The Daily Outside: Bird Walk, Sasquatch Hunting … 1.15.26
Thursday’s Daily Outside moves between careful looking and playful wondering — from quietly scanning open landscapes for owls and hawks to letting a familiar trail make room for a little myth.
Birds & Open Landscapes
Eagle’s Pride Golf Course — Monthly Bird Walk (JBLM)
Thursday, Jan. 15, 8 a.m.–12 p.m.
Eagle’s Pride Golf Course, Joint Base Lewis-McChord
This is a bird walk that quietly surprises people. Eagle’s Pride Golf Course sits inside Joint Base Lewis-McChord, but the experience feels more like wandering a broad, open mosaic of grasslands, wetlands, and tree lines where birds do what birds have always done, regardless of fences or uniforms. Led by longtime birder Denis DeSilvis, this monthly walk moves at an observant pace through the course, scanning for raptors, owls, waterfowl, and winter residents that take advantage of the mix of habitat. Barred owls are regulars, along with hawks, songbirds, and seasonal surprises depending on weather and migration timing. The walk begins at Building #1514, Driving Range Tee, accessed via I-5 Exit 116 / Mounts Road. No base clearance is required, and no advance sign-up is needed. Just show up dressed for the weather, bring binoculars if you have them, and plan to spend a few unhurried hours paying attention. This one rewards patience and quiet — less checklist, more noticing.
More info: Eagle’s Pride Golf Course bird walks (calendar via Tockify)
Playful Exploration & Park Wandering
University Place Parks — Sasquatch Hunt
January 5–16
Chambers Creek Regional Park (Grandview Trail)
Somewhere along the Grandview Trail, Sasquatch has been sighted — allegedly. The Sasquatch Hunt turns a walk at Chambers Creek Regional Park into a self-guided scavenger hunt fueled by curiosity, observation, and a wink of imagination. Start at the playground, grab a Hunt Card and pencil, and follow the trail while tracking eight Sasquatch sightings and answering questions along the way. Finish the loop, turn in your card, and pick up a goody bag — a small prize for paying attention and spending time outside. Move at your own pace. Bring kids, friends, or just your sense of humor. It’s a simple way to walk one of the region’s best trails while letting myth make the landscape feel slightly unfamiliar again.
Hunt card drop-off and goody bag pickup (by Friday, Jan. 16):
Environmental Services Building, 9850 64th St W, University Place
Weekdays, 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
More info: University Place Parks
Local Trails & Quiet Wandering
Point Defiance Park — Trails Across the Park
Open daily from just before sunrise until shortly after sunset
Tacoma’s big backyard offers paths for nearly every mood. Take the Outer Loop for miles of old-growth forest and cliffside Puget Sound views, wander connector trails beneath cedar and moss, or stretch your legs near the Rhododendron Garden and Fort Nisqually. Five Mile Drive threads it all together, while smaller spurs offer pauses by water, roots, and weather. Whether you have thirty minutes or an open afternoon, Point Defiance lets you be properly outside without leaving town.
More info and maps: Parks Tacoma Point Defiance Park trail map
Afterward, meet up at Peaks & Pints
We suggest celebrating your good attention with our house pours — Lumberbeard Cut-Off Flannel IPA and Finnriver Buckhorn Dry Cider — because a neighborhood walk deserves a proper debrief, preferably with people who also noticed the trees.
LINK: The Daily Outside explained
LINK: Peaks & Pints beer and cider cooler inventory
