Curriculum
Recess
Compiled by Pat Henderson
Northwest Trek Wildlife Park’s Adventure Course
Northwest Trek Wildlife Park is a 725-acre attraction near Eatonville,
Washington, that showcases the area’s animals and natural beauty.
According to Group Sales Coordinator Joy Tevis, travelers visiting the
park are immersed in nature everywhere they go.
“Imagine riding through forests and meadows of unparalleled
beauty, and viewing herds of American bison, Roosevelt elk, bighorn
sheep, woodland caribou, deer and moose from the comfort of your
seat aboard a tram,” says Tevis, “or walking along paved pathways
to get up-close views of predators like bears, coyotes, wolves, foxes,
bobcats and Canada lynx.”
The tram tour is a naturalist-narrated, 50-minute ride that takes
school groups deep into the park’s free-roaming area where many of
the animals reside. “It’s not unusual to have a bison right outside your
window when a tram needs to stop briefly as the herd crosses the
road or to look out and see a moose close enough to watch its steamy
breath,” she adds.
The park also has a number of nature trails that lead to large-
predator exhibits, wetland pools and other animal habitats. At the black
bear area, students can see the creatures climbing trees, playing in the
water and foraging. Playful river otters are the stars of the show at the
wetland pools.
Tevis says the aerial obstacle and zip-line courses at the park’s Zip
Wild adventure center, a favorite for school groups, provide a nice
complement to the wildlife viewing options.
“Zip Wild, which opened in the summer of 2012, has become a
favorite among our youth and school group visitors, because it not
only provides physical fitness challenges but also confronts mental
resilience and is great for team building,” she says. “We’ve seen visitors
of all ages—from 5 years old to nearly 90—climb, fly and soar on five
different courses that range in skill level.”
The popular Adventure Course includes six zip lines and many
obstacles found in the canopy of Douglas firs. Those aerial obstacles
40
NTA Trip Planner for Student Travel
Students can see black bears in the park
include a 30-foot climbing wall, a series of suspended bridges, a high-
wire tightrope and more.
In addition to that course, which is recommend for youth 10 years
and older, there are three others that are more suited for younger
students: the Aerial Runway Course (8-plus years), the Discovery
Course (8-plus years) and the Super Kid Course (5-plus years).
To learn more, contact Tevis at [email protected] or go to nwtrek.org.
NORTHWEST TREK, WORTH THE TREK