A mindful twilight walk at Lake Padden
- 2-1/2 miles
- Slight elevation gain and then loss at about the halfway point
- Wide gravel or hard dirt city park trail
Join us for a twilight program of mindful walking through the change between day and night around the wooded shores of Lake Padden. Our Opening to Nature series explores the wide variety of connections we have with our world. Every day the drama of nightfall is recreated, and yet we rarely pause to notice the daily transition at the margins of light. In our engagement with mindfulness as a place-based dharma practice we take deeper notice of this world and it's everyday miracles. The fall of night is just one of these small celebrations that nature offers to us each day.
This is an easy two and a half mile walk, with a slightly hilly portion, taken at a contemplative pace with several stops along the way to feel the unfolding of night, and hear the transition of diurnal sounds. If we are lucky we may hear the calling of owls, and call back, or hear the final stanzas of birds going to roost.
You may want to bring a headlamp in case you feel you need it. But we will attempt to not turn white lights on, and let our eyes slowly adjust to the dark as we walk, using red light luminaries to light our path just well enough, and protect our night vision. We will provide the red lights. Some water and a little trail snack might be nice to have along as well.
What to Bring: Water and a light trail snack; an extra layer to wear as it cools down; and a headlamp in case we need them at the end (a phone flashlight is ok).
Directions: Take the West Entrance into Lake Padden City Park, directly off of Samish Way, to the parking area by the bathrooms just above the swimming area. (Don't take the East Entrance onto Lakeshore Drive which leads to the larger picnic area & golf course).
Meet at the east end of the bathroom building.
Timing: We'll begin our walk at 8:00pm and expect to be back at the parking lot no later than 10 pm (sunset will be at 8:19 pm with full dark as we close).
Registration: While our day hikes are offered without charge, we do incur about $10 of program administration cost for each registration. There is the opportunity during registration to donate to cover these costs for your own registration or, additionally, to help another cover their registration expenses. Everyone is welcome, and no one will be refused attendance for lack of funds. As we do on the trail, we support each other.
Donations to the Leader: As with all of our events, teachers/leaders are not compensated for their time. You can include a donation to the hike leader during registration or at any time through our Donate to a Teacher page.
Questions? Contact Wilderness Dharma Program Coordinator Bob Penny at wilderness@redcedarzen.org and see our Wilderness Dharma Program page for an overview of this program.
