10 Trip Reporters who are Hiking Smart

Since some public lands have reopened, hikers have ventured out further, and we've enjoyed seeing trip reports from those outings. Your information helps us know what conditions are like — especially since some trails haven't had visitors for awhile.

Thanks to all the trip reporters who got out and stayed safe, keeping their distance from other folks, even if it meant going with their Plan B or C trail to find a less-crowded option.

Room to roam

Flowers are blooming at Joe Watt Canyon. Photo by Greymstreet.

• Hike safely
• Hiking in the time of coronavirus
• FAQ: What hikers need to know as public lands reopen

Greymstreet found plenty of room and sunny weather on a trip to Robinson Canyon-Ainsley Canyon near Ellensburg. They make note that, while it was easy to keep space from other folks, you do need to open a gate to access the hike. (A good reason to pack hand sanitizer.)

Then, with more time left for wandering, they headed over to Joe Watt Canyon. They found some lovely wildflowers and then headed back home before the rain arrived.

Something new

Swakane Canyon offers plenty of views, with wildflowers as a bonus right now. Photo by Merritt.

After many, many neighborhood hikes, Merritt was excited to try something new. So, they searched the Hiking Guide for Discover Pass hikes that would work for a day trip and found Swakane Canyon. It turned out to be a gorgeous wildflower hike and they only saw one other person all day. 

Staying local

Clark's Creek Park Loop offers a chance for close-in hiking. Photo by johndinh.

Urbanized.Hippie opted to stay close to home for the weekend and avoid the chance of crowds. They took a 5-mile trek on the Clark's Creek Park Loop, where they had plenty of space to themselves.  

Awwwww

Wafflesnfalafel found these floofs on a close-in walk. Photo by Wafflesnfalafel. 

Wafflesnfalafel also stuck close to the city — and he found a lot of nature. He explored Union Bay Nature Area and Foster and Marsh Island Loop and saw eagles, heron, some fascinating carp and adorable ducklings.

Flora and fauna

On one of her weekend trips, hikingwithlittledogs found a lot of greens and also saw some great wildlife and wildflowers. Photo by hikingwithlittledogs. 

Regular trip reporter hikingwithlittledogs used the Hiking Guide to find a trip to get outside. She enjoyed a lot of great bird watching at Barnum Point, including seeing 21 bald eagles! And they next day, she was out again at Rockport State Park, where they found every possible shade of green — along with some small, sweet flowers. 

Second try

Dosewallips State Park is open for hiking again after being closed. Photo by Bob and Barb.

After finding their first choice for a hike was closed, Crazy4Birds headed over to Dosewallips State Park, which is open. They enjoyed a nice loop trip and didn’t see anyone else out on the trails.

They had planned to head down to the beach, but saw that a tribal clam harvest was going on, and the parking lot looked full, so they skipped the beach to avoid putting anyone at risk. 

Quite a trek

If you want to get in a lot of miles, the Olympic Discovery Trail is a great option. Photo by bentley-edelman. 

Bentley-edelman made the most of a trip to the Olympic Discovery Trail near Sequim. After many weeks of sticking to neighborhood walks, they were excited to get in some miles. And they sure did! They estimate that they covered about 20 miles in one day.

Haiku hike

California Girl headed for a quieter trailhead before heading out for a trip at Riverside State Park.

After finding the first trailhead she stopped at too busy, California Girl headed to the quieter Pine Bluff Trailhead for a hike at Riverside State Park. The wildflowers were blooming and it felt so good to be outside, she wrote a haiku:
Hiking feels so good
Return to old friends under
Blue skies, puffy clouds

My backyard

Hummingbirds can bring a beautiful pop of color to your yard. Photo by Lazy Boots.

While Lazy Boots is getting a bit tired of walking on asphalt, they're not at all tired of the beauty in their own yard. That's included a lot of blooming flowers and some gorgeous hummingbirds. 

My neighborhood

You don't have to go far to find some greenery and great exercise. Photo by Nourishedjourneys.

For their daughter's birthday, Nourishedjourneys kept things very close to home by wandering the trails they could reach right in their own neighborhood. They ended up covering about 4 miles.