Satsop Lakes Via Church Creek In Olympic National Forest
Church Creek Trail is named after Frederic Church, a member of an 1890 expedition across the Olympics. This trail offers a lightly traveled route through old-growth forests with majestic trees.
Pine Lake In The Olympic National Forest
Pine Lake is surrounded by old-growth forest, despite being in a previously heavily logged area. An old logging road now serves as a quiet hiking trail to the lake, often free of crowds.
Spider Lake In The Olympic National Forest
Spider Lake is a narrow lake in a valley with old, tall trees. The trail around the lake used to be longer with ancient trees, but most were cut down. Now, the trail is shorter but has been fixed up, and the trees on the hills are growing back.
Schafer Forest Trail At Schafer State Park
Schafer State Park is located on the East Fork Satsop River in the far southwest of Mason County. Despite being away from cities, it was active starting in 1872 when the Schafer Family from Wisconsin settled here. Their sons Peter, Albert, and Hubert began logging in the 1890s.
Lake Isabella State Park
This park was once a farm by Lake Isabella in Washington. It has over 4 miles of trails through pastures, orchards, and woods. You’ll see deer around the 182-acre property. Delight Park Road cuts through the middle of the park.
Bayshore Preserve
The Bayshore Preserve is on a small land in Oakland Bay. It used to be a golf course but has been restored to its natural state by the Capitol Land Trust, Squaxin Island Tribe, and other partners. The preserve is crucial for wildlife and has cultural significance as it used to be a Squaxin Island Tribe village with a large longhouse.
McMicken Island
McMicken Island in Case Inlet can be reached without a bridge or ferry. During low tide, a sandbar appears, connecting the island to the mainland. You can hike the island's half-mile trail, picnic in a small meadow, and explore its rocky intertidal zone. But watch out for rising tides to avoid getting stuck.
Twanoh Creek Loop At Twanoh State Park
Known for its expansive beach on Hood Canal, which boasts some of Washington's warmest salt water. Visitors mainly head to the beach or campground, so the park's trails are often peaceful. Find the trail start near a group of rhododendron bushes. The path runs alongside Twanoh Creek, leading to a delta on the beach. It eventually reaches a crossroads.
Mary E. Theler Wetlands Nature Preserve
Explore Theler Wetlands at Hood Canal's edge, where the Union River meets the fjord, providing a diverse wildlife habitat. The preserve, alongside a nearby Washington DFW area, safeguards hundreds of acres supporting various animals. Walk on bridges and boardwalks to see many birds and mammals, such as eagles, ospreys, herons, swallows, deer, coyotes, and otters, along the three-mile trail.