Did you see 25 tired and hungry hikers in the village Sept. 7?  On a two-day trek from the ferry landing all the way south to a point near Iceberg Monument, the intrepid group was making a pit stop at the Farmers’ Market for food and drink.

Their goal:  walk the entire length of Lopez and stay off roads.  There were challenges. They had to cross both private and public lands.  With the support of 27 private property owners and 5 public agencies, the hikers covered almost 16 miles north to south in two days.

“We were able to walk 85 percent of the time off the roads”, said Charlie Janeway, treasurer of LCTN, a Walkabout veteran.

The September pilot hike was a test intended to see if it could be done and to explore the issues and possibilities for walking Lopez.

They began at the Ferry Landing and walked up Penny Lane above the headland. From this northernmost point on Lopez, they proceeded south onto both private and public lands, walking through Odlin Park and Odlin South, using an LCTN built trail by the Labyrinth, over Preservation Trust land, then through Lopez Vineyards into the valley on an OPALCO easement.  After their respite at the Farmers’ Market, the hikers headed south paralleling Center Road on private driveways and trails, encountering beautiful trees, fields and a spectacular view. Crossing another Preservation Trust parcel they emerged on Dill Road and ended the first day at the school having walked five and a half hours and about nine miles.

The second day they climbed southeast up Lopez Hill where they picked up Lopez Sound Road (hardly a road at that point), then backtracked southwest to use another OPALCO easement to Cousins Road. A third OPALCO easement led to another driveway, then across a private trail (LCTN spruced this one up for the owner), out to Mud Bay Road using yet another OPALCO easement and onto the Public Works property.  They continued down Mackaye Harbor Road along the water to a drive that took them back into the woods wending behind Agate Beach Park. After four and a half hours and 7 miles, turning onto the Reeves driveway the group was greeted by a huge sign saying “Almost There” on a table festooned with a large bowl of oranges, chocolates and several bottles of sparkling wine.  A fitting finish, a welcome repast and a most hospitable welcome as the hikers celebrated the rest of the day at a potluck with the Reeves.

The LCTN group dedicates their efforts to “non-motorized transportation” on Lopez. They have built several trails already: one along an old landfill site, a second to the north of Odlin Park, and a third in the village where  another is planned. They envision a network of trails and paths connecting residents and guests to parks, the village, the school… everywhere. The hikers are eager to hear from locals and welcome a lively conversation about how to achieve their dream. To comment or learn more, go to their website: LopezTrails.org.