Enjoying a pet-friendly nature experience right in our backyard

Posted September 25, 2017

At McCormick, we’re proud to be a pet-friendly community. We even turn out pets into celebrities of sorts, featuring them in our monthly Life at the Woods magazine.

One of the ways we show our appreciation for dogs is by providing dog-friendly trails. Big Pond Trail, in fact, is known beyond the McCormick neighborhood, and it’s not unusual to see members of the community at large visiting to enjoy a tranquil hike in the woods. Big Pond Trail is a beautiful place whether you have a dog or not, and it’s an easy hike for all experience levels. The 4-mile loop, which starts at Deer Park, is the quintessential Pacific Northwest experience — a place where you can enjoy pristine nature. You’ll pass various native habitat like an alder grove, and don’t be surprised to see a deer out on a jaunt or some other small animal darting through the bushes.

The trail is picturesque any time of the day, but if you go early in the morning, you’ll catch a view of the sun peeking through the trees. The crisp air smells like fresh pine, and if you stop for a few minutes and let the smells and gentle sounds of nature wash over you, we promise you’ll feel ready to conquer the day. Flanked on both sides by majestic, tall trees, the trail winds its way around Big Pond, and offers views of the waters from several spots. If you decide to do the entire loop, it should take about an hour — or longer if you decide to make a few stops along the way and let the tranquility soak in.

Big Pond Trail has several smaller, offshoot trails as well, so you can truly be “lost” for a few hours of exploring. It’s truly hard to believe that this secluded area is just a stone throw’s away from city life. Make sure to also explore other McCormick trails, whether you’re out and about with your favorite pooch, your other half or a group of friends.

One of the newest additions to our trail system is Goldfinch Trail, a 365-foot bypass around Warbler Trail. A shout-out to South Kitsap High student and Boy Scout Ben Buhrman, who organized his fellow Troop 1528 Scouts and other volunteers to help him build the trail for his Eagle project.