WSU Vancouver: Trails, Squirrel Hunting and no Degrees for Dogs

I never know where I am going when I get in the car. Now, it seems, my owner is into taking me on those long distance walks she calls Volksmarches. And they are looooong walks. I've figured out that a walk is a volksmarch when she picks up a map at the registration point. That's when I know I'll get a good work out.

This time we headed north to a hospital at Salmon Creek. I stayed in the dark, clammy parking garage while she registered and got the map.

Then I was invited to get out of the car and come along! We took off down the sidewalk, swishing through the fall leaves. At the bridge we peered down at teeny Salmon Creek. It was waaay down there. I was happily exploring the scents and sights and looked forward to some squirrel hunting.

Here I am wondering if I was going to have to sign up for classes

This is a really good squirrel tree!

We walked way down the street and came upon a big sign... Washington State University - Vancouver. Oh no, I was going to college? Has the reading of Chaser: Unlocking the Genius of the Dog Who Knows a Thousand Words gone to her head? Now, I want to learn.... but I want to do it in a very relaxed way (you know, take naps when I want and sleep in on those foggy mornings). I really didn't want to go to college. I just wanted to hunt squirrels. And, I don't need a degree for that, do I?

I found out that there were trails on that campus, some dirt and some paved. We headed up the hill into a shady treed area. Prime squirrel hunting territory! I was happy. I tried to look up each and every tree.

Here I am sniffing around.

Then we took a dirt trail along a frisbee golf course... even better squirrel hunting trees there. Maybe I'd like college after all!

There was interesting public art on that campus and many more trees. It is a great place to walk and explore, especially on a fall day.

Once we got up the hill we saw the campus buildings and thought it looked like a great place FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO GO TO SCHOOL.

WSU is pretty nice. They put doggie clean-up bags along the trails. I noticed there weren't any dog water dishes out. But I felt relieved actually. It looked like it was not a college for dogs. This wasn't a place where I was going to have to work. This was just a wonderful place to explore and enjoy nature... and squirrels!

Nice campus but they don't offer a degree in squirrel hunting

I had a great day enjoying the autumn sunshine and learned that college campuses can also be for walking, sniffing and exploring.

And then, of course, I took a long nap!

More Information from Cinnamon
WSU Public Art Collection
Cougar Trail Map (don't worry... I didn't see any real cougars)