The watchtower is an option for you, if you’re bored and need something to kill time doing. Located right next to the Western Washington University campus, the watch tower is a host to all sorts of people and is a good place to meet someone new. The watchtower is accessible to almost anyone that wants to visit it boasting a paved path to the top from one of the entrances to the Arboretum. Depending on the day, the watchtower has the capability of having one of the best views in Bellingham, but it really depends on the weather and when you decide to visit it. If you’re looking for something to do because you have nothing better to do, the watchtower could be a place for you to go to kill time and get some fresh air.

The watchtower is a good place to go if you have no car and can’t go visit one of the other scenic viewpoints that Bellingham has to offer. The watchtower’s view is one that you need to see on a clear day or else you’re not going to see much due to the ever growing tree’s that surround the watchtower, eating away at what has the ability to be one of the best views Bellingham has to offer. You also may want to plan your trip on a nice day because of the trail leading up to the watchtower. The trail that takes you up to the watchtower can be very slippery and muddy when it rains and if you don’t believe me, you can learn that lesson much like I did, the hard way. Now living in Washington, planning around the rain can be an impossible task, and that’s why there is a paved entrance and path to the watchtower. Though the path is paved, it takes away from the feel of getting away from school and life and just reminds you of where you are.

There are some that will make the argument that the watchtower is the greatest place ever or also even the worst place ever. While most of what these two viewpoints will say to you is whatever you want to hear, they do have certain truths to their arguments. The watchtower does offer an accessible escape for students and the community to use and enjoy, but in order to enjoy it you must plan accordingly and be prepared to fall in some mud if you don’t want to take the out of your way paved path back down. People will also argue that the watchtower has the best view Bellingham has to offer and to those people I only need to say the name of the best view Bellingham has to offer, Oyster Dome. But for students at WWU and the surrounding area, the watchtower is a good alternative to the slightly harder to get to, Oyster Dome. The Bellingham area boasts numerous hikes much like the watchtower and they Oyster Dome, so be careful getting caught up going to the watchtower when there is no much right in our own backyard.

All in all, the watchtower is an average attraction that given the right circumstances, has the potential to be something amazing. The watchtower has the view that you are looking for in a hike, although it’s not a perfect view, it gets the job done and allows you to see most parts of Bellingham and the surrounding area, minus a few trees of course. The watchtower’s accessibility is another reason it remains a popular spot among the WWU students, and a big reason why people still even visit. When the weather has been dry, the trails leading to the watchtower and around it are perfect for day trips into the Arboretum but be careful of the rainy days, the trails get very slick and muddy when it rains! So if you are looking for something to do, and you live in the Bellingham / Whatcom area and it is a nice sunny day out, then watchtower might be a good choice for you to make a visit to.

Citation:

Johnson, Hannah. Lookout. Digital image. The Western Front. Western Washington University, 3 July 2013. Web. 4 Feb. 2016.