Touching grass: outdoor recommendations for students
Spring brings warmer temperatures, and students should take advantage of the outdoor opportunities provided to them from living in the Pacific Northwest.
By Michaela Ely
Spring has sprung and with the recent increase in sunshine and the appearance of warmer temperatures, it’s time to start getting outside and increasing our vitamin D levels. Washington provides access to so many outdoor opportunities between the ocean, the mountains and everything in between. Tacoma has the best of everything with quick access to the water and Mount Rainier National Park being less than two hours away.
The Tacoma Nature Center, operated by Parks Tacoma, opened in 1979 and includes a variety of easy trails including the Snake Lake Loop Trail. The entire park is 71 acres and is home to more than 20 mammal species and more than 100 bird species. The park is also home to Snake Lake, a serpentine-shaped lake surrounded by wetlands.
Point Defiance Park also provides a variety of outdoor activities including hiking, kayaking and wildlife viewing opportunities. The park is home to the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium but also is home to native wildlife around the park. There are also several gardens and outdoor opportunities as highlighted by a previous article by The Ledger.
The Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge in Olympia contains a variety of different habitats and is located where the Nisqually River flows into the Puget Sound. The refuge is named for Billy Frank Jr., a member of the Nisqually Tribe who led a movement to secure fishing rights for the Nisqually Tribe in the 1960s and 1970s. His efforts, along with other organizers, eventually resulted in the Boldt decision which affirmed tribal fishing rights in Washington state. The refuge includes trails for hiking and several places to view wildlife. The daily entrance fee is $3.
Wright Park, located in the Stadium District of Tacoma, is a great place for those who enjoy shorter walks outdoors. The park is 27 acres and an arboretum, home to over 600 trees. The W.W. Seymour Conservatory is also located in Wright Park, which is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Mount Rainier National Park also has several opportunities for outdoor recreation, however, the Nisqually entrance provides the most access points within the park with easy access to Reflection Lakes and Paradise. The Sunrise portion of the park is usually closed until late June or early July due to snowfall. The Paradise portion of the park provides access to several popular trails, including the Skyline trail.
Olympic National Park is an incredibly diverse national park with a variety of ecosystems including the coast, a rainforest and mountains. While there are several hikes within the park, it also provides opportunities for paddle boarding on Lake Crescent, Lake Ozette and Lake Quinault. Some of the most popular trails in the park include the Hall of Mosses in the Hoh Rainforest, Hurricane Hill to Hurricane Ridge and Ruby Beach.
Getting outside is a great way to reset for spring and living in Washington provides residents with the opportunity to get outdoors in a variety of ways, whether you prefer hiking, mountain biking, paddle boarding or something else.
