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An Illustrated Introduction to Tacoma’s B-side Animals

If you were asked to name five Pacific Northwest animals, what would you come up with? For a lot of us, salmon, bald eagles, and orcas might be at the top of the list. Of course there are many more animals in the evergreen forests all around us, some endemic, some widespread. Read More

Life at Six Knots: What It Takes to Live on a Sailboat in the Puget Sound

Ever have one of those moments when you want to just give it all up and take to the sea? Jim and Stephanie Sutherlin of Life at Six Knots know how you feel. In 2016 they sold their house in California, bought a boat, and started a new life on the Puget Sound. Read More

5 Wild Animal Rescue Resources Helping Tacoma’s Critters

While most of us think first of The Humane Society when it comes to a lost pet, what's someone in Tacoma to do when they find a more unusual critter in need of help? Read More

Wright Park Past, Present and Future: Behind the Scenes of One of Tacoma’s Most Beloved Parks

“It is the city's responsibility to preserve a place where the people can get recreation, where children from the congested districts can congregate without danger, and where mothers, nurses, and invalids can find a healthful resort during mid-day without being cramped for space or menaced by shows and their consequent temptations... Read More

In Search of Chambers Creek Salmon

It is a crisp fall day in Kobayashi Park. The trees that form a canopy over the rushing waters where Leach Creek flows into Chambers Creek are changing colors and yellow leaves blanket the trail. Read More

Outdoor Boudoir: More than One Type of Bunny to Be Found on Point Defiance’s Trails

Tacoma resident Samantha is far from the only person to take to Point Defiance’s trails with a camera in hand, but she may be alone in bringing a bunny—decidedly not of the cottontail variety—along with her. Read More

The Path Less Beaten Part 6: Kobayashi Park

Of all the trails in this collection, this one is probably the most well known. Nonetheless, you won’t find any useful trail maps online and the park itself is hidden in a neighborhood with no signage on the main road. The land was previously owned by the Kobayashi family who donated it to the city when they moved to Japan. The picnic shelters next to the parking lot are the hollowed out remnants of their home. Read More

The Path Less Beaten Part 5: Point Defiance 2.5 Mile Marker

Despite this being a properly maintained trail that actually exists on most maps, it’s still very lightly used compared to other nearby trails in Point Defiance. It’s more of a shortcut than a standalone trail but the shortcut it provides is the real fun part that makes it worth mentioning. Most beach walkers start at the more popular Owen Beach. This puts you out more than half a mile closer to the point. Read More

Tacoma Needs More Trees. Yes, Really.

You may be asking yourself why anyone would spend so much time and energy planting more trees in the Pacific Northwest. If so, you may be surprised to hear that Tacoma has a tree problem. In spite of its location in the heart of Tree Country USA, our city's tree canopy cover was last measured at only 19%; far less than the national average of 27-33%. Seattle, by contrast, has a 28% canopy cover. Read More

The Path Less Beaten Part 4: Garfield Gulch

Garfield gulch exists in a sort of limbo between inaccessible wilderness and managed natural area. Of all the north end gulches, this one’s probably had the roughest history. Not only was it heavily logged like the rest of Tacoma, but a huge portion of it was actually filled in and built over. If you’ve ever wondered why there’s a four block gap in N. 7th St., it’s because that’s where the gulch used to be. The only evidence left is a slight dip in elevation. Read More

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Wild Edibles Foraging: Don’t Knock It Until You’ve Nibbled It

We’re A Little Jealous We Didn’t Get To Go To Tacoma Girls Rock Camp

Seattle-Based The Needling Takes Aim at Tacoma and Beyond

A Look at Tacoma’s Union Station ca. 1970

The Clever Tacoma Mall Design You May Have Missed

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