The new year will start with Washington State Parks offering the first free day of the year for the initial First Day Hikes event.
While taking place statewide, some locations …
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The new year will start with Washington State Parks offering the first free day of the year for the initial First Day Hikes event.
While taking place statewide, some locations will be close to home in Jefferson County, providing family friendly activities.
Visitors won’t need a Discover Pass to park on state recreation lands. Registration is required for some events; some have participation limits. Full descriptions for each hike and event offered can be found at parks.state.wa.us/1231/Northwest-Region-First-Day-Hikes.
Five hikes will offered at Fort Worden.
Selections include the “Back Through the Past Hike,” which will highlight Fort Worden’s history with a park ranger to learn more about the fort’s military history and operations from the late 1890s through the early 20th century.
“Winter Birds and Plants of Fort Worden” will touch on the nature of Fort Worden State Park, and hikers can enjoy beautiful vistas from Fort Worden’s Chinese Gardens areas.
A self-guided tour of Fort Worden’s Bluff Trail will include spectacular views, including the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Admiralty Inlet, Whidbey Island, Mount Baker, and Mount Rainer.
“The Best of Fort Worden” is a self-guided hike on the upcoming free day. It’s a self-paced trek through a forest canopy that winds past several of the historic mortar batteries and main gun line. Hikers can stop at Memory’s Vault, a sculpture garden with columns of poetry. There are rest benches and restroom facilities along the way.
Just for the young, and young at heart, is the “Teddy Bear Botany Hike” at Fort Townsend Historical State Park. The 2- to 3-mile walk on quiet trails among big trees, mosses, and ferns will be interspersed with some aspects of basic forest ecology while introducing the concept and function of the “wood wide web.”
All participants can pick up a free, collectible Washington State Parks 2022 First Day Hikes pin after their excursion.
First Day Hikes is a national initiative led by America’s state parks, encouraging people to get outdoors on New Year’s Day.
