Not Any Forest Will Do

A review of Sehome Hill

What makes a place special? Is it the how useful it is? Is it how beautiful the scenery is? Maybe a bit of both.

With many entrances, exits, and turnarounds, it is easy to get lost the first time in there. I certainly did. The “Arb,” as the Western students call it, lies on the eastern border of Western Washington University’s Campus, located in Bellingham, Wa. Nestled between Western, and a fairly busy residential area, this gem hides in plain sight. The place is popular with the locals, but contains enough nooks and crannies to satisfy even the most dedicated isolationist if needed. I had heard about how lovely the “Arb” is, and with my hiking boots tied tight, and my backpack filled with books,I hit the road.

My trek began at the first entrance I could find. This one happened to be at the back of a spare parking lot on campus. It is incredible how quickly the scenery changes when entering the woods. The growth is dense, and when one enters it quickly consumes your view. As the trail leads upward, and away from campus, more buzzing and chirping from forest dwellers can be heard around you. At about ten o’clock A.M. the sun is just coming over Sehome hill, cutting through the trees and filling the forest with a pleasant light. The ferns and bushes come alive in a spectacular way.
As the hike progressed, with no real direction but up, I came across a paved intersection. It lead several ways. The parking lot one way, a tunnel another, and finally a watchtower, in the opposite direction. I chose to explore the watchtower route. I was not disappointed. Within a few minutes I had reached the tower. Although much of the view from the top remains covered by canopy, one can clearly see Mt. Baker in the distance standing on the right. When I look left, over the university, I see the bay, where the sun sets each night. Watching the sunset from up here must be amazing, I thought.
A friendly old man who walked his dogs up to the top of the tower moments after my arrival points out the visible landmarks to me because I tell him that I’m new to the area. In addition, he shares his favorite bike rides and We part ways when I leave the tower. I can’t help but noticing that all the people I have met in the Arb have been very friendly, and happy to share the space. I started to head south from the watchtower, which is almost the northernmost point staying at the top of the hill until eventually meandering down to the forest floor on a leisurely trail. There is a multitude of cool things to find. During the hike through the forest I saw many little treasures left by other people. From the log with the word “Hi” carved into it, to the murals painted on a concrete wall. The whole place is a museum about those who come here. Unfortunately, not everyone who comes here respects it.
I realized this when I stumbled across a few crumpled beer cans littered around the more popular trails. I began to get peckish, so I took a break at some conveniently placed benches about halfway down the hill from the top. While I was there I ate my breakfast and sat to observe the forest. Plenty of critters around, but mostly what I see is a ton of spiders, perched on their webs. The spiders stay on their webs, and keep the number of bugs, especially mosquitos, down to a minimal. The lack of gnats, flies, and mosquitos lead to me staying at the benches longer than I normally would. After my breakfast bar I remembered that I had some spanish reading that had to get done. As I read my book and listened to music, I was undisturbed except for the dogs that ran past me down the trail, followed by their owner. Not bad at all. I was able to focus, undisturbed for the longest time before heading back home. Studying in my dorm room tends to not work out, because I distract myself with all sorts of things. Here, In the outdoors, I tend to focus much better.

I realize that the best part about the Arboretum, for someone like me, is that it can cater to whatever need I have. The forest is for us all to do what we want with, which in my case, is pretty diverse. Cramming for tests, hiking for exercise, even lounging in a hammock all day long is perfectly within reason.