Road to the trailhead is good for any vehicle. Small parking area for 10-ish cars, and a single restroom.
This was certainly one of those hikes where after looking at the weather forecast we were glad we drove out anyway. The old saying "if I put my raingear on, it won't rain" was certainly true today, we even had a bit of blue sky! Much better than the blustery winds and downpours we thought we'd see. The trails were in pretty good shape, and we hiked them all except the Madrone Trail. A few places where it was a bit muddy, no problem if wearing footwear with good traction. A few branches from the last windstorms here and there, and the only blowdown was along the Porpoise Point Trail, where the top part of a branchy Doug Fir encroached a little on the path.
The views of the sound were fabulous as always, and although the Olympics were performing the Dance of the Seven Veils we did get a few moments where we could see them in all their snow-covered glory. If you're a fan of Madrona trees, these trails have them in all shapes and sizes, and in abundance. The contorted trunks and branches are really interesting, and the glorious colors in their peeling bark are a welcome bright spot in our gray January days.
Lots of wildlife today- red-wing blackbirds singing away at the pond, 4 porpoises feeding around Porpoise Point, multitudes of eagles and ducks, and a rough-skinned newt who was so well camouflaged crossing the trail he was almost a victim of my hiking boot. It's newt breeding season, and the males are coming out and looking around for the females. If you find one of these cute little guys on the trail and (like me) pick it up to move it to a safer location, be sure to wash your hands well afterwards. This type of newt will release a toxic liquid from its skin as a self-defense mechanism if handled roughly.
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