Free Guided Hikes
If you like the idea of going on some hikes this summer, but you’re not sure where to go or you don’t have any outdoor-enthusiast friends interested in going with you, a guided group hike may be the perfect way to get some exercise while seeing the Great Outdoors. Pick up any town’s catalogue from the Parks & Recreation Department, and you can find trips, but they’ll usually cost you money. If you’d like an inexpensive way to join a group hike, check out the Washington Trails Association.
The organization hosts several “Wildland Discovery Hikes” each year, where you’ll get a chance to “venture out to explore public lands issues right where they unfold.” And I imagine you’ll get a chance to see some trees and wildlife too. You can find beginner hikes (such as their introduction to backpacking one) and more advanced ventures.
Some of the hikes they’re featuring this summer include the Wenatchee Foothills, Navaho Pass, Anderson and Watson Lakes, and a family hike to Bridal Veil Falls. For more information, visit the Wildland Discovery Hikes page.