Tarbo Lake Picnic

We took a ride today and explored the peninsula. We should have stayed home and worked in the garden; the garlic needed to be planted, and we have tons of weeding to do. But we turned a blind eye to the whole yard, and took a ride instead to explore a lake that we heard was great for swimming in the summer. We drove the most beautiful country road through Chimacum Creek valley for about ten miles. Small dairy farms and beautiful old country farm houses for a few miles, and then no homes at all. The road starts to head up into the lower hills, where very few cars come in either direction, even on as lovely a spring day as this. We were looking for a turn off on to Tarbo Lake Road where we would drive for three miles up a gravel road to the lake. After we turned, there were no houses anywhere for miles and miles. Every now and then the Olympics would come into view with their snow-capped peaks, as the road wound upwards toward our destination. The road reminded us of all the mountain roads we've ever traveled. The quiet is split only by the sound of our car.
Osprey Nest



Leland Lake 

When we arrived at the lake shore our anticipation is matched by disappointment. The lake is so pretty, but there's no trail to walk around it. There's only a small level spot for cars to park, and the ground is littered with the detritus and debris of youthful humanity-- red shotgun casings, empty beer and soda cans, and an old fold-out couch that has been set on fire. We've got our lunch packed, so we sit in the car to eat it. Across the lake is one large snag with a bird nest on top. While we eat our sandwiches an osprey circles the nest and lands in it. We watch it with our binoculars. The bird sits for a few minutes, takes off, circles, flies back. This is repeated a few times while we eat. We are glad we've come. That osprey has made this trip completely worthwhile. Its beauty diminishes all the degradation that has been done at its feet.
We leave Tarbo Lake to drive on to Leland Lake. Also quite beautiful, and no way to walk around its shores.