Simpson Timber Railroad abandon grade. — Monday, Jun. 30, 2003

Over the past couple of months the Simpson Timber Company quietly had a contractor remove all the rails and ties from the 20 westward most miles that had remained from a once busy logging railroad (It still operates the lower ten miles). What is left is a new opportunity to hike in a flat, isolated foothills country on a recently converted rail-trail in Mason County. Some of the trail is in woods, but a lot is in open country that has been logged over the past decade and more. Start by parking at the Stoner Road off Shelton Matlock Road. This is just past the 11 mile highway marker. Cut across to the old railbed to begin your hike. From here you can wander as long as the Matlock Community, where you might plan on leaving a second car to return. That would be an eight mile walk. Matlock is also a good starting or mid-way point, the Beeville road meets the old railway at a former crossing about one mile north of the store. Again consult a map to make a planned return by car if you don't want to without double back on the trail. The outer twelve miles of trail pass through historic logging country. Near the West Ford road is small, pretty Truman Glick County Park. Some marshes and forest and creeks, a couple of high bridge river crossings (Canyon and West Satsop). The end at the 31 mile mark for the old rail line is a log transfer site near the Wynoochee River road in Grays Harbor County. Carry water and you might want to avoid hot days. I hiked it over a couple days this past May. I live in Matlock so it was easy for me to be dropped off at each end and then make my way back home.