This month I will talk about some of my favorite activities, all of which are free or low cost. Especially as spring starts to heat things up, there are loads or great Walla Walla outdoor opportunities. So put on your sneakers, pack a lunch and discover what Walla Walla has to offer.
Bennington Lake and Rooks Park
Itching to see the beauty the Walla Walla Valley has to offer, but you only have enough time as your lunch break? No problem! The Bennington Lake Recreation area is locate just east of Walla Walla right by the Community College. Just a short drive and you will feel like you've traveled all the way to the heart of Rural Eastern Washington. The area has miles and miles of well-maintained, accessible trails. Bikers can take advantage of paved trails, and families can take advantage of the playground located at Rook's Park. See wildlife (I routinely see Great Blue Herrings in Mill Creek and deer grazing on the north side of the lake), natural beauty and climb all over the marvel of man-made flood control systems. To get there, Take Isaacs out towards the Community College. Turn right at Tausick Way and follow the signs to your left up Resevoir Road. You might also park near the WWCC athletic fields and hike in. As long as it's a beautiful day and you've got the right attire on, you can't be anything but enchanted by this special Walla Walla favorite.
Pioneer Park
You've probably passed by it a bunch of times. You may even have walked through it. Did you know, however, that Pioneer park is chalk-full of Walla Walla history? Did you know about the aviary or the rose garden? Certainly an historic location in Walla Walla, Pioneer Park was initially designed by the same man who designed Central Park in New York City, John C. Olmstead. Many community events take place in Pioneer Park including 4th of July and the Multicultural Festival. I've always found this park to be a great place to do yoga and get a tan at the same time. Beware the feisty ducks should you ill-advisedly try to feed them by the man-made lake. Consider yourself warned. Walla Walla is home to some of the largest trees of their kind in the State, and in some cases, the US, so finding the walking guide to find big trees could be a fun way to spend the afternoon, beginning and ending at the Park. Pioneer is definitely worth a warm spring afternoon! (On Alder at Division).
The Whitman Mission
Learn the famous story of one of the most debated "massacre" of all time at the Whitman Mission, located near highway 12, 6 miles west of town. The lay-out of the old mission has been preserved, so if you have a macabre sense of fun, you can stand exactly where Narscissa Whitman was shot by the angry recipients of small-pox blankets, or see where their little daughter drowned in the creek. Not uplifting, sure, but on a temperate spring day, beautiful and always educational. Learn some Walla Walla history and stay for the nature!
Whitman College
Maybe I feel like Whitman is a great place for R&R since its lush grassy expanses are where I went to break from the rigors of academia. The center field called Ankeny can be a crowded place through the school year, but after the last weekend in May, it is an ideal spot for a picnic, a stroll or sun-bathing. Make up a frisbee golf course spanning the entire campus and see how many bystanders you can terrorize or take a cool dip in the fountain located in front of Hunter Conservatory (at the corner of Park and Boyer, it's a big bowl-shaped thing you can't miss). As long as you are respectfull, you are free to use this beautiful institution as a lush playground. If you are however disrespectful, lude or rowdy, campus security may ask you to leave.
