Chehalis Western Trail

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Chehalis Western Trail
Chehalis Western Trail south of Olympia (6111056617).jpg
Trail marker of the Chehalis Western Trail
Length22 miles (35 km)
LocationThurston County, Washington
Trailheads Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area to Yelm–Rainier–Tenino Trail
UseWalking, Hiking, Biking
Grade Flat
DifficultyEasy to moderate
Sights Monarch Contemporary Art Center and Sculpture Park
Hazards Multiple crossings of roadways
Surface Paved, mostly wheelchair accessible
Maintained byThurston County Public Works
Website Thurston County Trails

The Chehalis Western Trail is a rail trail in Thurston County, Washington, and is the longest shared-use path in the region. It occupies an abandoned railroad corridor that was once used by the historic Weyerhaeuser-owned Chehalis Western Railroad. The rail line was converted to a bicycle and walking trail and intersects with the 14.5-mile (23.3 km) Yelm–Rainier–Tenino Trail and the 4.7-mile (7.6 km) Karen Fraser Woodland Trail. [1]

Contents

History

The rail line was used by the Weyerhaeuser company for approximately 60 years to haul timber logs into the Puget Sound region. [2] In order for the trail to be fully rideable, three bridge crossings in the Olympia and Lacey area were completed between 2007 and 2014. [3]

Route

The trail, also known under the name Woodland Bay Trail, [2] is the longest in the county. It is approximately 22 miles (35 km) in length [a] and begins at the Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area and runs mostly south to southeast towards its terminus at the intersection of the Yelm-Rainier-Tenino Trail. [3] [4] The course connects via a roundabout to the Karen Fraser Woodland Trail. [2] The trail passes through several cities and communities including, Olympia, South Bay, Lacey, East Olympia, and Skookumchuck. [5]

The trail is flat and is listed as easy to moderate. [2] It is wheelchair accessible for most of its length and there are several dozen trailhead and access points. It is open year-round but the Woodard Bay trailhead is closed in some years to protect nesting herons at the conservation area. [4]

Ecology

The Chehalis Western Trail passes through a variety of landscapes, including prairies, farm and ranch lands, ponds, and dense forests of cedar, fir, and maple. [4] The Woodard Bay conservation area is home to a large heron colony and visitors can spot bald eagles, a diverse array of songbirds, various bat species, and several types of aquatic animals such as otters and seals. [4]

Public art and attractions

Near the intersection with the Yelm–Rainier–Tenino Trail, the Chehalis Western Trail passes through the Monarch Contemporary Art Center and Sculpture Park. [6] Users of the path have access to 170 acres (69 ha) of parks and the trail parallels the Deschutes River, including a 2-mile (3.2 km) stretch that allows direct views and access to the river. [4] [2]

In May 2023, a bench on the trail was dedicated to Bronka Sundstrom (Czyzyk), a survivor of the Holocaust who became the oldest person, at age 77 in 2002, to climb Mt. Rainier. Given the moniker "The Lady of the Mountain" for her history at Mount Rainier National Park, she was an avid hiker of the Chehalis Western after she had retired to a nearby community. [7]

Future plans

An expansion of the southern terminus of the trail to connect to the community of Vail was proposed in 2022; it would add over 3 miles (4.8 km) to the course. [8]

Notes

  1. ↑ Differing accounts list the length of the trail as 21.5, 22, and 24 miles. [2] [3] [4]

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State Route 510 (SR 510) is a state highway in Thurston County, Washington. The 13 miles (20.9 km) long highway extends southeast from an interchange with Interstate 5 (I-5) in Lacey to SR 507 in Yelm. SR 510 roughly parallels the Nisqually River, the border between Thurston and Pierce counties, between the Fort Lewis and Nisqually Indian Community area to Yelm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area</span> Natural reserve in Olympia, Washington, US

Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area is a natural reserve in Olympia, Washington, protected under the Washington Natural Areas Program. Once an important processing facility for the logging industry, it has been designated as the Weyerhaeuser South Bay Log Dump Rural Historic Landscape. Today the area is a renowned sanctuary for a variety of birds, harbor seals, river otters, bald eagles, and a colony of bats, as well as serving as an important great blue heron rookery. A recent conservation program in the area between the State of Washington and the Nature Conservancy is the first of its kind in the country.

The Chehalis Western Railroad was the name of two different shortline railroads that were owned and operated by Weyerhaeuser in Washington state between 1936 and 1993. The first Chehalis Western, which existed from 1936 until 1975, was a shortline Class III railroad, while the second one, which existed from 1981 until 1993, was a private railroad that operated on a different set of lines that Weyerhaeuser had later acquired.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monarch Contemporary Art Center and Sculpture Park</span> Sculpture park in Thurston County, Washington

Monarch Contemporary Art Center and Sculpture Park is a free, outdoor art gallery located along the Chehalis Western Trail near Tenino, in southern Thurston County, Washington. Opened in 1998 by sculptor Myrna Orsini, the 5-acre (2.0 ha) park features sculpture gardens. Under threat of closures in the 2010s, the grounds are considered a primitive park.

Henderson Inlet is a small, southern inlet of Puget Sound, Washington state, situated between Budd Inlet to the west and Nisqually Reach to the east. It is located in Thurston County, and the nearest city is Olympia, the state capital. Henderson Inlet was named in 1841 by Charles Wilkes, commander of the United States Exploring Expedition, after James Henderson, who served as quartermaster. A variant name is "South Bay".

The Karen Fraser Woodland Trail is a 4.7-mile (7.6 km) paved rail trail in Thurston County, Washington that connects the cities of Olympia and Lacey along the abandoned Burlington Northern corridor. The trail opened in 2007 and connects with the Chehalis Western Trail at the border between the two cities. The Olympia trailhead features a sustainably designed shelter and restroom with a living roof and a rain garden and parts of the trail run alongside Indian Creek.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mud Bay Logging Company</span>

Mud Bay Logging Company was a 20th-century logging company based in Olympia, Washington. The company was established in 1899 as Western Washington Logging Company by Mark Draham, who had previously established Mason County Logging Company. The name changed to Mud Bay Logging Company in 1910. The company was disestablished in 1941.

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References

  1. ↑ "Washington State Tour Planning and Bicycling Maps". Collection of maps and resources. WSDOT. 2006. Archived from the original (Web and PDF) on 2007-08-06. Retrieved 2007-07-03.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Clark, Brian E. (April 10, 2017). "Wild or mild, these bike rides are among the best in the West (and Iowa)". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 Hill, Craig (December 9, 2014). "Chehalis Western Trail's Pacific Avenue bridge to be dedicated Saturday". The News Tribune (Tacoma). Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Vinh, Tan (February 26, 2015). "Hike of the Month: Barns, birds along wheelchair-friendly rail trail". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Chehalis Western Trail, Washington". Walk Ride USA. Retrieved 2019-05-05.
  6. ↑ Pucci, Carol (August 23, 2018). "A sweet slice of small-town Western Washington in Tenino". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  7. ↑ Scruggs, Gregory (November 30, 2023). "Bronka Sundstrom, Holocaust survivor and avid hiker, dies at 98". The Seattle Times. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  8. ↑ Milbao, Martin (September 20, 2022). "Thurston County Officials Consider Developing, Extending Trails". The Chronicle. Retrieved August 31, 2023.

46°53′10″N122°44′40″W / 46.88611°N 122.74444°W / 46.88611; -122.74444

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