A community that supports local farmers
Bow homeowners enjoy quiet countryside living, as much of the neighborhood is farmland. “We take pride in the produce from local farmers,” says Shalyce Pocock, Bow resident and broker with John L. Scoff Real Estate. “You can buy eggs on Chuckanut Drive and Sakuma Berry Farm serves the best strawberry shortcake.” Residents can also take a quick drive into Edison for local restaurants and connect to the wider Skagit Valley region thanks to Bow’s proximity to Interstate 5.
Sylvan paths and creeks
Forested parks require a drive outside of the neighborhood. North toward Alger is Squires Lake Park, where hikers and bikers can explore the Squires Lake Loop Trail, which encircles the lake. Donovan Park is home to a playground and tree-lined Friday Creek. The creek also is accessible from Pomona Grange Park, along with a covered picnic pavilion. Bow is not far from the Padilla Bay coastline, accessible via Bay View State Park.
A selection of specialty food shops
Specialty food stores in Bow include Farm to Market Bakery, known for their pecan sticky rolls. Samish Bay Cheese, a locally owned and operated shop, offers certified organic cheese and products like beef, honey and cider. At Bow Hill Blueberries, a farm since 1947, folks can pick USDA certified organic berries off the bush, or shop in the farm store for blueberry juice and dried blueberries.
Bow is the rural counterpart to the neighboring community of Edison, which contains well-loved restaurants like Breadfarm. “They make their own homemade bread every day, it is phenomenal,” Pocock says. “It’s definitely a highlight. People travel here.” This highly rated bakery serves freshly baked bread, pastries and cookies via a drive-through window for efficient curbside pickups. For major grocery shopping, Food Pavilion is about 10 miles southeast.
Cultivating a home
Bow is not a neighborhood comprised of cul-de-sacs and cookie cutter homes; instead, individual homes are spaced out along quiet roads with no sidewalks. The flat terrain means residents have unobstructed views of the blue sky and green farmland. Homeowners have plenty of space for themselves, whether they want to use the land to grow fruit trees or maintain a big, grassy yard. Prices are around $485,000 for a three-bedroom farmhouse. Between 2020 and 2024, estimated home values have almost doubled in Bow. Land for sale is typically in the $255,000 to $300,000 range.
Schools just outside the neighborhood
Edison Elementary School, rated C-plus on Niche, teaches kindergarten through Grade 8. Burlington-Edison High School, rated B-minus, offers a U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps program that teaches maritime history, global trade and oceanography.
Proximity to Interstate 5
Bow is not walkable; it is car-dependent. The nearest hospital, PeaceHealth United General Medical Center, is about 10 miles southeast. Bellingham International Airport is about 25 miles north up Interstate 5. Chuckanut Drive, also known as Route 11, runs along the western edge of the neighborhood, following the coastline to the north and intersecting with Interstate 5 south at Chuckanut Junction.
Flood preparedness
Homes and roads are at risk of flooding, particularly in the northwest region of Bow. Additionally, a few miles south of Bow, the Samish River flooded due to heavy rainfalls in November of 2021. This resulted in backyards with waist-deep water and the temporary closure of Chuckanut Road. Skagit County recommends signing up for CodeRed Alerts, which notifies locals to all types of emergencies in the community. Having a flood kit containing water, cash and hygiene supplies is another good practice for flood preparedness.
