• Home
  • Travel
  • Life

Passports and Poppets

~ Global Adventures With Friends and Family

Passports and Poppets

Tag Archives: Robe Canyon Historic Park

Old Robe Canyon

19 Sunday Jul 2015

Posted by Sergio Caltagirone in Travel, United States

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Hiking, North Cascades, Old Robe Canyon, Robe Canyon Historic Park, Stillaguamish River

5 July 2015 – During the 1890 North Cascade gold rush a railroad was built along the Stillaguamish River through Robe Canyon to transport gold and silver from Monte Cristo (now a ghost town) to Everett, WA.  However, the wealth dried up in 1907 and the regular flooding of both the river and high rains caused extensive damage to the roads and infrastructure – including regular landslides along the railroad.

The area along the Stillaguamish River through Robe Canyon is preserved and protected as a historic park just a few miles outside Granite Falls, WA.  A trail developed by the Boy Scouts in 1960 follows the river along the old railroad bed.  The majority of the trail is well maintained and has wonderful views of the river and canyon.  Where the trail hasn’t been washed out by landslides, the old rail ties, rail stakes, and (where the ties are rotted) impressions are still present.

Stillaguamish River in Robe Canyon

Stillaguamish River in Robe Canyon

Lucas, Aurelia, and Isabella along the Stillaguamish River

Lucas, Aurelia, and Isabella along the Stillaguamish River

Isabella and Lucas along the Old Robe Canyon trail - the impressions of the rail ties are still present.

Isabella and Lucas along the Old Robe Canyon trail – the rail ties are still present

Sections of the trail continue to see the effects of the flooding with rock slides to scramble over and large overturned trees to cross.

Crossing logs along the Old Robe Canyon trail

Crossing logs along the Old Robe Canyon trail

Lucas, Aurelia, and Isabella scramble over a rock slide along the Robe Canyon

Lucas, Aurelia, and Isabella scramble over a rock slide along the Robe Canyon

Aurelia, Lucas, and Isabella cross a trail gap over a log

Aurelia, Lucas, and Isabella cross a trail gap over a log

The rail system contained six tunnels through the granite canyon sides.  None are accessible via the maintained trail, but a short trek beyond the trail end takes you to the first tunnel.  The kids loved it – walking through the tunnel and seeing the dynamite holes and toads now inhabiting the dark and damp spaces.

Sherrie, Isabella, and Lucas walk through a historic tunnel at Robe Canyon

Sherrie, Isabella, and Lucas walk through a historic tunnel at Robe Canyon

After tunnel we turned back.  The afternoon was warm and the kids wanted to go swimming.  We walked a couple of miles back and found a nice place by the river to go swimming.  The kids packed their swim suits and had a great hour swimming up and down the current and playing in the rapids.  Aurelia and Giuliana spent time exploring the calmer pools.

Isabella crosses the Stillaguamish River to meet Lucas on the other side

Isabella crosses the Stillaguamish River to meet Lucas on the other side

Giuliana plays in the Stillaguamish River

Giuliana plays in the Stillaguamish River

Aurelia climbs on big rocks in the Stillaguamish River

Aurelia climbs on big rocks in the Stillaguamish River

48.083990 -121.968742

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Like this:

Like Loading...

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 993 other followers

Recent Posts

  • 7-15 April Morgan Hill, CA to New Orleans, LA
  • San Antonio, The Alamo, and Riverwalk
  • Meteor Crater
  • Grand Canyon
  • Lake Isabella/Kern Valley

Categories

  • Advice (1)
  • Life (2)
  • Travel (61)
    • Europe (14)
    • United Kingdom (8)
  • United States (39)

Archives

  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • June 2016
  • December 2015
  • July 2015
  • May 2015
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • March 2013
  • October 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • April 2012

Flickr Photos

DSC_0241Buildings in RondaDSC_0268DSC_0277DSC_0276
More Photos

Blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • Passports and Poppets
    • Join 993 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Passports and Poppets
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: