My 3 year old is a fan of boardwalks and I decided to go here today as it seemed perfect for a little rainy day hike.

Parking lot was not busy at all as we arrived before 4 PM.

I only planned to do the Twin Barns Loop and a little bit of the Estuary Boardwalk since I wasn't sure if he could walk the whole 5 mile trail without being carried.

He was so excited with the boardwalks and the gulls (there were plenty of them), that we went all the way towards the 'closure gate' of the boardwalk. The last 700 ft of the estuary boardwalk is closed until February 2, 2025 for Waterfowl hunting season, so we didn't get to walk to Puget Sound viewing platform.

We had no luck with seals and bald eagles sighting but we saw many wood ducks, gulls, a few deers and a couple of otters. 

Stats: 4.28 mi Twin Barns Loop + Estuary Boardwalk Trail with a side trip to the Twin Barns. A little over 2 hours. Toddler pace.

Finally checked out this amazing refuge. There were warning signs of wasp activity on the early loops of boardwalk, but these are easily avoided by taking the gravel trail if looking to avoid any encounters. We didn't see any. 

Walked from the lot to the end of the boardwalk which grants sweeping views north to the Nisqually Reach Aquatic Reserve. We saw many herons among other many variety of fowl in the area. Also a deer, a snake, tiny crabs, and multiple sand bars slowly being engulfed in sea water full of clams. 

Look forward to a return visit in the winter to try to see nesting Bald Eagle. Lastly, figured worth a mention those with an America The Beautiful Pass don't need to pay the day fee. 

RT 4.08m/0ft 

This trail is very well maintained and completely flat. It is a great kid hike. It is mostly boardwalk with some wide, flat gravel areas as well. There are lots of blackberry bushes but they ask you only take a few to taste and leave the rest for the animals, as it is a wildlife refuge. One of the rangers asked my 4-year-old to leave his findings - they saw him carrying a leaf, a stick, and a feather and said we had to leave it for the wildlife (To use in nests etc). 

With the rainy weather today we did not have many far-off views due to the rain but the tide was in and there were lots of birds out. Would be a great one to visit again in better weather.

Alway a great time at Nisqually. Make sure when hiking with kids to stop by the shop/info center before you start!

Saw a doe and two fawns, snakes, blue herons, seals, and more!

The trail is in good condition.

This was my first time to the end of the boardwalk. That part of the trail past the barns is a bit boring.  That may have been due to it being low tide.  I did see a harbor seal with a pup