Submitted by Northwest Trek

Spring Break, which is April 1-9 for many school districts this year, is a perfect time to get a breath of fresh air and play among the trees at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park.

Parents can officially say farewell to winter and let their kids run wild at Kids’ Trek, the nature-inspired play area designed for toddlers to tweens.

At Kids’ Trek, children construct forts, play in tot-sized log cabins, and scramble up and down ladder nets. Northwest-themed features like native plants, a replica beaver lodge, and statues of river otters and cougars make Kids’ Trek a unique place to discover and play.

Every visit to Northwest Trek also includes a narrated Discovery Tram Tour through a 435-acre Free-Roaming Area. The forests and rolling meadows are home to moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, bison, deer and other animals.

Northwest Trek Spring Break
Parents can officially say farewell to winter and let their kids run wild at Kids’ Trek. Photo courtesy: Northwest Trek

Plus, there are bobcats, foxes, owls, river otters, beavers and many other animals to see on a self-guided walking tour along paved trails. Playful gray wolves can be seen face-to-face from a kid-sized crawlspace in the Baker Research Cabin.

Visitors can see smaller animals up close during Trailside Encounters, scheduled for 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. each day during Wild Week of Play.

Kids’ Trek, Discovery Tram Tours, and Trailside Encounters are free with admission or membership. Discounted admission is available for senior citizens, Pierce County residents, and members of the military.

Starting March 18, the wildlife park is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Wild Week of Play is presented by Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital.

For more information, visit www.nwtrek.org.