Summer 2025 was a busy one for Skagit Land Trust’s Kulshan Creek Neighborhood Youth Program! Local youth and their families biked the Kulshan Trail to downtown Mount Vernon during the Tulip Festival, paddled Glacier Peak Institute canoes across Heart Lake (below), set sail with the Salish Sea School on a naturalist-led boat trip (right), and spent the night immersed in nature at North Cascades Institute’s Mountain School.

Through these field trips, SLT staff worked to build safe spaces for participants to step outside of their comfort zones and connect with nature in new ways.

While canoeing at Heart Lake, some children seemed hesitant -- they had not been in a canoe before and were unsure about joining the adventure. Several kids felt the same way as they embarked on the ‘big canoe’ at Mountain School. However, our staff and program partners were able to support participants as they braved these new experiences.

Above: Kulshan program participants pose for a photo at Mountain School.

These trips offer more than just an adventure -- they also help youth deepen their sense of place in the Skagit, encouraging a connection to local ecosystems, landscapes, and one another. Through shared experiences outdoors, the Kulshan Creek Neighborhood Youth Program supports the next generation in becoming adults who care for the places where they live.