Craftsman Guesthouse/Private/Wooded acreage/Hike, Bike, Ski, Read, Relax

The Guesthouse is set on 2 wooded acres in the Foothills area of Whatcom County, 100 yards from the Middle Fork of the Nooksack River and 20 miles from the Mt. Baker/Snoqualmie National Forest. Fishing or walking the river are options. Eagles are abundant during the winter salmon runs and our area is a favorite location for photographers. We’ve viewed beaver swimming upstream, we’ve had black bear and cougar through the property, and resident deer and eagles. It’s pretty wonderful.

The Guesthouse sleeps 4 comfortably with a downstairs bedroom and upstairs loft. The loft is reached by a steep stairway so please monitor if you have small children. Regrettably, the maximum number of guests, whether adult or child, is 2/bed, 4 total. There is a full kitchen but currently no television or clothes washer/dryer. Verizon Wireless gets good reception but we can’t speak for other providers. High-speed internet, coffee, pancake mix and oatmeal are always provided. Regrettably, no pets.

Situated on a dead end country road, the house is nestled between the Middle Fork of the Nooksack River and the northern flank of the Van Zandt Dike in an area that boasts delightful views and abundant wildlife. Walk the trails and river, watch the eagles, photograph the deer that wander through. It is a quiet space with pleasant country neighbors. While it’s just fine to sit inside and watch the sun go down, a significant number of guests come to either hike the trails, ski the slopes or photograph the eagles. There are several excellent locations for the latter within a very short distance. We’d be glad to help you locate them.

Our guesthouse is a convenient location for a number of noteworthy outdoor events that occur in our county over the course of the year. In February, the Mt. Baker Ski Area–which holds the record for the greatest seasonal snowfall in a single year–hosts the Legendary Banked Slalom, a 3-day event that has made Mt. Baker famous. We are 40 miles from the ski area, an hour-long drive that is staggering in its beauty.

Winter transitions to spring in late May with the incomparable Ski to Sea Race, a multi-sport event that draws international competitors, hundreds of participants and exploits the full range of our area’s recreational offerings: skiing and snowboarding, canoeing, kayaking, running and biking. It all culminates in Fairhaven and is a signature event unlike anything else. We hosted a team this year for the first time!

And, in June, the metropolis of Deming hosts the Deming Logging Show, another iconic event that dazzles the crowds whether or not you’ve ever fired up a chain saw. You’ll find the logging show grounds just 10 miles west, in the opposite direction from Mt. Baker.

Later in the month the Baker Blast, at the Northwest Soccer Park, holds forth and draws hundreds of youth from both the northwest states and from Canada. The soccer fields are another 10 miles beyond the logging show grounds.

Snuggled in between these unique events is the ongoing charm and beauty of our area. Our road alone features a number of trails through both undeveloped DNR land and land held in trust by the Whatcom Land Trust. A rather spectacular seasonal display of Chum salmon can be witnessed in early winter by lucky visitors if your timing is good.

Other nearby destinations lie only slightly further afield and include the idyllic Silver Lake Park, the charming little towns of Maple Falls and Glacier and, of course, the incomparable Mt. Baker National Forest with its abundant year-round recreational offerings: downhill and Nordic skiing, snowshoeing and sledding in winter and vast hiking trails and biking opportunities in the spring, summer and fall.

And, as board members of the Friends of the Deming Library, we would be remiss if we failed to mention the location–a mere 5 miles away–of one of the most extraordinary country libraries in the state. The community built it and owns it and it boasts a delightful children’s area, current technology, gracious librarians and 6-day-a-week access. It is directly across from the Nooksack Casino in beautiful downtown Deming.

Getting around

The growth of the Bellingham International Airport now means that direct flights to Bellingham are often a reality. Otherwise the airport connects easily with the Seattle International Airport. Our airport, which is just north of the city of Bellingham, is 50 miles south of Vancouver BC and 90 miles north of Seattle.

We are 23 miles due east of the airport. It’s a pretty straight shot on roads that are well maintained and offer 55 mph speed limits. Our little country road is also well maintained as well, although you’ll have to slow down a bit as you travel down it to reach our guesthouse. Always watch for deer.

In summary, although we are nestled into a fairly secluded area of the county we are easy to access year-round. In fact, the drive to reach us, particularly if you come up the South Fork Valley, is worth the time it takes: rivers, mountains and glaciers are visible from nearly all routes…unless you’re driving at night, of course.

While there is a Whatcom Transit bus stop at the head of the road (3 miles away), you are really pretty limited in your choices. You’ll need a car. And please be aware: while we have a fairly strict cancellation policy, we will bank any lost funds for a future return so if you re-book in the future they will be applied.