Leadbetter Point State Park - Dune Forest Loop, Willapa National Wildlife Refuge - Leadbetter Point — Friday, Apr. 28, 2023

It’s been 14 years since I was last on this trail, so we decided to check out Leadbetter State Park/Leadbetter point. We started at the main parking area at the end of the road. The road has a few potholes areas that need to be taken very slowly. Pit toilet at trailhead. We started on the green trail (bay loop), it starts in the forest and then goes along the beach for about half a mile. Then we went on the yellow trail (bear berry trail). Here is where you make your decision to wade through the water or turn around. The trail is flooded for about a mile. You’ll wade through water for about a 100 feet or so, then come to a dry spot, then wade again for another 100 feet. I’m 5’4 and the highest point went mid thigh. It went knee high in spots on my husband, and almost hip deep on my daughter. We thought the adventure was fun, especially with it already being 70 degrees. Then you come out to the dunes, and you’ll see the closure areas for the snowy plovers, which we saw lots of! We also saw lots of sand dollars on the beach. Take the blue trail (beach trail) for a half a mile before heading back along the weather beach trail which has more wading through water. Then you’ll come to the red trail (dune forest trail.) it was bone dry. And we looped back to the car instead of taking the dune forest loop. Hiked a little over 4 miles. Wild strawberries, scotch broom, evergreen blueberries, and salal is blooming. Looks like false lily of the valley will be blooming any day. We saw sand pipers, snowy plovers, a bald eagle and a deer. Also bear tracks and scat.