Nice easy stroll, peaceful and right off the freeway — easy stop between Seattle and Olympia. It wasn’t crowded on a Friday afternoon. Folks in the visitors center were super helpful & you can borrow binoculars for free! Really cool walking the long boardwalk over the Sound. Saw lots of ducks, sandpipers (?) & a bald eagle. We did 4 miles. 

Trail was in good condition, freshwater levels the lowest we've seen out here. We watched a heron catch a frog for breakfast just outside the visitor center, and mallard ducks were going nuts in the duckweed farther along the trail. We watched a deer just walk right across what is usually all water, grazing happily. Lots of ripe berries (don't worry, we left them for the wildlife) along the trail. Nisqually river is super low and SO still this morning, and a pretty light blue color that we read is caused by "glacial milk" (super fine sediment).

On this beautiful sunny day, we enjoyed our first outing since the end of May. Bob had health issues which kept us home vicariously enjoying the wildflowers and many reports from fellow hikers. We did the Twin Barns Loop and Observation Platform, Nisqually River Overlook and Riparian Forest Overlook. It was not a "birdy" day and we had never seen so little water along the The Twin Barns Loop. We saw a few mallards, a killdeer, 3 deer, 1 heron, a few frogs and turtles. I included a link describing the Nisqually Watershed Festival which is a week from tomorrow, 9-30. There will be not parking at the refuge itself. People will be bused from the Hawks Prairie Park-n-Ride. 

I’m not sure how I’ve lived in the area my whole life and didn’t know this was here. Went at 10am on a Monday and it was moderately busy with parking lot half way full. Beautiful sites, wildlife was out and boardwalk in good condition. 

We walked the boardwalk loop from the Norm Dicks Visitor Center. It was warm and beautiful. The boardwalk is in great condition. It was busy but not crowded. We'll definitely be back for more extensive exploration.