Name: Lily Lizard Trail
Rating: 3.0

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The Blanchard Hill Area is a multi-use trail network near the Chuckanut Recreation Area. Expect traffic in both directions and yield to hikers and equestrian riders. Dogs must be on-leash unless otherwise designated. The area is maintained by WA DNR and a Discover Pass is required for every vehicle that enters the boundary.

Description

The Lily Lizard Trail is a minimally technical climb and straightforward descent on the way back down.

Frequented more by hikers and equestrian users, the trail still makes for a fun ride. But, it's most commonly ridden during wetter times because the trail drains well and traffic is diminished.

The trail starts off the road, south of the Upper Blanchard Hill Parking Lot. The first half mile is quite gradual and smooth; it's also lined by frequent rock culverts along the trail for drainage. As you climb up, the trail gets steeper and there are more short, technical spots to get you out of the saddle or even cause you to dismount. The climb feels pretty steady, so take it casual and make sure to enjoy the open forest on the lower half of the trail.

At 1.5 miles, there is a gentle creek crossing that pretty much disappears in the summer months. Settle in because the next section is one of the steeper stretches, but it will slack off after the 2-mile mark near a suspended bridge tucked into a small clearing. From there, you'll actually lose a little elevation for a bit before making one final climb through winding turns to the intersection with Lily Lake Trail and Lizard Lake Trail. Head left onto Lily Lake Trail if you're riding as a lollipop route.

On the way down, all that earned elevation melts away into fast rolling bumps and rollers. This straightforward descent can be a lot of fun. The tech sections go by quick and you're left with playful bobs and weaves.The real challenge is keeping your speed in check to not overcook sections, and to ensure you're giving plenty of space to other trail users as there are many sections with limited visibility and not a lot of extra room on the trail.