BIPOC Walks
All Ages | BIPOC Individuals + Families | Monthly | Max. Participants: 30 | Price: Suggested Donation
BIPOC Walks is a program by and for people of color to build community while spending time outdoors in Bellingham. We meet in a different accessible park once a month, typically on Saturdays, to get curious about local nature. This program is family-friendly and open to all ages. Come by yourself, with a friend, or bring the whole family to appreciate spending time outside and connect with new nature-loving friends.
Outings are always facilitated by people of color, with each month having a slightly different focus/theme. After sharing some snacks and getting to know one another, you might…
Taste edible plants and learn about various uses for northwest plants.
Spend time exploring a local waterways and reflecting on how water connects us.
Get curious about the amazing animals who share our environment.
Discuss the complex relationship between race and experiencing outdoor spaces.
Registration & Donation
This program is offered for free with a suggested donation of $15-30/family. It is pay-what-you-can, and while any donation amount is appreciated, donations are not required to register or participate. Registration is required to receive directions to our meeting location though.
For group comfort and safety, our meeting locations are not shared publicly. Once you register online, you will receive an informational email that includes detailed directions to our meeting spot. All places where we meet are accessible by public transit and have been chosen with physical accessibility in mind. Accessibility information for each month is listed below. If you have questions about location, accessibility, or anything else, please email communityprograms@wildwhatcom.org.
Yearly Calendar
2024-25
January
Rebellious Nature | Saturday, January 18, 2025 | 10:00-12:00PM
Join us to a few days before Martin Luther King Jr. Day to celebrate the new year, and focus on the ways that nature connects us to the concept of resistance. We will reflect on how BIPOC communities have been at the forefront of political and social change for centuries, and the amazing ways that the natural world models resistance on a global scale. Bundle up and get ready to be inspired and strengthened by nature, and build local community in a time when we need it the most.
FEBRUARY
Birds as Symbols of Freedom | Saturday, February 22, 2025 | 10:00-12:00PM
Birds have long been a symbol of freedom, hope, and transition across countless cultures. Harriet Tubman even used bird calls to communicate on the underground railroad! Here in Bellingham, winter is the best time to appreciate many species who are only here during the coldest months. Winter ducks such as bufflehead, canvasbacks, and golden eye use Washington as a refuge from their breeding grounds in the Arctic Circle, which are currently frozen over. We will meander around a local lake to spy on some feathered friends, learn about what makes them unique, and reflect on the cross-cultural symbolism that birds so often hold.
MARCH
Lunar Love | Saturday, March 15, 2025 | 10:00-12:00PM
Spring is just around the corner, and the vernal equinox is one of the first markers of the transition from winter to spring for many cultures. On this outing, we will be getting curious about how the moon shapes the world around us, how deeply it is connected with the movement of water, and different ways the equinox is celebrated around the globe. We will be meeting at a local park and walking towards the beach, looking for the first signs that spring is on the way, such as buds, blooms, and bird song.
APRIL
Welcoming Spring Picnic | Saturday, April 26, 2025 | 4:00-6:00PM
The weather is warmer, the clocks have sprung forward, and spring is officially in the air! Join us to celebrate the return of the sun with a springtime picnic potluck. We will spend some time enjoying snacks and beverages, play some games, then go on a slow-paced nature walk through a lovely forested park to notice how much the landscape has changed since our last outing.
MAY
Honorable Harvest: Intro to Gathering Edible Plants | Saturday, May 31, 2025 | 10:00-12:00PM
Are you curious about edible plants, but don’t know where to start? Join us to learn about the guidelines of honorable harvest, and go on a plant-focused walk centered around a few key species of local edible plants. We will also discuss some traditional harvest practices of local Indigenous groups, who have been utilizing countless plants and actively managing food forests in our region since time immemorial.
JUNE
Low Tide Exploration | Saturday, June 28, 2025 | 1:00-3:00PM
Summer is here and it’s time to explore the shore! We will be exploring at an extremely low negative tide, and frequently find hermit crabs, sea sponges, sand dollars, and even water-shooting clams! Indigenous cultures of the Pacific Northwest have a saying “When the tide is out, the table is set”. We will discuss how Indigenous peoples have practiced sustainable harvest of the seafood they have relied on for millenia, while also getting curious about all of the creatures we might find as we search the tidepools.
Note: We will be exploring on a sandy, rocky beach with lots of razor sharp barnacles and cold water that can occasionally be ankle height. Please wear study rainboots or closed back sandals to protect your feet. If you would like to borrow adult or child sized rainboots, please email communityprograms@wildwhatcom.org to let us know, or leave a note in your registration.
JULY
Low Tide Exploration Round 2 | Saturday, July 12, 2025 | 12:00-2:00PM
This month we will continue our summer tide-pool adventures while exploring a brand new area. Compared to June, we will be at a much rockier beach with more isolated tide-pools, where we often see a different range of critters. Nudibranchs, large crabs, and multiple species of tidepool fish can often be spotted here. Sharp barnacles are abundant so sturdy footwear like rainboots or closed back sandals are recommended.
Carpool Available: This month’s location is a bit further out of the way than most other months (about 25 mins from downtown Bellingham), and is not accessible by bus. Because of this, we are offering to drive up to 12 participants in our mini-bus from our office downtown to our meeting location. If you would like to reserve a space for yourself or your entire party, please email communityprograms@wildwhatcom.org to let us know, or leave a note in your registration.
AUGUST
Beach Bash BBQ | Saturday, August 9, 2025 | 11:00-1:00PM
Celebrate the last month of summer with a potluck picnic/BBQ! Bring a dish from your culture (or any food or beverage you love) to share with the group, then hit the beach to do some low-tide exploring at a new location that has tons of cool agates, and lots of our usual intertidal critters.
Carpool Available: This month’s location is a bit further out of the way than most other months (about 25 mins from downtown Bellingham), and is not accessible by bus. Because of this, we are offering to drive up to 12 participants in our mini-bus from our office downtown to our meeting location. If you would like to reserve a space for yourself or your entire party, please email communityprograms@wildwhatcom.org to let us know, or leave a note in your registration.
SEPTEMBER
TBA | September 2025 | Time TBA
OCTOBER
TBA | October 2025 | Time TBA
NOVEMBER
TBA | November 2025 | Time TBA
DECEMBER
End-of-Year Campfire and Potluck | Saturday, December 14, 2024 | 4:30-6:30PM
Celebrate the end of the year with a winter campfire! As we prepare to transition into a new year, we will discuss the past, present, and future of people of color in Bellingham and Washington overall, and take some time to set personal intentions for 2025.
This outing is also a potluck, so please feel free to bring a dish or snack to share, double points if it is a cultural food you want more people to try! Breaking bread is one of, if not THE oldest form of community building, and this campfire is the perfect place to share a small piece of who you are with new friends. If you have a favorite camp chair feel free to bring it!
Bus Note: Unlike most of our BIPOC Walks, the location for this campfire is not accessible by WTA bus. So in lieu of public transit, we will be providing transportation on our minibus for up to 12 people. Please email communityprograms@wildwhatcom.org if you would like to reserve a spot(s).
Accessibility Info
Handicap Parking–Yes
Trailhead Bathroom–Yes
Trail–Stationary campfire outing
Seating–Folding chairs around a campfire. Bring a chair if you’ve got one!
Walk/Hike Distance–Stationary outing
BIPOC Walks Pack List
Participants should be prepared to safely and comfortably spend several hours outdoors. Living in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) means we can start our adventure in the sun and end in the rain.
Participants should bring the following. Additional items specific to that month’s outing will be detailed in the reminder email:
Appropriate clothes (i.e., rain boots, rain jacket/pants, hat/gloves, and warm layers). See our Essentials of Layering for more information.
Something to sit on (extra fleece, plastic bag, etc.)
Camera (no flash photography please)
Flashlight or headlamp (opt)
Binoculars (opt)
LOANER GEAR
Wild Whatcom has loaner gear available. You do not need to purchase gear to participate in our programs. To request loaner gear, please fill out this form and we will reach out to you. Please let us know at least five (5) days prior to your outing if you need to borrow gear/clothing.