We scurried away from the heat and headed toward the coast.

First stop- Willapa Hills trail.  We decided to hit the far West section of the trail for a quick 10 mile out and back near Raymond, WA.  We did this by bike so it wasn't a "hike" but we are still able to report on trail conditions. 

The section of trail we did was mostly paved and flat with a few short spans of small gravel, that would be suitable for all ages and abilities.

Scenery included the metal art of the "Raymond Wildlife Heritage Sculptures Corridor".  Just as we rode past a metal deer in this area, an actual deer bounded out of the trees and onto the trail in front of us then continued up the trail until it finally bounded back into the trees.  

Next, we headed to Long Beach. Temps in the low 90s as we approached.  We parked at Beards Hollow (77 degrees), pleasantly surprised to find parking since we didn't arrive until 12:45pm, and rode North on the paved Discovery trail.  It's a slight downhill grade as you leave the parking lot toward the shore. A minute or two into the ride an "uphill" e-biker, was craning her neck back, talking to her group when she came veering right at me. Fortunately, she looked up just in time to correct her course and avoid contact, apologizing as she did so.

The e-bike rental business is clearly doing well, so many buzzed passed us. A 100% increase (from zero), since we were last here. With the rolling terrain, blind corners, and the speed of e-bikes, a bit of caution goes a long way in avoiding a day-ruining encounter. 

We rode a bit then spent some time on the beach soaking in the scenery including a bald eagle on one of the eagle perches they have set up along the shore. We continued our ride North to the main part of Long Beach before heading back the way we came. 

Final stop- Fort Columbia SP.  This was not a planned stop, just saw the sign as we headed toward home and decided to check it out.  Its hilltop location is perfect for the batteries.  A group with several children were having a blast exploring the grounds.  There are also historic buildings on site, two of which can be rented for overnight stays.

We survived the heat, mainly at Long Beach as it didn't take much distance inland before we were back in the heat.  Overall great day on paved trails and the sand.

I just got a gravel bike and I’ve been practicing with it on the Willipa Hills Trail. I rode from Pe Ell to the west about 10 miles to where the trail was closed a few weeks ago. The trail was in okay condition for cycling but a bit overgrown with grass at times.  I have hiked many times on sections east of Pe Ell so I am familiar with the trail there.
On this outing I drove to Raymond and rode east to see what the trail was like on the less developed sections. About four miles from Raymond the trail is blocked because of a bridge wash out. There is a path down to the road and a very short ride around this obstacle. I rode about five miles beyond and the trail continues to be in okay condition for riding. Grass has been mowed in some sections of the trail. 

This was an interesting outing - my hike was organized by a company that offers the opportunity to experience the trail with a llama as a walking companion, you can pay to have your own, or split the cost and share with a buddy. We started at the Adna trailhead, where there was ample parking, and a decent restroom to use before we embarked on our journey.

Because of the limitations of our animal companions, we only made it a couple miles along the trail, but it was easy going with a flat, easy path that was very well maintained. A little ways in we were able to observe a herd of sheep on some farmland below, and further beyond that we also saw some grazing cows.

Had to step aside on our return trek to make way for a couple on horseback - we were told by the riders that their horses "hated" llamas, so we wanted to be respectful and avoid any conflicts between the animals.

Definitely would like to return and do some more exploration without animal companions. And if you're doing a day trek - I highly recommend popping over to nearby Centralia for post-hike refueling - my friend and I had lunch at a spot called The Juice Box Public House, which we both really enjoyed!

We have been section hiking the Willapa Hills Trail over the past 5 years. This latest hike took us from the Pe Ell Trailhead almost to the summit of the Willapa Hills and back. We hiked 10.6 miles round trip.

The Pe Ell Trailhead is located in a park a block from downtown Pe Ell which is anchored by a grocery store. The trailhead has paved parking, restrooms, picnic tables, benches, and water for humans and horses. Unfortunately, in mid-November the water was turned off and the restrooms were locked. It would be nice if Washington State Parks provided a porta-potty during the off-season.

We hiked west from the trailhead under fog and 34 degrees temperature. The first mile took us through the suburbs of Pe Ell to a bridge across the Chehalis River. At 76 feet, it is the highest bridge on the trail. Like all the bridges we encountered, the former railroad trestle was decked with concrete and had railings along the sides. The bridge provided great views up- and down-stream along the Chehalis River.

We continued on, now in the countryside, passing farms. Soon we were walking along Rock Creek, which provided delightful trailside views of rapids, mini-waterfalls, and pools reflecting the fall colors of the streamside maples. We saw a pair of water-loving American Dippers foraging in Rock Creek.

Much of our hike was away from State Route 6, the highway between Chehalis and Raymond, so it had a wild feeling.

About 2 miles into the hike, the trail took us next to SR 6, the state highway between Chehalis and Raymond, for about 1/3 mile. We passed a building that appeared to be a former school and now had three large, aggressive German Shepherds contained by a flimsy-looking fence. We hustled on by and soon left the highway behind to again follow the bank of Rock Creek.

At about 3.5 miles, the fog quickly evaporated to reveal blue sky and sunshine as the trail passed under SR 6 and swapped sides of Rock Creek. We walked through woodlands and past the occasional farm or rural residence.

At about 4.25 miles we reached the unmarked boundary between Lewis and Pacific counties. We found an open, sunny spot for lunch along the trail. We were buffered from the sight and sounds of SR 6 by a high bank.

After lunch, we crossed Walville Creek Road and the trail tread became more like walking on a gravel road with a line of vegetation down the middle. According to the State Park map, we were now on the undeveloped portion of the trail.

Unfortunately, we had not realized we were walking past the Walville Japanese Cemetery, so that is something to check out on a future hike. Walville had once been a lumber town in the Willapa Hills, named for the Walworth and Neville Lumber Company in 1903.The town began in 1898 and folded in 1930 when the forested hills were denuded.

Using Japanese millhands on the nightshift, the Wallville mill has 74 Japanese workers in 1909. The town consisted of shacks, bunkhouses, mill office-store, school, and several houses for the mill bosses. The Japanese "town" was on the opposite side of Rock Creek from Walville; all that remains is the Japanese Cemetery with nine marked graves inside a fence. Walville was considered a sort of haven for Japanese workers who were under much persecution in the early 20th century.

Walville has a rich history as the birth of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) labor union in the Pacific Northwest timber industry. IWW members were commonly called "Wobblies." One of the IWW's most important contributions to the labor movement and broader push towards social justice was that, when founded, it was the only American union to welcome all workers, including women, immigrants, African Americans and Asians, into the same organization. In the Pacific Northwest, the IWW organized the Lumber Workers' Industrial Union (LWIU); the IWW lumber strike of 1917 led to the eight-hour work day and vastly improved working conditions.

Hopefully, future Willapa Hills State Park Trail development will include interpretive signs about the history of places along the trail.

After lunch, we walked another 1.5 miles to the final bridge over Rock Creek. We had another 1.5 miles to go to reach the summit of the Willapa Hills but that would mean getting back to the trailhead after dark, so we turned around.

I recommend the Willapa Hills Trail Annotated Map as the source for the best information about trail conditions and points of interest along the way. 

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1SGnPkL65IFKWt58_zLHju-XIOzM&hl=en_US&ll=46.54766033922398%2C-123.36588605807492&z=15

   There was construction at the Chelalis TH, so we started at Adna. There is a nice, clean outhouse at the large parking lot. The end of the parking lot is a large cul de sac for trucks with horse trailers to turn around. Discover Pass needed.  The first part of the trail is asphalt. That part was all in sun. After crossing Bunker Creek Rd, the trail is smooth packed gravel and mostly shaded by tall trees. Lots of ripe blackberries.  Several apple trees along the trail, but not ripe yet. There were a few horses, several bicycles, and occasional other hikers on the trail. It is nice and wide so there is space for all.