Rasar State Park Trails
Rasar State Park (~170 acres) is situated near the town of Concrete on Highway 20 aka North Cascades Highway, ~1.5 hours drive north of Seattle.
Rasar State Park’s easy, flat walking trails to Skagit river and beautiful landscapes was perfect for our family with a 2.5 yeard old in tow. Since it is quite a drive from Seattle for a short nature walk, we have combined our visit to Rasar State Park with other attractions in the area such as Baker Lake and Anacortes (More details in trip planning section below).
It is one of our favorite state parks for cabin camping. But cabin rentals are hard to get. So we end up visiting on a day trip from Seattle. In this article you will find detailed report on the Rasar State Park trails and tips to plan your day trip to this local treasure.
Rasar State Park Hiking – Step by step Guide
The hiking guide is broken down into 3 steps – Trailhead to Skagit river, At Skagit river, Back to the trailhead. The path we took is highlighted in blue in the trail map below. Full Rasar State Park map can be found here.
1. Trailhead to Skagit River [15 mins]
Getting to ADA Trailhead – You can drive upto the point where ADA trail begins and park your car there (detailed driving directions in sections below).
Play structure at trailhead – At the beginning of ADA trail, there is a simple play structure with slides that can be a great start when you are going with younger kids.
ADA trail to Skagit river – From the trailhead, we took the ADA friendly trail which is ~0.2 miles long. It took us about 10-15 mins to get to Skagit river.
For a longer walk, you can take the Maple trail and walk to the Skagit river woods trail. There isn’t a lot of mileage and the path is flat and easy. So you can’t really go wrong with any route as long as you want to wander around.
The views of mountains, forests and fields from this trail are breathtaking. The layer of clouds when we were visiting made this landscape even more dramatic. The view of snow-capped Sauk mountains was stunning.
2. By Skagit River [30 mins to 1 hour]
Sit by the Skagit river bank and enjoy the silver salmon jumping out of the milky green river water and bald eagles overhead. There is a trail by the river to walk on.
Kids will love walking by the river bank, throwing sticks and stones, collecting leaves with different shades of fall colors.
On rainy days, the bank will be muddy. And there aren’t any wooden logs or picnic tables at the river bank so take a camping chair or a mat you don’t mind getting dirty.
The flow of the river is not swift near the bank, so it is easy for kids to walk freely. You will see quite a few people fishing in river water.
In summer, the water is cold but amazing to dip in with the strong sun overhead. Kids will love their water time, so expect to stay longer by the river. The beach is much easier to sit on when dry. Take a snack or picnic lunch.
4. Back to Trailhead [20 mins]
Trail back – On our way back, we returned via Field trail. All the trails are flat and can be enjoyed year round.
Wildlife – If you’re lucky, you could spot elk, deer or coyote in this area. We did not spot any wildlife during our visits. The best time to spot wildlife is usually around dawn and dusk.
Picnic tables – You will find picnic tables in the meadows if you’re looking to eat a meal here. Such a beautiful setting for an outdoor lunch!
Rasar State Park Directions and Parking
The drive from Seattle to Rasar State Park is ~1.5 hours. From I-5, you take exit 232 to enter North Cascades Highway aka Highway 20. Drive ~ 30 mins, take a right on Lusk road to Cape Horn road, you will arrive at Rasar State Park. Discover Pass required at Rasar State Park.
Tips For Visiting Rasar State Park
- Estimated Activity Time – With the roundtrip hike and time spent at the river, you can estimate ~1 to 2 hours for this activity. This is at kid speed, so there is definitely scope to go faster.
- Restrooms – Available at the state park.
- Cellular network – It is spotty, but available.
- Food – Restaurants in this area are limited but a handful of options are available. Birsdview Brewing Company and Birdsview Diner are the closest option to Rasar State Park. Of the restaurants that remain open through the year, the better ones are closed Tue and Wed which will make it harder to find decent food if you are traveling on those days of the week. I would recommend bringing some food and snacks for the day, especially when traveling in non-summer months.
Kid And Family Trip Report
- Infants (upto 1 year) – This is a good trail for tired new parents to carry their infants in a carrier on a nice easy walk. Since this is an ADA trail, this will be a stroller friendly trail.
- Toddlers (1-3 years) – This trail is perfect for little toddlers who are learning to walk to get a taste of some easy hiking or a beautiful nature walk. Very easy and smooth ride for both parents and kids.
- Pre-school (3-5 years) and above – Can do this trail independently.
- Families – This is a great outing for families with older parents. There are no picnic tables at the river bank, so you may want to carry a camping chair or some mats to sit awhile.
Rasar State Park Trip Planning
- Day trip – It is an awesome spot for a family friendly activity on a day trip from Seattle. Drive one way from Seattle is ~1.5 hours. For more activites on your day trip, consider the following options –
- Baker Lake – About 20 miles / 30 mins drive from Rasar State Park is Baker Lake located near Concrete, which would make for a great addition to your day trip or weekend stay in this area. The beach and day use area near Kulshan campground with views of Mt.Baker is the perfect addition to your summer day trip from Seattle.
- Anacortes – Combine it with a visit to Anacortes attracitons or Rosario beach at Deception Pass State Park.
- Weekend trip – On a weekend getaway from Seattle or Olympia, you could spread our your day trip attracitons (listed above) over 2 days for an easy holiday. Or combine with a trip to North Cascades National Park, which is 1 hour away from Rasar State Park.
- Winter trip – From November through February, Rasar State Park can serve as a good base camp to join the guided nature walks to see the annual migration of bald eagles along the upper portions of the Skagit River.
- Best time to visit – Summer, fall, winter and spring.
Stay
- Rasar State Park Cabins – Our favorite way to explore this area is to book a cabin at Rasar State Park for an overnight stay. The cabins here are equipped with running water and restrooms inside the cabin, which makes this stay easier to manage with kids. Fire pit, outdoor benches and chairs add to the convenience. Wind down by the camp fire, or take kids for bike rides and enjoy the forest around you.
- Tent camping and RV sites – there are sites for RVs and tent camping, which are probably more convenient during summer.
- Other options for accommodation in the area – You maybe able to find accommodation near Concrete (a town on Highway 20) or near Burlington / Mt.Vernon (closer to I-5).
Final Thoughts
Rasar State Park offers campgrounds, cabin stays, ~3 miles of hiking trails, 4000 feet of Skagit river shoreline, fishing, wildlife viewing and birdwatching. It is one of our favorite state parks, maybe due to its proimity to the city or its proximity to the North Cascades National Park wilderness or its location by the Skagit river.
If you want extensive water time, then do the Rasar State Park trail in the summer with a stop at the gorgeous Baker lake. If you are not as keen on water activity, then visit in fall for a quieter mood and gorgeous colors all around.
If you like easy trails, scenic drives and like spending time by the water bodies, then consider these ideas –
- Here’s a collection of other easy and toddler friendly trails around Seattle.
- Middle Fork area with access to Snoqualmie river is nother fun spot for easy trails to the river.
- Many trails and waterfalls along Stevens Pass Highway and Skykomish river access along the way.
- Staiscase Rapids hike ith access to Skokomish river, located in Hood Canal is very popular. More of a day trip from Olympia, suitable for a weekend trip from Seattle.
