West Rocky Prairie Wildlife Area

This is a relatively easy lollipop loop through a wildlife area just outside of Olympia. Begin your hike on an old road bed lined with aspen trees and wild blackberries. Enjoy the shade — you’ll be out on the open prairie soon enough. At 0.8 miles, you’ll emerge from the woods and reach your first junction — keep going straight and cross a small ditch that spans the trail and can be filled with relatively deep water during the rainy season. Plan to get your feet wet in the spring and winter! By late summer, this will likely be dry. 

At almost exactly 1 mile, you’ll come upon a 3-way junction that marks the start of the loop. Pause here to read an informational sign about the West Rocky Prairie Wildlife Area before continuing straight through the junction. The trail flattens out noticeably as you make your way around the prairie, and — if you visit in May — there’s a good chance you’ll find abundant wildflowers. 

At approximately 2.2 miles, you’ll hike through an area recently part of a prescribed burn, which the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife uses to maintain the native grassland habitat. At 2.4 and 2.5 miles you’ll encounter two additional junctions — stay left at these junctions to keep on the main loop. At 3 miles, you’ll reach the end of the loop. Turn right here to retrace your steps back to your car.

Seasonal tip: This trail is a great option when higher-elevation routes are snowed in. If you’re planning a trip to the coast, this is also an excellent leg-stretcher on your way to Westport or Ocean Shores.