Canyon Lake
Location: Canyon Lake Road, Deming
Size: 2,260 acres
Public Access: Yes
Easement granted: November 1998
Easement type: Conservation
Grantees: Whatcom Land Trust
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This park protects one of the oldest stands of native forest in the Pacific Northwest. Some of these trees have escaped fire and other natural disturbances to survive more than 1000 years.
In 1993, the Whatcom Land Trust identified the Canyon Lake property as a top conservation priority. It was acquired through the efforts of a public/private partnership and generous financial support from The Paul Allen Forest Protection Foundation, the Whatcom County Conservation Futures Fund, Crown Pacific Corporation, the Flintridge Foundation, the Panaphil Foundation and several anonymous donors.
The Community Forest is owned by Whatcom County and Western Washington University. The Whatcom Land Trust holds the conservation easement as an added safeguard to ensure the long term protection of the land’s ecological systems.
The 700 acres of old growth forest enfolds the southeastern half of the property. Dominant species include mountain hemlock, Pacific silver fir and yellow cedar. A 4.5- mile trail over abandoned logging roads and through the old growth forests provides views of Mount Baker and the Twin Sisters. A two-mile loop trail offers excellent views of a 45-acre lake.
Highest point of the property is 4954 feet in the northeast corner, sloping to a low point of 2313 feet at the outflow of the lake, near the trailhead parking lot. The surrounding slopes are formed from Chuckanut formation sandstone and mudstone. Canyon Lake is thought to have been formed when a magnitude 7.1 to 7.4 earthquake in 1872 caused a landslide that dammed Canyon Creek.
Ownership of the property has changed many times between the 1930 and the 1990, and much of it was logged between the 1950 and 1990. These timber harvests have resulted in thick stands of often homogenous stands of Douglas Fir, Western hemlock, red cedar, yellow cedar and Pacific silver fir. All logging roads were abandoned in 200, and they have filled in with red alder, slide alder, willow and cottonwood.
The varied tree ages and riparian areas provide exceptional habitat for different species, for example, marbled murrelets, spotted owls, red tree voles and bats, as well as fish and larger mammals.
Currently, Western’s Huxley College of the Environment uses the Community Forest for scientific study and teaching. As a county park, the property draws about 6000 visitors a year.