Winter Twigs - Carkeek Park

Priority Registration is offered to Waitlisted Participants from 12/28/2025 and 1/10/2026 Clinics. Priority registration opens  January 14 2026.  All member registration opens on January 21, 2026.

Participants will be issued a copy of the field guide: “Winter in the Woods: A Winter Guide to Deciduous Native Plants in Western Washington”. The guide will be used during the clinic and is yours to keep and enjoy.  We will provide instruction on how to use the field guide and show specific plant features that will help us identify the deciduous shrubs and trees we find along the trail.

We walk together as a group at a SLOW pace, STOP often and STAND to observe and identify the plants.  The clinic was intentionally kept small so we can huddle around the plants to observe their individual features. Some of these features can be quite small. A magnifying glass or loupe will be helpful to see some of the smaller structures. Other structures can easily be seen unaided.

What to bring:

Be prepared to be at this outdoor clinic for at least 3 and up to 3.5 hours as we walk 2-3 miles.

-Dress warmly in layers. 

-Rain gear is advised. It will keep the dew or rain off as you huddle around, reach for branches and walk by the brush along the trail. It will also help keep you warm.

-Waterproof footwear with good grip, the trail will likely be wet, muddy and slippery in places.

-Consider bringing hiking poles.

-Paper and pencil or pen.

-Magnifying glass or loupe.

-Water &/or hot beverage and snacks. We’ll not stop for lunch but we’ll be walking slowly enough for snacks and drinks as we walk.

-Ten essentials.

Meet at 9am by the children’s playground and restrooms. The Park address is 950 NW Carkeek Park Rd in Seattle. Parking is available at the Carkeek Park Beach lot overlooking the sound. The restrooms are north of the parking lot. Please arrive early to use the restroom, register and pick up clinic materials.

There are two entrances to the park. Use the Main Entrance at 950 NW Carkeek Park Rd. Do Not Use the south Eddie McAbee entrance at NW 100th Pl. This entrance is about a mile south of our meet up location. NW 110th St becomes NW Carkeek Park Rd west of the intersection of NW 110th St and 5th Ave NW. The road is curvy and has a few intersections as you head down to the park. Continue down Carkeek Park Rd until you reach the entrance to the park and make a left turn here to enter the Park. Continue right at the Y down the road towards the beach parking lot.