11 Jun Take a Trip Back in Time

by RaNae Vodder

There are approximately 400 National Parks (inclusive of parks, monuments, forests, sites, etc) in the United States according to the website howmanyarethere.  Did you know that one of those parks is in our own neighborhood!?  I have to admit, that I did not.  My journey to this discovery started two months ago when I visited Petrolglyph National Monument where I bought a National Park Passport.

My visit there inspired me to learn more about our National Parks and to fill my passport with cancellations and stickers.  I decided to start by looking for parks in the Pacific Northwest.   The Klondike Gold Rush National Park is only two blocks or so from my condo in Pioneer Square so it hit the top of my list.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am not trying to become a “power” National Park visitor and just get my passport stamped as fast as possible, I am really committed to being a tourist in my own neighborhood.  I was delighted by everything about the park and really got a sense of the less romantic side of the Klondike Gold Rush!  Not a lot of people became millionaires and most had a pretty grueling experience.  The exhibits are interactive and thorough, with five stories of people who participated in the gold rush.  There is a replica of what a ton of gold would look like and newspapers with Gold! headlines.  I was impressed with the interior of the space, it is so clean and welcoming!  There is a section dedicated to Seattle and a section dedicated to Yukon/Alaska.  There is a lot of information about the impact on the local communities and native populations during the rush for gold.

Visit the website before you go to the park to learn more about the activities that are offered!  Entrance to park is free but donations are welcome!