The Daily Outside: Sasquatch Hunt, FeederWatch … 1.12.26
Monday’s Daily Outside asks you to notice what’s already out there — whether it’s a rumored Sasquatch on a familiar trail or a very real bird splashing in a backyard bath.
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
Birds & Backyard Skills
Tahoma Bird Alliance — FeederWatch at the Tahoma Bird Alliance Office
Monday, Jan. 12, 2–3 p.m.
University Place
This is a warm, indoor way to sharpen your outdoor awareness. Join volunteers at Tahoma Bird Alliance to practice backyard bird identification, trade observations with other birders, and contribute real data to Project FeederWatch. No RSVP, no pressure — just learning to recognize who’s showing up at feeders and birdbaths this time of year, and why those small sightings matter. It’s part social hour, part skill-building, part quiet citizen science. ADA accessible. Reachable via Pierce Transit routes 2 and 53. Limited on-site parking, with additional parking across the street.
More info: Tahoma Bird Alliance
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 a few miles of old-growth forest and cliffside Puget Sound views, wander connector trails under moss and cedar, 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 half an hour or an afternoon, Point Defiance lets you be properly outside without leaving town.
More info: Parks Tacoma Point Defiance Park
Native Plants & Local Skills
Pierce Conservation District — 2026 Pierce Native Plant Sale (Online Pre-Sale)
Pre-sale open now through Jan. 15
This is quiet, powerful groundwork for spring. Pierce Conservation District’s annual Native Plant Sale lets you reserve hyper-local, conservation-grade plants grown from regional seed sources — plants that actually belong here and know how to survive our soil, rain, and seasons. No pots, no fluff, just strong roots and a long view. Pre-sale orders close January 15, with plant pick-up in March.
Ordering now is an act of stewardship that shows up months later as habitat, shade, and resilience — right where you live.
More info & plant reservations: Pierce Conservation District
Afterward, meet up at Peaks & Pints
We suggest celebrating your good attention with Peaks & Pints‘ house pours — Lumberbeard Cut-Off Flannel IPA and Finnriver Buckhorn Dry Cider — because noticing the place you live deserves a proper conversation.
LINK: The Daily Outside explained
LINK: Peaks & Pints beer and cider cooler inventory
