Friends Landing

Built by a Trout Unlimited board member who wanted to give a newly wheelchair-bound friend a way to enjoy fishing and the outdoors, Friends Landing provides a delightful outing around Quigg Lake, which is stocked with a variety of fish, so it’s good for folks who want to bring a rod and relax, too.

Formerly a gravel pit, the acreage here was donated by the Friend family in 1988 to David Hamilton of Trout Unlimited, who proposed an accessible area for all users. Trout Unlimited supported the project, along with Columbia Pacific RC&D and Grays Harbor County.

Begin from the parking area along Katon Road and walk counterclockwise through a camping area and playground, passing a floating fishing dock and the first of a few interpretive signs. A road on the other side of the Chehalis River provides background noise, but that will fade as the route bends right, turning into a more forested walk as it parallels Quigg Lake and the Chehalis River.

Loop around the west edge of Quigg Lake, crossing a boardwalk that may be slippery in wet weather and a bridge over a wide stream that drains the lake and feeds the Chehalis River. On the north side of the lake, the trail becomes a bit more rugged, with greenery growing closer, and sometimes right over the trail.

Alder, ferns and moss are here, as well as one or two benches for folks who want to sit and contemplate the area. Two spur trails also offer opportunities to get a bit closer to the quiet water before you reach the parking area.