Tour Overview

From the fertile lowlands of the rich farming country on the Skagit River Delta, this route leads to the shores of Fidalgo and Whidbey Islands, indented by many inlets. Fantastic carvings of the rocky banks, through the long assault of sea and weather, give these coves an air of austere mystery, and rumor in times past has dubbed them smugglers’ retreats. Back from the shores, the gently rolling slopes of Whidbey Island are marked by patches of woodland, fields of waving grain, and fruitful orchards. A favorable combination of soil and climate has given Whidbey, second largest island in the United States, the reputation of being the garden spot among the islands of Puget Sound. The rich soil, known to agronomists as Ebey Sandy Loam, is said to be unique among soils. In 1894 a wheat yield of 117.5 bushels per acre established a world’s record that still stands. Along the route tall silos and barns, hangar-like in their proportions, attest to the productivity of Whidbey’s agriculture. Bulb raising, seed growing, and berry culture are important branches of farming; but poultry raising and dairying supply more than half of the island’s economic structure.

• Agriculture
• Architecture
• Maritime
• Natural Setting
• Scenic Byway