In July of 2018, the City of Bellingham acquired two easements for a property on Galbraith Mountain. The easements cover 2,182 acres, which adjoins 4,250 acres of public land managed by Whatcom County. Runners, hikers, bikers, and horse riders can now weave through the mountainside to experience a diverse trail system with spectacular views of Mount Baker, the Twin Sisters, Bellingham Bay, and the city. The City of Bellingham entered into a contract with Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition (WMBC) to manage the nationally recognized mountain biking trail network on the mountain. For trail information, events, and volunteer opportunities at Galbraith Mountain visit the WMBC website.
What do the easements do?
Galbraith Tree Farm, LLC (GTF) is the commercial logging company that owns a 2,182-acre property on Galbraith Mountain. The City acquired two easements from GTF in 2018 – a recreational use easement and a conservation use easement. The easements apply to all of GTF’s property on Galbraith Mountain – not just the trails – and they apply forever. The City holds the recreational use easement, and the City and Whatcom Land Trust jointly hold the conservation easement. The recreational use easement gives the City the right to manage recreational use on the property, which includes, but is not limited to, walking, running, hiking, biking, horse riding, and generally enjoying nature. The conservation easement ensures the property remains undivided, allows for only timber production and recreational activities, and prohibits building structures or installing utility infrastructure on the property. For more information, please read the recreational use easement and the conservation easement.
Why can the property be closed to public access?
Both the recreational use easement and the conservation easement “protect, preserve and promote GTF’s Commercial Forest Practices within the property.” The term “commercial forest practices” is defined in RCW 76.09.20 as activity conducted on forestland “relating to growing, harvesting, or processing timber.” This means GTF can cut down trees, plant trees, apply herbicide, manage wildlife, and do other logging-related work. The easements allow GTF to close any part of the property to perform this work. While GTF can decide when to close the property to public access, the City can provide input on the duration of the closure and the size of the closed area. Historically, the property has been open to the public about 360 days per year.
Amenities
- Trails
- Parking at Birch Street trailhead (north side) or in parking lot off Samish Road across from Galbraith Lane or at Lake Padden Park (south side)
Hours
Dawn to dusk – daily
