WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The dog days of August are here and that means we are in store for another weekend of summer weather in Whatcom County. From hiking to outdoor festivals to live music, we have plenty in store for you in this week’s Lifestyle Lookout.
If you are looking for hiking options in the North Cascades, a great place to start is Glacier. The Horseshoe Bend trail starts right off the Mount Baker Highway and takes hikers along the north fork of the Nooksack River. It is a relatively flat hike that affords hikers spectacular views of the river.
A little further up the road, a far more grueling hike awaits. Church Mountain trail starts at the end of an access road and takes hikers straight up through cathedral trees to alpine meadows and ultimately ends on a rocky perch with views of Canada to the north and Mount Baker to the south. Hang out up top for a while and you’ll likely see a marmot or two. Plan a full day for this one because the 3,750 feet of elevation gain is best done slowly.
Another gem of a hike is further up the highway near Artist Point. Lake Ann trail leads hikers down through a spectacular valley and then up to an alpine lake at the base of Mount Shuksan. It is a mellow hike on the way out, but the hike back can be arduous. The views of Shuksan and Baker make it all worthwhile. This one is a must do for PNW hikers. The 8.5-mile roundtrip hike can be done in half a day.
If you’re heading up the North Cascades Highway (SR 20) to do some hiking, be aware that some popular trailheads and overlooks are closing soon for repair work. Stop at the North Cascades National Park Information Center in Marblemount on the way up for advice on closures and ideas for great hiking in that area.
How does live music at a lovely spot in Fairhaven sound?
Stones Throw Brewery is hosting StoneStock 2025 on Saturday, Aug. 23 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. It’s a free, all-ages event honoring the 56th anniversary of Woodstock. Check out live music, enjoy some great food, shop local vendors and more.
StoneStock is free to attend. For all the details, go to stonesthrowbrewery.com.
For the art lovers out there, the Cordata Gallery (465 W Stuart Rd.) presents Modern Meets Primitive until Sept. 27. This exhibit features local artists Richard Nash, Brian O’Neill and David Syre. The paintings and ceramics in this show explore the primal, the tactile and the intuitive forces in contemporary art.
Modern Meets Primitive is free to explore. The Cordata Gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Go to cordatagallery.com for all the details.
Our featured live show is Friday night, Aug. 22 at Wild Buffalo.
Mihali will bring his brand of reggae to the stage for a night of ire vibes and roots rock rhythms. Fans of Bob Marley, Sublime and Jack Johnson don’t want to miss this one.
The show starts at 9 p.m. For tickets, go to wildbuffalo.net.
Listen to this week’s Lifestyle Lookout segment below and every Friday on the KGMI Morning News:
