BIPOC Walks
All Ages | BIPOC Individuals + Families | Monthly | Max. Participants: 30 | Price: Suggested Donation
New! BIPOC Walks is a program by and for people of color to build community while spending time outdoors in Bellingham. We meet in a different accessible park once a month, typically on Saturdays, to get curious about local nature. This program is family-friendly and open to all ages. Come by yourself, with a friend, or bring the whole family to appreciate spending time outside and connect with new nature-loving friends.
Outings are always facilitated by people of color, with each month having a slightly different focus/theme. After sharing some snacks and getting to know one another, you might…
Taste edible plants and learn about various uses for northwest plants.
Spend time exploring a local waterways and reflecting on how water connects us.
Get curious about the amazing animals who share our environment.
Discuss the complex relationship between race and experiencing outdoor spaces.
Registration
This program is offered for free with a suggested donation of $15-30/family. It is pay-what-you-can, and while any donation amount is appreciated, donations are not required to register or participate. However, registration is required to receive directions to our meeting location.
For group comfort and safety, our meeting locations are not shared publicly. Once you register online, you will receive an informational email that includes detailed directions to our meeting spot. All parks where we meet are accessible by public transit and have been chosen with physical accessibility in mind. Accessibility information for each month is listed below. If you have questions about location, accessibility, or anything else, please email communityprograms@wildwhatcom.org.
Yearly Calendar
2024
June
Kick-off Cookout | Friday, June 21, 2024 | 5:00-7:00PM
Interested in this program and interested in learning more? Join us for a relaxed, informal cookout/potluck to get to know our staff, ask questions, and get to know other prospective participants who you might see at future outings. We encourage bringing the whole family, we will be meeting near a playground at a scenic local lake, so kids can play while adults chat.
Accessibility Info
Handicap Parking–Yes
Trailhead Bathroom–Yes
Trail–Flat, barrier free, packed gravel and dirt
Seating–Pavilion and picnic benches
Walk/Hike Distance–Primarily stationary with potential walking distance under a ½ mile
July
Exploring Edible/Medicinal Plants | Saturday, July 13, 2024 | 10:00-12:00PM
Join us at a local park to meet new friends and get curious about all things plant! Taste some edible plants, learn to identify some of our native trees, and learn about the countless ways that different northwest plants have historically been used as medicine. We will be exploring a forested park with low-incline trails, which includes a duck pond and possible waterfall views!
Accessibility Info
Handicap Parking–Yes
Trailhead Bathroom–Yes
Trail–Mostly flat or very low-incline, barrier free, packed gravel and dirt
Seating–Scattered trailside benches
Walk/Hike Distance–1-1.5 miles
August
Wonderful Water | Saturday, August 10, 2024 | 2:00-4:00PM
Make a splash at a small local beach, and get curious about the ways that water has connected people and places throughout time. We will peruse the shore for crabs, clams, and the countless other critters who call the intertidal zone home.
Accessibility Info
Handicap Parking–Yes, but parking lot is ~¼ mile from beach where we will be heading
Trailhead Bathroom–No, but there are facilities in a nearby park
Trail–Mostly flat with one slightly steep section connecting trailhead parking with our destination, packed gravel and dirt
Seating–Lots of logs and boulders
Walk/Hike Distance–Less than 1 mile
September
Fabulous Fall | Saturday, September 21, 2024 | 10:00-12:00PM
In September, we will be getting curious about various cultural traditions around the changing seasons, reflecting on the ways that autumn makes us feel as individuals, and notice all the small changes happening around us this time of year. We will discuss different culture’s beliefs about the equinox, and how it is often linked with harvest festivals and a time for giving thanks. We will then take a slow walk around a beautiful local lake to appreciate the changing colors and collect some leaves to use in nature-focused seasonal art.
Accessibility Info
Handicap Parking–Yes
Trailhead Bathroom–Yes
Trail–Flat, barrier free, hard-packed dirt, gravel, and some paved areas
Seating–Picnic tables at meeting spot, but few places to sit on our walk other than logs, boulders, or the ground.
Walk/Hike Distance–1-2 miles
OCTOBER
Mushroom Mania | Saturday, October 12, 2024 | 10:00-12:00PM
Mushroom season is here! Did you know that mushrooms are actually the fruit of a much larger, unseen organism called mycelium? Mycelium threads make up an underground network that connects countless organisms within forest ecosystems. As we get curious about this network, we will reflect on the importance of interconnectedness and the bonds that connect our own communities. After learning how to identify a few of our most common mushrooms and how to make spore prints, we will meander around a local forest trail to search for the many mushrooms appearing this time of year.
Accessibility Info
Handicap Parking–Yes
Trailhead Bathroom–Yes
Trail–Mostly flat with some gentle inclines, barrier free, hard-packed dirt, gravel, and some paved areas
Seating–Picnic tables at meeting spot, but few places to sit on our walk other than logs, boulders, or the ground.
Walk/Hike Distance–Under 2 miles
NOVEMBER
Sensational Salmon | Saturday, November 9, 2024 | 10:00-12:00PM
Join us to get curious about salmon and the intense journeys they take to reproduce. Meander a flat downtown trail along a local creek, where salmon migrate upstream to spawn and lay their eggs. Salmon have been a key resource for indigenous groups in the northwest since time immemorial and are an important source of nutrients for countless animals and plants alike. We will learn a bit about salmon and their life cycle, then spend most of our time observing a local waterway absolutely full of salmon, seals, sea lions, and even the occasional otter. On this outing, we will also reflect on the racial history of Bellingham and what the BIPOC community has experienced through the centuries here in the Northwest.
Accessibility Info
Handicap Parking–Yes/parallel street parking
Trailhead Bathroom–Yes
Trail–Very flat, barrier free, hard-packed gravel/dirt
Seating–Picnic tables at meeting spot, but few places to sit on our walk other than logs, boulders, or the ground
Walk/Hike Distance–Under 1 mile
DEcember
End-of-Year Campfire and Potluck | Saturday, December 14, 2024 | 4:30-6:30PM
Celebrate the end of the year with a winter campfire! As we prepare to transition into a new year, we will discuss the past, present, and future of people of color in Bellingham and Washington overall, and take some time to set personal intentions for 2025.
This outing is also a potluck, so please feel free to bring a dish or snack to share, double points if it is a cultural food you want more people to try! Breaking bread is one of, if not THE oldest form of community building, and this campfire is the perfect place to share a small piece of who you are with new friends. If you have a favorite camp chair feel free to bring it!
Bus Note: Unlike most of our BIPOC Walks, the location for this campfire is not accessible by WTA bus. So in lieu of public transit, we will be providing transportation on our minibus for up to 12 people. Please email communityprograms@wildwhatcom.org if you would like to reserve a spot(s).
Accessibility Info
Handicap Parking–Yes
Trailhead Bathroom–Yes
Trail–Stationary campfire outing
Seating–Folding chairs around a campfire. Bring a chair if you’ve got one!
Walk/Hike Distance–Stationary outing
BIPOC Walks Pack List
Participants should be prepared to safely and comfortably spend several hours outdoors. Living in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) means we can start our adventure in the sun and end in the rain.
Participants should bring the following. Additional items specific to that month’s outing will be detailed in the reminder email:
Appropriate clothes (i.e., rain boots, rain jacket/pants, hat/gloves, and warm layers). See our Essentials of Layering for more information.
Something to sit on (extra fleece, plastic bag, etc.)
Camera (no flash photography please)
Flashlight or headlamp (opt)
Binoculars (opt)
LOANER GEAR
Wild Whatcom has loaner gear available. You do not need to purchase gear to participate in our programs. To request loaner gear, please fill out this form and we will reach out to you. Please let us know at least five (5) days prior to your outing if you need to borrow gear/clothing.