Skykomish River Suspension Bridge
Whispering Waters romantic rental cabin is located in a rural area of the western foothills of the northern central Cascade Mountain range of Washington state. The area is not overly touristy, yet attracts thousands of visitors due to the scenic and outdoor recreational attractions. Whispering Waters vacation cabin rental is in Baring, Washington close to Highway 2, a National Scenic Byway winding through the beautifully rugged Cascade Mountains with numerous waterfalls and crystal clear rivers along the way. In addition to the abundance of conifer trees there are many native evergreen plants that keep Western Washington green year-round. The air is fragrant with the smell of cedar and fir.
US hwy 2 is part of the southern limb of 440 mile scenic Cascade Loop Highway, and the south fork Skykomish is known for it’s scenic beauty. Area development has been limited which makes it a great place to enjoy the natural beauty of the mountains. The Baring/ Index/ Skykomish area is a little more than half-way between Seattle and Leavenworth, so can be a base from which to visit other areas. It is a 60-90 minutes (if you avoid rush hour traffic) to Seattle for sightseeing, and 60 minutes to Leavenworth.
Magnificent 6,000 ft Mt. Baring towers over the unincorporated town of Baring with approximately 300 full-time residents and many part-time second homes/cabins. Like most of the towns in the Sky valley, Baring began as a logging and mining town in the early 1900’s along the Great Northern rail line. There aren’t any operational mines now, but the trains still rumble through and logging trucks are a common sight on US highway 2.
The cabin is on the “outskirts” of the town in a semi-private location. Even though there are other cabins around, it isn’t part of a planned community, and trees and other features provide privacy. A picturesque historic one-lane wooden suspension bridge is just upstream of the cabin. The roads to Whispering Waters are plowed in the winter and usually there is no need for 4WD, except occasionally in winter.
Leavenworth, a Bavarian theme town with unique shops and good restaurants in a beautiful mountain setting is 60 minutes on the east side of the Cascades and is well worth the drive. The drive over the mountains (Stevens Pass) and along the Wenatchee River is especially beautiful in the fall as well as viewing migrating salmon. Christmas lights are not to be missed. There are frequent festivals, and weekends are usually busy.
Groceries: The closest grocery store is in Gold Bar, 13 miles (15 minutes) west of Baring. When coming from the west you will find Fred Meyer, Walmart, Safeway, and Grocery Outlet on Hwy 2. Tiendas and a bakery are on Main Street, two blocks south of Hwy 2. If coming from the east, Safeway in Leavenworth is the closest grocery store.
Restaurants: LouSki’s Deli in Skykomish has pizza and sandwiches as well as EV charging stations, SkyRiver coffee shop (morning hours only) Cascadia Inn’s restaurant is open 5 days/wk 9am-3pm, and the Whistling Post tavern provides late night snacks.
There are five restaurants in Gold Bar – diner with great desserts, pizza, Thai, and Maggy’s Mexican.
Local Activities: This area is known for its abundance of outdoor recreational activities during all seasons. The cabins are located on privately owned land within Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
Hiking is fantastic in this beautiful area, with a wide variety of close by hiking trails – easy family walks through the
Bridal Veil Falls below Lake Serene and Mt Index
woods to strenuous climbs for the more athletic. Hike to waterfalls, lakes with crystal clear water, alpine meadows, historic lookout towers, old growth forests, and to spectacular mountain top viewpoints. The normal snow-free hiking season is about June through October. During the winter there are some low elevation trails usually accessible and there is a list of these in the area information book available for your use while staying at the cabin. Hikes to higher elevations (4000ft & above) are usually snow-free in July, but most of the trails will be hiked before then by eager hikers who pack the snow down. All trailheads can be reached by 2WD vehicles once the roads are snow free. A parking pass is required at most forest service trail heads and can be purchased at many local stores (daily $5, annual $30) and at the ranger station in Skykomish. State Discovery Pass required at Wallace Falls purchased at on-site kiosk. Many of the Area Photos were taken on hikes. More hiking photos on Flickr. Washington Trails Association is a good resource as well as All Trails. When it is raining on the west side of the mountains, going to the east side is often a dry alternative.
For rock climbers there is the 500 ft Index Town Wall, featuring some of the most technical rock climbing in the state. For those who don’t climb, it is interesting to watch the climbers, and then you can hike a steep trail to the top of the wall that offers a fantastic view of Index and the north fork Skykomish River.
Rafting/kayaking: As you drive along Hwy 2 between Gold Bar and Index you may see rafters and kayakers in the Skykomish River. Around MP 33 is Boulder Drop, class IV rapids, and it’s fun to watch the boats slide between the huge boulders. Spring and early summer are best for rafting, as the water level is usually too low by mid-July for rafts, depending upon snowpack and current rainfall. The season for kayaks is almost year-round. There are also gentle family floats on parts of the south fork Skykomish River. Bring your own equipment or sign up for a trip with one of the local rafting companies: Alpine Adventures 1-800-RAFT FUN 1-800-723-8386, Chinook Expeditions 1-800-241-3451, and Outdoor Adventures 425-883-9039 .
If you bring your own raft or kayaks, you can put in at the Skykomish ball park east of town, or under the bridge in Skykomish for a 8 mile float. For a 4 mile float, put in at Money Creek campground. It is easy to take out right at the cabin.
WARNING: There are 3 sets of dangerous falls – Eagle, Canyon and Sunset Falls – 3, 5 & 7 miles downstream of Baring. These are not in the immediate vicinity of the cabins but ask for locations before floating downstream on the south fork.
ATV tours available for Reiter Foothills Forest, between Index and Gold Bar. And the barely two-lane road twisting through the forest to get there is so much fun. Photos on their FB page
Local Railroad History: For railroad buffs, the 7.8 mile Cascade Tunnel can be viewed on the way to Stevens Pass, and the partially wheelchair accessible Iron Goat Trail traces the path of the original railroad grade, avalanche sheds and the original 3-mile Cascade Tunnel at the historical train wreck site of Wellington.
The town of Skykomish has free miniature train rides summer weekends.
There is an interesting history of turn-of-the century mining endeavors in this area, and the location of some of the mine sites can be visited. Ask the owner for more information, if interested.
Sking/Snow Activities: Stevens Pass Ski Mountain is 23 miles east of Baring, 25-30 minutes if road and traffic conditions are good. AWD, 4WD or chains are required at times and good traction tires are always recommended. Miller River Road, half-way between Baring & Skykomish, is a good cross country skiing and snowshoeing destination when the snow level is 2,000ft or below. Snowshoes and cross country skis can be rented at the Nordic Center (Thurs-Sun) east of the pass. There is a sledding area at the Nordic Center. The closest snowmobile area is Foss River Road east of Skykomish – no rentals available.
The fishing season is June 1-Nov. 30 for white fish and trout; but due to the falls (Sunset, Canyon and Eagle) there is limited fishing until the fish elevator goes into operation, usually late July through October, bringing up native steelhead for catch & release as well as spawning salmon. Bait and barbs are not allowed, and native steelhead and salmon must be released. The fishing season west of Sunset Falls extends until Feb. 28, so a scenic 10 minute drive will get you into better fishing waters. There is rainbow, cutthroat and bull trout in the river system, and the best fishing is usually mid-July through October after the spring snow melt and the water level is lower. Most of the river can be waded except after heavy rain or during snow melt that sometimes lasts into early-mid summer. You can fish downstream of Sunset Falls (6 miles west) anytime during the season (usually June 1-Feb 28). Lake fishing opens the last Saturday of April. Most of the alpine lakes in this area require hiking, except Lake Elizabeth (sometimes blocked by landslides) and Evans which are accessible once the roads are snow free in June or July. A WA fishing license is required and there are frequent rule changes. Contact WA Dept of Fish and Wildlife http://wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/ for more information and license purchase. Fishing licenses can also be purchased at Fred Meyer in Monroe, and Sultan Chamber of Commerce 320 Main Street one block north of Hwy 2.
Biking: Stevens Pass bike park with bike rentals. Forest service and abandoned logging roads make good mountain biking roads if you have your own bike.
Scenic Mountain Chair Lift Rides: Stevens Pass Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday 10am-5:30pm July, August & September.
Disc Golf: Stevens Pass, Thursday-Sunday 10am-6pm, late June to early October
Woodinville Wine Country: If you haven’t had Washington State wines, this is a great opportunity to do so. Woodinville 35 miles (45 minutes) southwest of Baring is about half way to Seattle with the original winery Chateau Ste. Michelle, as well as over 100 tasting rooms in five separate districts. There are also many micro breweries and distilleries also in Woodinville. Chateau St Michelle also offers an outdoor summer concert series, as well as unadvertised free music the second Tuesday of every summer month.
Hot Air Balloon Trips: 45 minutes west in Snohomish (a quaint antiquing town) http://www.airialballoon.com/
Boeing Everett Tour: During the tour of the world’s largest building by volume (472,000,000 cubic feet or 13,385,378 cubic meters), visitors will see airplanes being built. Sometimes you will see airplane bodies being transported through Baring on rail cars.
Relaxing: Even with all these activities to participate in, some say the best thing about the area is the serenity. It’s very relaxing to sit and watch the river flow by and rocking and lounge chairs are strategically placed for this purpose. During the summer chairs are available for the beach to get you even closer to the river, especially on warmer days.
Weather: At 775ft elevation Baring has limited snowfall; but snow is not unusual. If the forecast calls for a snow level of 1000 feet or below, it will probably be snowing at the cabin. The average daytime winter temperature is usually low-30’s to mid-40’s with the temperature dropping at night to mid-low 30’s, although occasionally will be colder. Snow removal on Hwy 2 is usually very reliable. Stevens Pass, 23 miles east of the cabin, is occasionally closed for avalanche control and sometimes chains are required, so please come prepared for winter driving conditions, especially if you’re planning to ski or driving to Leavenworth.
Spring conditions often start in late February and continue usually through June with gradual warming, but still with cool temperatures and frequent rainy days. April and May are the best months for wild spring flowers at this elevation, but you will see spring flowers as late as mid-August at higher elevations. The river is usually highest May-June due to snow melt.
Summer temps are usually very pleasant, with day temps in the 70’s to low 80’s, occasionally in the low 90’s (or 60’s on cloudy or rainy days). Anything over 80 degrees is considered insufferable by the locals, and that’s when we grab our chairs and tubes and head for the 55 degree waters of the river to cool off. As soon as the sun sets the temperature drops to mid 50’s at night which is great for cooling off the cabins (natural air conditioning) at night. There is often a burn ban from late July until fall due to dry conditions and high fire danger. The rain that western Washington is famous for usually continues intermittently through June, with July and August the driest months of the year and only occasional rain.
Fall colors begin late August with the vine maples turning bright red at the lower elevations. The best fall colors are usually late September and October with a succession of trees turning. The gold leaves of the big leaf maples are spectacular against the rocky outcrops of the Cascade Mountains. A drive to Stevens Pass is a must to see the vivid colors of the huckleberry bushes and vine maples.
September and October are transitional months, weather wise, ranging from sunny and warm (60’s- low 70’s) to rainy and cool (50’s). The heavier rains and snow accumulation on the mountain tops usually start in November.
For more information about renting Whispering Waters, please email or call/text 425-268-9201