Bloedel Reserve trail

Location: Bainbridge Island.

Length: Several miles of trails.

Level of difficulty: Flat to moderately sloping, well-manicured paths. Paved service roads offer good accessibility; two free wheelchairs available (call to reserve).

Setting: Though located across the Sound from Seattle, this area was once closely tied to the University of Washington. Timber from this site helped build UW's first structures and its sale helped pay for land in Seattle. The reserve is the former estate of Prentice and Virginia Bloedel. The Bloedels focused on preserving the site's natural beauty. More than 80 acres of the estate are blanketed by a native forest of Douglas firs, Western red cedars and Western hemlocks. Woven among the forests are beautifully and loosely landscaped features, including ponds, meadows, unusual gardens and a formal reflection pool.

Highlights: Any time of year is a fine time to visit the reserve, but its wealth of non-native trees offers fall foliage almost unmatched in the Puget Sound area. For golden yellows, tulip trees stand near the gate house, and the meadow features dozens of quaking aspens, while katsura trees can be found near the visitor center and across the drive from the moss garden. For fiery reds and oranges, kousa dogwoods and several types of maples, including Japanese, fern-leaf and vine, are spread throughout the grounds. A Persian ironwood tree located near the middle pond features reds, oranges, yellows and purples, sometimes all at once. Excellent booklets on the reserve's trees and birds are available (suggested donation of $2 each). For more information, call 206-842-7631 or check out the Web site at bloedelreserve.org.

Facilities: Restrooms and water fountains at the visitor center and gate house.

Restrictions: Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday (except federal holidays) year-round by reservation only (call 206-842-7631). Admission fees: $6 general admission; $4 children 5-12 and adults older than 65; children younger than 5 admitted free. No pets (except for guide dogs), bicycles or picnicking.

Directions: Take the Bainbridge Island ferry to Winslow and head north on Highway 305 from the ferry dock. Just before the Agate Pass Bridge, make a right on Northeast Agatewood Road. The reserve is at the end of the road before it curves left to become Agate Point Road.

Cathy McDonald is coauthor with Stephen Whitney of "Nature Walks In and Around Seattle," with photographs by James Hendrickson (The Mountaineers, second edition, 1997).