Lake Padden a beacon for people who love fun, nature

If you ask someone in Bellingham to join you for a 2.6-mile walk, the odds are good they’ll know what location you’re talking about.

The trail that loops around Lake Padden is a popular place to walk, jog or run anytime of the year. And that just begins to tap the activities that attract people to Bellingham’s Lake Padden Park.

Each Jan. 1, hundreds of hardy people go there to welcome the new year by jumping into the Padden’s chilly winter waters. Other times, people come to the lake to walk their dog, bicycle, play baseball, swim, picnic, fish, kayak, bird-watch, compete in events, including the Junior Ski to Sea Race, or play nine to 18 holes at nearby Lake Padden Golf Course.