Arthur G. Rempel Nature Trail

The Arthur G. Rempel Nature Trail is a small series of trails inside the Fort Walla Walla Natural Area. The trail is easily accessible from Walla Walla and College Place, providing a great respite from the city and a close-in opportunity for birdwatching.

From the gravel parking lot, head north to begin your journey and find a map of the trail system.

Take the first left to head down the Stairway Trail. To form the biggest loop, keep left at your first junction and continue onto the narrow, grassy Perimeter Trail, or cut straight through the middle along the Inside Trail to shorten your trip and stick within the trees.

Along the Perimeter Trail, the views open up to a large meadow filled with birdsong. The road is not far behind, but the birds do a fine job of drowning out some of the noise from passing cars. Follow the faint trail as it wraps around the east end of the Natural Area and meets up with the Salamander Springs Trail. The Salamander Springs Trail will lead you through tunnels of trees and past small wetlands, connecting with the Turkey and Blackberry Trails before ultimately rejoining with the larger Perimeter Trail.

As you head back to the trailhead along the perimeter, make sure to stick to the established trail — the path runs along the edge of a model aircraft flying field (keep an eye out for flying objects overhead!)

Save some time after your loop to explore the rest of Fort Walla Walla's amenities. Just across from the trailhead is the Fort Walla Walla Museum, open Wednesday through Monday. At the end of the parking lot near the abandoned fort is a short, paved planetary walk, and an 18-hole disc golf course spans the fields below.