There is still a little time left to enjoy the fall color in and around the Gig Harbor peninsula area. Recently my husband and I checked out two great parks we had never been to. Both are easy to get to, easy walking, great for bird watching, peaceful and quiet and have great fall foliage.
1. Harbor Family Park
It's actually a bit embarrasing to say I hadn't been to this park, because it is within walking distance to my house. But, alas, I just had not found the time to get there until last Saturday. My husband and I tried a new running route, and while passing by the park I said "We gotta check this place out". So, we took a nice walk through the woods before continuing our run. This park is much larger than I thought, over 18 acres. It was very quiet and peaceful and as we walked the slender trails I was sure we would meet up with a bear or a deer around every corner. It really did not feel like I was so close to my home, or to busy 40th & 70th Streets. The trails are a bit rough still, and no services are available here, but there is a small parking area and an abundance of wooded silence. A great place to get lost for an hour or so. Harbor Family Park is one of the many parks managed by PenMetParks. http://www.penmetparks.org/
2. Two Saturday's ago, my husband and I drove across the Purdy Spit and onto Elgin Clifton, where we made a right on 150th AVe KPN to find the Rocky Creek Conservation Area. I had never heard of this park, until we stumbled upon it on line. Rocky Creek Conservation Area is surprisingly large - 224 acres and is managed jointly by Key Pen Parks (http://www.keypenparks.com/) and Pierce County for the public enjoyment of the existing ecosystem. Trails are rough but passable. We spent about an hour and half winding through three different trail routes and never saw another human. We did however see Fir, Hemlock, Alder, Cedar, lots of birds and two creeks. It was a surprise to find this park tucked away and we enjoyed our time there.
3. If you want to stay in the City limits and take a walk, I highly recommend three parks that many locals don't seem to ever use; Grandview Forest Park is a beautiful wooded park on Grandview Drive right next door to the Civic Center, Wilkinson Farm Park on Rosedale is a 17 acre estuary and pioneer farm in the heart of the city (and where this owl photo was taken recently), and Adam Tallman Park on Wollochet just off of Hwy 16 is an easy esturary walk that is flat and offers great bird viewing.
Don't let the clouds keep you indoors, enjoy nature this fall through out the beautiful Gig Harbor and Key Peninsula area.
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