Submitted by ForeverGreen Trails.
ForeverGreen Trails is pleased to announce the 6th annual Pierce County Trails Day on Saturday, July 30, a countywide celebration of outdoor active recreation, mobility, and stewardship focused on trails of all types.
“In cooperation and coordination with various agencies and organizations, we have planned free events across Pierce County, including bicycle rides, interpretive and wildlife viewing, walks, runs, family-friendly guided tours, trail maintenance, and even skateboarding,” said Larry Leveen, executive director of ForeverGreen Trails.
Most activities are hosted by a leader, though many are self-guided, allowing people to enjoy them whenever they want, not just on Trails Day itself.
Pierce Transit and Pierce County Councilmember Jani Hitchen of District 6 have partnered with ForeverGreen Trails to break down barriers to accessing parks and trails. On Trails Day, rides on Pierce Transit buses, SHUTTLE paratransit, and Runner on-demand transportation will be fare-free, with the goal of helping people more easily access Trails Day events, or their local trails or parks.
“I began talking with ForeverGreen Trails, our Parks Department and Pierce Transit months ago about reducing barriers to access our fantastic green spaces in Pierce County,” said Councilmember Hitchen. “This is an opportunity to provide anyone in the Pierce Transit area a free ride to many of our green spaces. Getting outside and trying new things is important to our physical and mental health.”
Pierce Trips is highlighting transit connections this Trails Day, with a photo contest for those who take the bus to a Trails Day activity or to access active recreation in a park or trail on their own. Participants posting photos of their journey to Facebook or Twitter with the hashtags #transit2trails and #trailsday and tag @PierceTrips will be entered in a prize drawing.
“Trails represent some of the most affordable ways for people of all ages, abilities, and income levels to lead healthy, active lifestyles,” Leveen added. “Trails Day helps give everyone a reason to go outside and get some exercise or help care for our natural areas and parks and trails. It’s easy. Just find an activity that looks interesting and show up — the rest is taken care of for you.”
Below is a snapshot of some Trails Day activities to look forward to:
- Bonney Lake: MTB Park Dig Day with Pierce County Evergreen (Evergreen MTB Alliance)
- Downtown Tacoma: Coffee Pipeline Bike Ride with Tacoma WA Bicycle Club & Campfire Coffee
- Downtown Tacoma: GirlTrek Wright Park Walk & Talk
- DuPont: Random Acts of Findness – Toy Duck & Boat Hunt on the Sequalitchew Creek Trail
- East Tacoma: Alderwood Park Habitat Restoration with Metro Parks Tacoma
- East Tacoma: Swan Creek Habitat Restoration with Metro Parks Tacoma
- East Puyallup: Black Girls Run! The Foothills Trail 5k/10k/14k
Fife: FedEx Trail Stewardship - Gig Harbor: Cascade Bicycle Club Early Free Bike Ride & Later Free Bike Ride
- Key Peninsula: 360 Trails Volunteer Work Party with Key Pen Parks
Key Peninsula: Penrose Park Native Plant Hike with WA Native Plant Society - Lakewood: Trail Walk with Friends of Waughop Lake & Chambers Clover Creek Watershed Council
- North Tacoma: Family-Friendly Hike in Point Defiance with Being the Village
- North Tacoma: Trails Day with Washington Trails Association in Point Defiance
- Northeast Tacoma: Dash Point State Park Trail Work with Evergreen MTB Alliance & REI
- Old Town: Walking Tour of Tacoma’s First Main Street with Job Carr Cabin Museum
- Puyallup: Cascade Bicycle Club Free Bike Ride
- Puyallup: Puyallup Loop Trail Habitat Clean-up with Pierce Conservation District
- Summit-Waller: Orangegate Park Stewardship, Celebration, and Trail Walk with Summit Waller Community Association and Pierce County Parks
- University Place: Chambers Creek Trail Discovery Hike with Chambers Creek Foundation
- West Tacoma: Alchemy Skateboarding’s Push Across the Narrows
- West Tacoma: Cascade Bicycle Club Shorter Free Bike Ride & Longer Free Bike Ride
Details about all of the Trails Day activities, transit-to-trails resources, and the photo contest can be found on ForeverGreen’s website atforevergreentrails.org/pierce-county-trails-day.
How to get to trails
Pierce Transit buses can take trail enthusiasts to within a quarter mile or closer of many popular trails in Pierce County. Below are some ways to plan your trip.
- ForeverGreen Trails offers a Regional Trail Map featuring Pierce County Trails Day activity locations, bus routes and stops.
- Visit the Pierce Transit Trails & Transit webpage or use the Pierce Transit Trip Planner tool.
- Plan your trip by using Pierce Trips.
- Check out Pierce County’s Park Finder map to find parks and trails in your community.
About ForeverGreen Trails
ForeverGreen Trails is a 501(c)3 nonprofit membership organization based in Tacoma, WA, and is the leading voice for trails in Pierce County. Created in 2000 by a group of community stakeholders, the organization supports a system of trails throughout our region via education, advocacy, promotion, collaboration, and stewardship.
