Here's one of the best hikes in the Chuckanut Mountains, just south of Bellingham. It's a steady climb from Arroyo Park on an excellent trail that was once a narrow logging road, through a forest canopy with every shade of green and them some. There are curious rock gardens, some huge overhanging boulders, and yes, the occasional hawk, eagle, or other raptors. The climax is reached at a cliff top with views that include Baker and Rainier on clear days. It's a grand lunch spot, and hard to believe you're only a few miles from a busy city. In many states, this could be national park-quality.