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A Walk in the Clouds - Tidal Basin Loop

This easy 2.1 mile loop offers natural and cultural treasures. Circling the Tidal Basin, this trail provides views most in accordance with the tradition of hanami (blossom viewing). The puffy white blossoms of the Yoshino cherry trees abound, creating a cloud like effect.   NPSPhoto 1 Japanese Lantern This over 350 year old, ten foot tall granite lantern was dedicated on March 30, 1954, the 100th anniversary of the Commodore Matthew Perry's opening of American trade with Japan.Its twin in Tokyo continues to honor warlord Tokugawa Iemitsu.As a gift to the United States from the Governor of Tokyo, the lantern stands as a symbol of Japanese-American friendship and is lighted during the Cherry Blossom Festival. See the trailside sign for more information.   2. 1912 Plantings Look for the bronze plaque on the rock. It is here that the first cherry trees were planted on March 27, 1912 in a very modest ceremony.First Lady Helen Herron Taft, a key figure in the acquisition of the cherry trees, planted the first while the Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Ambassador of Japan, planted the second.   Photo by Carol Highsmith 3. Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial This may be the most artistically complex of all the memorials due to the narrative use of the waterfalls. As you enjoy this unique setting for viewing the blossoms, also consider how the landscape architect, Lawrence Halprin, actually tells a story simply through the design of the water features. For more detailed information about the memorial, pick up a brochure by the bookstore.   NPSPhoto 4. Japanese Pagoda This granite structure, ca. 1600, was dedicated on April 18th, 1958, a gift to the city of Washington from the Mayor of Yokohama, Japan. In 1957, it arrived as a set of disassembled pieces, packed in five crates, and unfortunately, devoid of any assembly instructions.Specialists from the Smithsonian Institution assembled the pagoda based upon other examples. See the trailside sign for more information about pagodas.   5. Inlet Bridge  Following the disastrous 1881 flood that covered parts of the Mall, the U.S. Corps of Engineers began to dredge the Potomac River in order to improve navigability and reclaim land. The silt and mud placed behind retaining walls created 723.4 acres of new land upon which many of our memorials now stand, including Thomas Jefferson, Lincoln, and World War II. The genesis of Inlet Bridge dates to 1887 when engineers began to install gates at the entrance and exit of a newly formed pond. The gates would allow the pond to fill from the river at high tide, and then empty through the Outlet Bridge into the Washington Channel at low tide. This tidal driven action gives the pond its name, "Tidal Basin." The outflow of water through the channel flushes silt from the marina located there, reducing the need for further dredging. By 1890, the reclaimed land rose above the "high tide" stage and the Tidal Basin gates were completed and tested.   Inlet Bridge Audio Recording   he genesis of Inlet Bridge dates to 1887 when engineers began to install gates at the entrance and exit of a newly formed pond. DURATION: 1 minute, 31 seconds CREDIT / AUTHOR: NPS DATE CREATED: 2015-03-28 Audio Transcript   Carol Highsmith Photo 6. Thomas Jefferson Memorial Started in 1938, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial was completed in 1943, during WWII. Because metals were considered critical to the war effort the original statue was cast in plaster, then painted bronze;the current bronze statue was installed in 1947. To symbolize the war's principles, the original Declaration of Independence was displayed at the dedication ceremony during which President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke of Jefferson, who "faced the fact that men who will not fight for liberty can lose it." The memorial provides an ideal backdrop for the blossoms, which according to Japanese culture are best experienced when a temple compliments the scene.Conversely, the Memorial makes an excellent vantage point for panoramic views. However, the two did not always peacefully co-exist. Construction of the memorial required the destruction of cherry trees already existing on the site. Public outcry about the loss of cherry trees led to a protest at the ground breaking, dubbed the "Cherry Blossom Rebellion."   Thomas Jefferson Memorial Audio Recording   Construction of the memorial required the destruction of cherry trees already existing on the site. Public outcry about the loss of cherry trees led to a protest at the ground breaking, dubbed the "Cherry Blossom Rebellion." DURATION: 1 minute, 10 seconds