Nisqually NWR

We last visited the NWR in December 2011 and left wanting to return during the spring months and today was a great day to do so! We were a little pressed for time today so we decided to try the Twin Barns Loop Trail (about 1 mile) and we ended up walking a bit of the Nisqually Estuary Trail as well. The Twin Barns Loop Trail is largely boardwalk and features side trails to a couple of viewpoints, including a nice view of the Nisqually River as it churns out to Puget Sound. There are some benches along the route that provide places to stop, snack, and observe everything that is going on around you.

We saw a large variety of birds today, including some swallows near the visitor center, quite a few Canadian geese, and a large hawk near the Twin Barns viewing platform. We also saw some field mice and a couple of large racoons foraging through the park. A pair of binoculars is helpful to have here and I believe they are available to rent in the visitors center.

Brochures with a trail map are available at the park but in case you want to see one before you go, here is the link: http://www.fws.gov/[…]/Nisqually%20Brochure%204.12.11.pdf