The Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust plans to celebrate its 25th anniversary with a multi-day bicycle ride and hikes on July 11 through 19.
The Greenway includes 1.5 million acres from the Seattle area to Ellensburg linked with historic transportation corridors, an impressive number of trails, as well as watersheds, including Puget Sound, Lake Washington, and the Yakima and Cedar rivers. The work of hundreds since 1990 rescued the acreage, which was threatened by the increasing sprawl of suburban subdivisions and commercial developments.
Bikers will explore the forests and trails of the Greenway, bike along the Yakima River, climb the slopes of Rattlesnake Mountain, and travel through 100-year-old former railway tunnels on the John Wayne Pioneer Trail.
Riders will cover 25 to 30 miles a day, or hike July 15 through 19 through the Issaquah Alps from Rattlesnake Lake to Seattle. There are one-day options. The multi-day trips include guides, meals, camping locations, T-shirt, route map and gear transportation. Single-day trips include guides and transportation.
The full trek costs $472 (adults) and $275 (youth). Shorter bike sections cost $250 per person or $350 per hiker. One-day events are $25 a person.
U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell just reintroduced legislation to designate the Mountains to Sound Greenway as a National Heritage Area. For more information, go to www.mtsgreenwa.org.
Celebrate a new trail: The new Rocky Reach Trail near Wenatchee officially opens July 9. It is a 5-mile non-motorized recreation trail that connects the Apple Capital Loop Trail in East Wenatchee to Lincoln Rock State Park.
Failing dikes: There are changes ahead for Leque Island, just west of the Stanwood/Camano Bridge. The dikes are failing. The Department of Fish and Wildlife have a restoration plan that accommodates fish and wildlife while allowing for wildlife viewing. Duck’s Unlimited CK Eidem will talk about the efforts at a Pilchuck Audubon Society (www.pilchuckaudubon.org) meeting at 7 p.m. July 10 at the Stanwood Library, 9701 271st St. NW.
Open for business: The Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center, closed since September for an extensive renovation, has re-opened. The work included renovation and expansion of the visitor center, modifications to the building for wheelchair accessibility and a new roof. Additional work includes improvements to the parking area and access pathways to the visitor center.
The center, built in 1963, is located about 31 miles south of Forks off S.R. 101, on the west side of Olympic National Park. It is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily throughout the summer.
Columnist Sharon Wootton can be reached at 360-468-3964 or www.songandword.com.
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