I’m not big on crowds, so I enjoy just exploring when there is no one around. In the spring the ski area is weather dependent, and most of the big mountain hiking is still closed due to road conditions from the snow and ice pack. Due to this the rates for vacation rentals are much cheaper in spring, which is one reason it’s a nice time to visit. The birds are returning and there is lots of birdwatching. The flowers and trees are beginning to bud and bloom. Everything is very bright and cheerful with bright green grasses and flowers. This is a great time for little local walks and smaller hikes that are right here in town such as the Horseshoe Bend Trail. These walks are not wheel chair accessible unfortunately but do offer an easy way to see some of the local beauty. Most of the hiking that is open only in summer is very steep with high elevation gain, and can be strenuous for older ones, or those with young children.
The Horseshoe Bend Trail is a beautiful trail just outside of town that follows along the Nooksack river. My family enjoys this walk very much! There are several great little spots to sit and watch kayakers going by, or to let dogs swim in the little side pools of the river. We love to skip stones, play in the sandy areas, and look for rocks along the river’s edge. This is a mild hike and offers beautiful river views right from the beginning so you can make it as long or as short of a hike as your health or circumstances will allow.
Spring is a very quiet and tranquil time to visit!
If you are booking a home in Snowline, the community swimming pool opens in late spring.
The Nooksack falls are very beautiful this time of year, although this can be weather dependent in the early spring as the road to the falls is not plowed in winter. It usually opens pretty quickly though and is only about a mile walk if the road is still closed.
You can also visit the old growth forest. There are some very impressive large trees, and it is always a fun thing to see when you are visiting Glacier.
In late spring, the wild berries start to come out. Weather dependent we have lots of wild berries. You can find: huckleberries (both blue and red), salmon berries, tiny wild strawberries, blackberries, Black raspberries, thimble berries, & later in the year blueberries (only higher up in the mountain for these though, & snow pack dependent).
There are lots of birds migrating back in early spring. We have many different birds. There is a Great Blue Heron that frequents the snowline pond in early spring. We have Robins, Steller Jays, Hummingbirds, Black Cap Chickadees, Wood Peckers, and many more.
One of my favorite things on spring nights is to listen to all the frogs croaking after dark.
Spring is also a great time to find tadpoles, and salamander larvae. These are abundant in the local little ponds off the beaten paths.
This is also a great time a year to search the local river beds for fossils. The rivers change course when water levels get higher and lower, and after a long winter new fossil are easy to find.
