Skagit County Communities
Skagit County is an area of the Pacific Northwest that still has a small-city atmosphere. There are only six communities in the county with populations over 500 people. They are listed here in decending order.
Mount Vernon is the largest city in Skagit County with 29,390. It is located along the Skagit River where it crosses I-5. Mount Vernon is home to Skagit Valley College and the Skagit County Fairgrounds.
Anacortes is the county's waterfront city located on the Puget Sound on the western border of Skagit County. Anacortes is the region's "gateway to the San Juan Islands" with State Ferry service to both the Islands and Vancouver Island, B.C. The population of Anacortes is 16,400.
Sedro-Woolley is located on SR 20 as it heads east up the Skagit River Valley towards the North Cascades National Park. The North Cascades National Park and Mt. Baker Rangers District have their headquarters in Sedro-Woolley. Sedro-Woolley has a population of 9,945 and is home to the week long 4th of July festival, Loggerodeo.
Burlington is located a few miles to the north of Mount Vernon at the intersection of I-5 and SR 20. Burlington is home to the county's regional mall and has grown to become the retail center for Skagit Valley. Its population is 8,400.
La Conner is a small town of 900 located along the Swinomish Channel. It is a popular tourist destination with many unique shops, museums, and restaurants.
Concrete is the largest of the small towns in the Upper Skagit River Valley. It is a full-service town with a population of about 845. Concrete is the focal point for the annual Bald Eagle Festival.
**Source is Office of Financial Management
The western portion of Skagit County includes miles of ocean waterfront around Anacortes and beautiful Fidalgo Island. Anacortes has much to offer including several marinas, a growing downtown and several annual festivals. Fidalgo Island is connected to the mainland by bridge and provides access to several nearby destinations. The
Washington State Ferry provides regular service from Anacortes to the San Juan Islands and Victoria, British Columbia. A smaller, local ferry takes passengers to nearby Guemes Island. The bridge in Deception Pass State Park at the southern end of Fidalgo Island provides the only roadway connection to beautiful Whidbey Island.
The top of Mt. Erie (right) has a sweeping view of the Fidalgo Island and the nearby San Juan Islands.
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The Northwest Region of Skagit County is mostly rural farmland with a couple small communities. The towns of Bow and Edison are located here at the southern end of Chuckanut Drive. Farms in the area include dairy, fruit and shellfish. Some nice view homes are located on the southern end of Chuckanut Dr. on the hillside of Blanchard Mountain and on nearby Samish Island to the west.
To the left is a photo taken of the valley from the Samish Bay overlook.
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Highway 20 is a scenic route that runs east-west through Skagit County from Anacortes to Marblemount following the Skagit River Valley. East of Marblemount, the North Cascades Highway(SR 20) continues on into the
North Cascades National Park and crosses over Washington Pass at 5,477 feet and Rainy Pass at 4,860 feet. The North Cascades
Pass is only open seasonally due to snow and avalanche danger, usually from around April to late November.
Skagit County offers a wide array of outdoor recreation including fishing, boating, camping, hunting and hiking. The area is also a great place for bird watching with its seasonal populations of geese, swans and raptors that feed in the fields. The Upper Skagit River Valley is known for its large population of bald eagles that congregate to feed on salmon during the winter months. Skagit County's annual
Bald Eagle Festival takes place during February in the towns of Concrete, Rockport and Marblemount.
Created on 03/19/2006 10:27 AM by skagitteam
Updated on 04/05/2008 08:04 PM by skagitteam
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