(Photo courtesy West Duwamish Greenbelt Trails)

Ready to get out and walk in the city’s largest stretch of forest – which happens to be in West Seattle? The first hike of the season is this Saturday! Judy Bentley sends the invitation:

Hiking season is beginning in the West Duwamish Greenbelt. Hike with the West Duwamish Greenbelt Trails group (www.wdgtrails.com) on guided walks to find birds, bugs, mushrooms, native plants, geology, and history. Meet the first Saturday of each month at 10 a.m., usually at the trailhead at 14th Ave. SW and SW Holly Street, but starting places may vary; watch postings for individual hikes. We hike mostly on constructed and maintained gravel trails, suitable for family outings.

The West Duwamish Greenbelt is the largest contiguous forest in Seattle, spreading over 550 acres in West Seattle from the tip of Pigeon Point to Westcrest Park. Urban forests are important community spaces that increase our city’s natural beauty, contribute to our health, and make the natural world accessible for everyone to enjoy.

Here’s the schedule for the 2019 season. All hikes start at 10:00 a.m.

April 6 – Bird-watching hike with Scott Markowitz, an international birder, member of the board of directors at Tahoma Audubon. Meet at the Puget Park trailhead at 4418 21st Ave. SW.

May 4 – Insect hike with a bug club member.

June 1 – “Walking Native Land” on National Trails Day with Ken Workman of the Duwamish Tribe. Walk from the Chinese Garden at South Seattle College to the Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center on West Marginal Way and back. Two miles, 200 feet elevation gain, some unimproved trails.

July 6 – Native plant identification with Steve Richmond of GardenCycles

August 3 – Geology and land use history with Paul West and Craig Rankin

September 7 – History of the greenbelt with Matt Groshong, Randy Nelson, and Craig Rankin

October 5 – Mushrooms with Kim Traverse of the Puget Sound Myco Society