Information about this hike provided in partnership with
Mountaineers Books.
Copyright © Craig Romano/The Mountaineers Books Mima Mounds
Featured In:
Day Hiking: Olympic Peninsula,
by Craig Romano.
A portion of all book sales from the links above benefits WTA and helps protect and maintain our trails. Most visitors to this National Natural Landmark just visit the observation deck and maybe walk the 0.5-mile paved nature loop. But to really appreciate the mysterious nature of the Mima Mounds, take to the trail that loops around this 445-acre preserve. By all means head for the observation deck first to get a look at this bizarre arrangement of "earthen hay bales."Scientists continue to debate the mounds' origins. Was it the thawing and freezing during the last ice age that caused the land to buckle? Or perhaps pocket gophers were at work, having since moved on to haunt golf courses? Walk the paved path for 0.3 mile to find the trailhead for the prairie loop trail. Once on a soft-surface path, head into the heart of the mounds. The surrounding forest has encroached on the prairie-invasive plants too, like the dreaded Scotch broom. The Washington State Department of Natural Resources and volunteers are trying to restore the prairie to the way it appeared when Native peoples periodically set fires to them, keeping the vegetation in check. At 0.65 mile pass an old fence line, a remnant of early farming on the mounds. At 0.75 mile come to a junction, and turn right for the loop. Soon pass another junction, a shorter loop option. Continue right, hiking the periphery of the preserve. Enjoy views of Mounts Rainier and St. Helens towering in the distance. At 2.1 miles close the loop and retrace your steps back to the trailhead. The Mima Mounds are exceptionally beautiful in April and May, when prairie flowers such as blue violet, buttercup, and camas paint them in dazzling colors.
Driving Directions:
From Olympia take I-5 south to exit 95. Follow Maytown Road west for 3 miles to Littlerock. At a stop sign proceed forward (west) on Littlerock Road, which soon turns left (south). Bear right here onto 128th Avenue (signed for the Capitol State Forest). In 0.7 mile come to a T intersection. Turn right onto Waddell Creek Road and drive 0.8 mile. At a sign announcing "Mima Mounds Natural Area,"turn left and reach the trailhead in 0.4 mile. Privy available. Recent Trip Reports
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Mima Mounds
— Feb 02, 2012
— Weluv2hike.
Day hike
Issues:
Blowdowns
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This is a nice short walk. The road to the parking area is a little bit of a mess, but...
This is a nice short walk. The road to the parking area is a little bit of a mess, but drivable.
Day hike
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Finally checked out Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve. Day was suppposed to be showery but was sunny in AM....
Finally checked out Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve. Day was suppposed to be showery but was sunny in AM. Nothing too exciting about this place but a lot of small mounds throughout area. Nobody knows for sure what caused the mounds to form; they can be found in several prairies around the country. Flowers not blooming yet - about a month away. From Interpretive Center a 1/2 mile loop paved path heads south. Unpaved trails head south from the loop several more miles. I walked to the south boundary and back. I got off of the actual trail for awhile but it would be hard to get lost. Several houses and farms adjacent to the Mima Mounds NAR. Fairly quiet as no one else was out on the trails. I didn't see anybody until I was almost back. Will have to check this out again when flowers are out.
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The main parking lot appeared to be almost full when we arrived before noon, due to a large group of...
The main parking lot appeared to be almost full when we arrived before noon, due to a large group of people doing park maintenance (pulling weeds etc). Didn't see a lot of other people, despite the nice weather.
The area was somewhat noisy, thanks to a nearby shooting range and model aircraft field. There appeared to be no flowers blooming yet, so we just did the short loop, which is a pleasant, one mile paved path that meanders through the mounds. Day hike
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Out with a hike with our two boys, 11 and 10, and decided on a couple shorter trails, Mima Mounds...
Out with a hike with our two boys, 11 and 10, and decided on a couple shorter trails, Mima Mounds and McLane Creek. The mounds were cool and the trail was very easy to hike. The radio controlled airpark nearby was a bit loud at the beginning, but as we moved south you couldn't hear it anymore. We'll be coming back to this one when the flowers are in bloom.
Day hike
Features:
Wildflowers blooming
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This is a nice kid-friendly hike through prairies filled with mysterious 6-foot high mounds--scientists don't know if they were formed...
This is a nice kid-friendly hike through prairies filled with mysterious 6-foot high mounds--scientists don't know if they were formed by glacial outwash, earthquakes, or pocket gophers.
We just did the short loop (about a mile) as we had toddlers in tow, but you can hike a longer loop that's a little over 3 miles total. Wildflowers in the prairie are blooming all over right now, including lots of camas. One thing to note: your hike will be punctuated with the sounds of the nearby gun range, but it's completely safe. |
Mima Mounds by Andrew Engelson
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