Manhattan Project National Historical Park Offering Unique Bike and Hike Programs

Enjoy the fall weather and learn some history at the Manhattan Project National Historical Park via unique programs.

Participants in the Manhattan Project National Historical Park program learn about the many chapters of human history in the Tri-Cities area on the Hike Through Time program. / Mandatory Credit - NPS/Zimmerman

In Richland, Washington the Manhattan Project National Historical Park is located. The area has an incredibly rich history dating back well before Hanford Engineer Works had laboratories there producing plutonium along the Columbia River.

While the production of plutonium has ceased, this is the only nuclear plant that is active in the northwest of the United States. Anyone who wants to take an adventure to learn about that and what called Richland home before that will have the opportunity to.

Manhattan Project National Historical Park will be hosting unique programs this fall that will provide people the chance to bike and hike, learning about the history of the area on guided tours.

Ride with a Ranger is the name of the program, as the park has teamed with Big Tri-Cities and the REACH museum to make this happen.

On September 28th from 9:30 a.m. through 12:30 p.m. the first program will be held. This is a free event, but registration is require to participate.

Participants will be on a ranger-led adventure with REACH museum employees on a 13-mile round trip ride that begins at Green Bridge Historical Marker. From there, they will travel via bike along the Sacajawea Heritage Trail and through Columbia Park to REACH.

“There will be two stops along the route for presentations. At the REACH, participants will have the opportunity to attend programs about the Manhattan Project and explore indoor and outdoor exhibits,” per the National Park Service release.

The second program will be held the following weekend on October 5th from 12 p.m. through 2:30 p.m. Also free of charge with no registration required, this trek will be a 3.6-mile round-trip hike up Candy Mountain.

Several stops will be made as rangers will share historic stories about what helped shape the area.

“Hikers will move forward in time as the stops progress from the Ice Age Floods to the Manhattan Project and its legacies. Topics will include the Native Peoples who have lived here since time immemorial, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the arrival of Christian missionaries, and the selection of Hanford for plutonium production during World War II,” per the release.

Anyone participating needs to plan accordingly. Make sure you have water and snacks and the appropriate attire for the weather on the days of the events.

“Fall is the perfect time to get outside and enjoy the wonderful weather and fall colors while learning about our local history that continues to have a global influence,” said Hanford Unit Site Manager Becky Burghart.