Secluded Sunning and Skinny Dipping Beach just east of Goldbar
I discovered this little gem of a beach out of curiousity for the number of cars I had seen pulled off the highway in a location that seemed to head nowhere by the BN tracks right next to the highway. The pullout is a large unpaved parking area for a dozen or so cars. It is on the north of the highway (off the westbound lanes just after the passing lanes start). Coming from Goldbar it is at the end of the straight section of double lanes after passing Zekes Drivein.After crossing the railway tracks you'll find an obvious trail heading downhill and into the trees. It is quite steep at first but soon evens out to a gentler descent to a bluff overlooking the Skykomish River. A set of cut steps onto the bluff lead you the last fifty feet down to the beach.
The Skykomish River at this point is wide and gentler . . . almost lazy if it weren't for the deceptive nature of the current out there. But near the beach the water is clear and inviting. There is lots of clean sand to lounge about on and plenty of secluded spots creating by massive river boulders hiding you from view of the nearby bluff-top houses to the east.
When I arrived there there was another couple sunning nude beyond one of the house-size boulders. But there are plenty of other spaces to claim as your own private beach . . . at least for the afternoon. Whether nudity is traditional and tolerated, I don't know. But for the moment, I took advantage of the situation.
Kayakers and river rafters usually don't go down this far because of the rapids half a mile up where the tracks cross the river. I would say this beach has potential for skinny dipping.
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