i went in the early am and first walked through the initial marshy area which was enjoyable as the outdoor vibe was there but unfortunately along with the always present roar of i5. one of the constants of much of my walks/hikes in this area is i5, i really need to start backcountry hiking. oh well next year i guess. i eventually got on the nisqually estuary boardwalk trail and i have to say this was a treat to be walking over the estuary itself for about a mile. there were a couple of stops with informational markers that i appreciated about the wildlife and history. along the walk there were plenty of wildlife such as seagulls, ducks, herons, and assorted other birds. at this point i5 noise became irrelevant, the immediate environment was so satisfyingly cool, i loved it. i walked to the current end of this boardwalk; the actual final part of the trail was closed for the season due to it being waterfowl hunting season, i tried explaining that it was actually rabbit season but no one was there to hear me...
after i tore myself away from that boardwalk i did walk the rest of the trails here and loved them as well. i found it interesting that as soon as i walked into the forested areas i felt a different kind of immersion; out over the estuary i felt the openness of my surroundings but in the woods i felt the comfort of nearby greenery that was a different feeling of immersion. overall i walked about 4.5 miles, other than the boardwalks the gravel trails were nice, soft, and level. very family friendly as dogs/bikers/joggers are not allowed. there is also a childrens nature explore area that probably is a lot more fun when there are organized tours but still something to see.
the visitor center is closed due to you know what, and the payment system appears to be on the honor system.
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