The best Seattle WA wildlife?

Question

The best Seattle WA wildlife?

Answer 1

Northwest Trek is a great place to go for Washington nature and wildlife. I would recommend going on a guided tour. Don't hike up a mountain in Wenatchee unless you want to get eaten by a mountain lion!

Answer 2

Not a very good time of year to see the Pacific Northwest. It is almost certainly going to be cloudy and rainy. If you are dead set on it, I would suggest exploring Tiger Mountain. It is a short drive from Seattle and you most likely won't have to worry about getting stuck in the snow. You could also try the ferries. You probably won't see too much wildlife though.

Answer 3

Hipsters... ;-)



If it weren't December, you could go hiking on Mt. Rainier.



You should definitely check out some of Puget Sound or the islands.

Answer 4

Right in the city of Seattle, the largest park is Discovery Park which includes several trails and a nice long hike down to the beach: http://www.seattle.gov/parks/environment/discovery.htm Not far from Discovery Park is the Ballard Locks where you can see salmon and steelhead migrating up through the fish ladder, numerous species of birds and not uncommonly a sea lion: http://www.squidoo.com/seattle-ballard-locks



Another good place to view wildlife right in the city is near the University of Washington. The Washington Park Arboretum is nearby and you can hike around or rent a canoe from the UW boathouse to explore the area around Foster Island in Lake Washington: http://www.joanburton.org/pdf/FosterIslandUrbanWalk%5B2%5D.pdf



If you are looking for a longer day trip away from the city, here are some suggestions:

Rent a car and go north to the area between Stanwood and Mt Vernon - the areas of the Stilliguamish and Skagit River Deltas: http://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/wildlife_areas/skagit/ - lots of wintering birds including some snowy owls that have come down from the north: http://seattletimes.com/html/picturethis/2019793178_snowyowlsbackforwinter.html (Beware however that it is hunting season) Another thing to do in the same general area is to view the wintering bald eagles further up the Skagit River: http://www.squidoo.com/bald-eagle



Or if you drive south about 90 minutes from Seattle, there is the Nisqually Delta: http://www.fws.gov/refuge/nisqually/