Federation Forest State Park - A #Walk Among Giants - #SaturdaySnapshot

The official park service website describes Federation Forest State Park this way:

Federation Forest is a 574-acre day-use park with hundreds of acres of old-growth Douglas-fir trees, mature western hemlock, Sitka Spruce, and western red cedar. Its short, flat interpretive trails make the park an ideal destination for families with children.

The park is also the perfect place for a 3-mile senior center walk and picnic lunch. [Click on photos to enlarge.]

The trail names alone are enough to lure walkers and hikers into the park. Who could resist "Whispering Hemlocks" or "Wind in the Woods?"

We walked past towering giants that had been downed by fierce winds.

This stairway led us to a scenic picnic area alongside the White River. According to info I found online:

The White River is a white, glacial river in the U.S. state of Washington. It flows about 75 miles (121 km) from its source, the Emmons Glacier on Mount Rainier, to join the Puyallup River at Sumner.

The white color is the result of glacial runoff.

On the way home, we stopped for a reward for our activity - delicious ice cream on the deck at Wapiti Woolies.

Info: Federation Forest State Park

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Bonsai! - #SaturdaySnapshots

The senior center walk on May 23rd took us to Weyerhauser Company's former 130-acre corporate campus in Federal Way, Washington. Although the facility has been sold to another entity (and is currently unoccupied), the walking trails and gardens are still open to the public. 

[Click on photos for a closer look.]

Here's a view of the offices built in 1971. The building is called a "groundscaper"  - a horizontal skyscraper.

Although I enjoyed walking among the trees and around the lakes, my favorite part of the grounds was the Pacific Bonsai Museum, so I'll focus on that today. Each miniature tree is beautifully set in an individual outdoor display area with artwork showing its native habitat. A description board is posted nearby.

Pond Cypress - I've seen these trees in the Big Thicket National Reserve
in southeast Texas.

Coast Redwood - Love the artist's rendition of the view
up into the treetops of a redwood forest.

Mountain Hemlock - A miniature forest.

Sierra Juniper - A beauty from Yosemite National Park, California.

The museum's brochure says they display sixty bonsai in all. Some were in bloom.

Wisteria

Bougainvillea - Kept in a protected area.

My friend Lora Lee has an unusual backpack. As a result of a contest between members of the hiking group, he's been given the name Sir Hikes-a-Lot.

More info about the Pacific Bonsai Garden: HERE

More info about the Weyerhauser site: HERE

Saturday Snapshots is hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads.

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have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky on the host blogsite.