Spend a couple of hours or all day exploring a wildlife-rich estuary at the farthest reaches of fjordlike Hood Canal. Let eagles, osprey, herons, otters, and deer captivate you on this hike through grassy wetlands and along the Union River.

Among the many legacies that Sam and Mary Theler left the town of Belfair was land for a Masonic Lodge, church, and school. Out of the 70 acres deeded to the North Mason School District arose the Mary E. Theler Wetlands Nature Preserve. Serving an educational role for area school children, the wetlands have also become the area's prime hiking destination.

Start your visit by passing under the welcome arch and proceeding 0.25 mile to the Wetlands Project Center. If it's open, take time to visit to gain a better appreciation and understanding of the complex ecosystem you are about to explore. Children-heck, adults too-will appreciate the hands-on exhibits.

Several trails radiate from the Wetlands Project Center. All are pleasurable to walk and are wheelchair-accessible. The Sweetwater Creek and Alder Creek Trails make 0.25-mile loops. The South Tidal Marsh Trail extends 0.25 mile onto a boardwalk into Hood Canal. It's ideally positioned for spotting birds among the grasses and reeds and for viewing the Olympic Mountains in the background.

The Union River Estuary Trail offers the longest and best hike in the preserve. Along an old dike the trail elbows across open wetlands-tidal marsh on the left, freshwater marsh on the right. Through a tunnel of shrubs and along active farmland, the trail makes a beeline for the mouth of the Union River. In 0.5 mile you'll reach the river.

The trail then turns right (northeast) to hug this nutrient-rich waterway for one more mile. Just beyond the 1-mile mark is a small picnic area and restroom. At the trail's terminus are two short spurs-the one left leads to the river's edge for prime waterfowl and salmon-spawning viewing. Return to the Theler Wetlands at different times of the year to fully appreciate the life cycles at work in this ecologically important preserve.