WASHINGTON-Generally, when one is told to 'take a hike,' the tone is less than friendly. Still, Washington State Parks uses the phrase literally and has effectively changed its connotation from insult to invitation. If getting to a state park isn't possible due to restrictions to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus and its newest mutations, fear not. Rangers from all over Washington State are furthering their digital reach by taking viewers on hikes via their YouTube channel.

As a research tool, these videos document plant and animal species in a particular area during a specific...