With shorter days and a crispness in the air, its time for an autumn adventure! For corn mazes & freshly harvested farm goods, cooler hikes & wildlife viewing, plus the scenic drive through some changing colors, we take you down to the Volcanoes Region of Washington State this month! What is your favorite fall activity to enjoy?
The Huntting’s Pumpkin Patch and Haunted Forest has been preparing all season to present the best in fall fun. The corn maze has a creative new design each year, will you be able to navigate your way through? There’s also an opportunity to do the corn maze after dusk with flashlights before heading over to the creepy Haunted Forest! There is a $100 bill for the competitive folks for anyone who hits the bullseye at the Goblin Egg Sling-Shot. After a day of hunting pumpkins, why not make a night of it and stay at the Hidden House in the trees? Your visit to Huntting’s is sure to leave the whole family with lasting fall memories.
For a drive through some gorgeous fall color, this is a wonderful opportunity to explore the West Side Loop of White Pass Scenic Byway. Meandering through unique mountain communities, the entire route is usually open from May through the end of October. Be sure to leave plenty of time for stops! The Logger’s Memorial and Train Depot in Morton show much of the region’s unique and long history. Traveling north along SR 7 gives spectacular views of Mount Rainier over the 277-acre Mineral Lake. Many come great distances to fish, swim, and boat these beautiful waters. Traveling through the Nisqually, Mount Rainier National Park, and Big Bottom Valley will present many chances for the fall colors you crave. Don’t forget the camera!
Exploring the trails in the region may also afford you the fortune of seeing some of the area’s wildlife and migratory populations. The Cispus River in Gifford National Forest is home to an incredible number of species, with many hikes and accessible options by which to view them. Down on the water is considered the “last unspoiled major estuary in Puget Sound” - the Nisqually River Delta. Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is famous for hosting 275 migratory birds that use the refuge for feeding, wintering, and breeding. A Biking Beyond excursion will take you past many neighborhood ponds and waterways full of wildlife adapting to the cooler fall weather in our own backyards. Be sure to pack a sweater and a pair of binoculars while you are out exploring; these days of sunshine are getting rapidly shorter!
