so, today I want to talk about something I’ve been really into lately—exploring hidden trails in the city. And, you know, Seattle is kind of perfect for this. It’s one of those places where you can be in the middle of downtown and still somehow stumble onto a little patch of green that makes you feel like you’re out in the woods. I love that about living here.

Anyway, I was out last weekend, just kind of wandering around, and I ended up in Ravenna Park. Now, I’ve been there before—like, everyone knows Ravenna, right? It’s not exactly a secret. But what I didn’t realize is just how many little offshoots there are from the main trail. I mean, I’ve always stuck to the big, obvious paths, but this time I decided to follow one of the smaller ones. And oh my god, it was like entering a completely different world. You get these little pockets where the trees are so dense it feels like you’re deep in a forest, and then you hear a bird—or maybe it’s just a squirrel—and it’s like, yeah, this is what I needed today.

What really surprised me, though, was how quiet it was. Like, you’re in the city, right? You’d think you’d hear cars or construction or, I don’t know, someone yelling about the Seahawks. But no, it was just… peaceful. Well, mostly peaceful. There were a couple of joggers who kind of startled me, but I guess that’s the price of sharing the trails.

Anyway, that got me thinking: how many other little trails like this are out there? So I did some digging—figuratively, not literally—and I found out there’s this spot over in Interlaken Park. Have you been? It’s technically part of Capitol Hill, but it doesn’t feel like it at all. It’s so quiet, and the trails are super narrow, kind of winding through these big trees and ferns. Honestly, it’s the kind of place where you half expect to see a deer pop out, even though, realistically, it’s probably just going to be someone’s off-leash dog. But still, it’s got that vibe.

Another one that blew my mind is over in West Seattle, Schmitz Preserve Park. Like, I knew it was there—I’d heard about it—but I hadn’t actually checked it out until recently. The thing about Schmitz Preserve is that it’s not just a park. It’s an actual forest. And the trails are kind of rough in places, which I love. It feels wild, even though you’re technically in a residential area. You can literally walk out of this lush green wonderland and be back on a sidewalk in, like, two minutes. It’s surreal.

One thing I’ve been doing, by the way, is bringing a little notebook with me when I explore these places. I’m not, like, writing poems or anything—I just jot down stuff I notice. Like, last time, I saw this really cool moss growing on a log, and I don’t know why, but it made me want to learn more about moss. Is that weird? Probably. But hey, it’s the little things, right?

So, yeah, if you’re in Seattle—or honestly, anywhere—my advice is to get off the beaten path a little. Check out the smaller trails, the ones that maybe aren’t on Google Maps. You’d be amazed at what you find when you stop following the main path and just… wander.