Trip Report
Day Hike - Point Defiance Park
Blue bird sky, chilly February air, hair ice, adult bald eagles were a few of our favorite things as we shared the Blue Loop at Tacoma's most awesome urban park on our Welcome to Hiking hike today.
Diann Sheldon
- Tue, Feb 11, 2025
- Day Hike - Point Defiance Park
- Point Defiance Park
- Day Hiking
- Successful
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- Road suitable for all vehicles
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We were prepared for muddy pathways but found the ground was still frozen at 11am! The trails were in great shape and have been cleared of recent blowdown.
The Tacoma Hiking and Backpacking Committee has been enjoying offering easier hikes to encourage new hikers and help others stay connected outside during the winter months. We call these hikes, "Welcome to Hiking". Lisa McPeak proposed this great idea a few years ago and it was a huge success.
We had 5 hikers with two leaders today and everyone agreed that this trail system is a Tacoma gem. This was a new hike for several of hikers and it was fun to see their delight as we enjoyed the trees, mountain views and the beautiful blue waters of the Salish Sea. We were gifted by the presence of many adult bald eagles and nature's magic with the presence of hair ice! Hair ice is a beautiful benefit of these cold February mornings! Found on deciduous sticks and created by the moisture content in the wood. The moisture is slowly pulled out during the morning chill and delicate "strings" are created. It was a delight sharing this with our hikers, many of whom saw this for their first time.
Majestic adult Bald Eagle ~ photo by Rick Little
Magical hair ice ~ photo by Diann Sheldon
If you haven't hiked the trails at Point Defiance, we highly recommend you find your way here any time of the year!
Salish Sea, Gig Harbor and the Olympic Mountain Range ~ photo by Diann Sheldon