertz Trail, which runs along the lake (flat) to the Chanterelle Connector (well-signed, not flat!), you then head 4 miles up to the Chanterelle Trail. The Chanterelle Trail is then a 5-mile jaunt back to the parking lot, and is mostly downhill. Elevation gain is over 2000 feet, and the forest is light and lovely. You can do it in the opposite direction, of course, but then you'd miss ascending the 327 stairs on the Connector and enjoying the wildflower display while you're relatively fresh.
The flowers are abundant right now, and there's quite the variety for a woodland trail: herb Robert, trillium, spring beauty, Oregon grape, strawberry, salmon berry, elder flower, tons of bleeding heart, currant, and lupine (set to burst open in great abundance near the Chanterelle lookout, 2.4 miles from the Chanterelle trailhead).
We saw about half a dozen trail runners, half a dozen doggoes, half a dozen hikers, and one very chirpy chipmunk. Great local hike for Bellinghamsters. Happy hiking, All :-)
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