Scott Underwood Wrote:

>Making my usual round northward toward Skagit county birding sites I
decided
>to try finding an access route to the Stillaguamish flats. I attempted to
>head W. on Thomel Rd. from Marine Dr. and wound up at a dead end near a
>warehouse.
>
>Is there a way to get out into the flats, e.g. public access?
>

Scott
As you found there is no access at the end of Thomle Road. It ends at the
Twin City Foods maintenance shops. Less than 2 miles south at Boe Road
(236th Street in DeLorme Page 95) you can go west, and this road ends at
the dike where you can look over the flats, but there is no access beyond
the end of the road. There is also a public boat launch on Hat Slough on Boe
Road, where you can go out and explore the mouth of the river. A couple
miles further south, at Warm Beach Camp, there is access to the south part
of the Stillaguamish delta just south of the mouth of Hat Slough (where the
Stillaguamish River enters Puget Sound.) This is private property, but you
can go the office and get a permit (for a fee) and walk down the hill and
out on their dikes. West of Stanwood, on the way to Camano, take an
immediate left on Leque (pronounced Lek-We) Road just after crossing the
Mark Clark Bridge. Follow it to the end, which delivers you to the mouth of
the Stillaguamish River (which is a slough at this point.) You can walk the
dike at this site.

Dan Logen
Stanwood