A year ago today we saw 2 baby great horned owls in a tree here. I found out from ebirds.org that this year there are 3 babies in a tree not far from last year's location. This place is great for birds and all kinds of animals and provides a great location year round for all to see. I highly recommend it. Bring the family see the birds in the area, walk the boardwalk trail past twin barns it's on the straight away you will see 2 snags on the right side one has a nice hole where the babies are living. There's usually a group of people pointing and taking photos. They are all snuggled up together and times had their eyes all open. So fun to watch. It's all up to nature when they will be strong enough to fly off.

We enjoyed the marvelous 4 mile walk through the Nisqually delta, including the mile long boardwalk over the mud. The refuge is a regional treasure and a wonderful spot for bird watching. The day was hazy, cool, with warm fall colors. Saw some blue herons and spoonbill ducks. Don't miss this great lowland winter walk.

What a perfect hike for small children! Our three-year-old made it all the way out to the end of the pier/boardwalk. The baby was in the pack, but this trail was made for a durable stroller. I'd recommend packing plenty of water and sunscreen if its warm, windproof clothes if its cold, and LOTS of pit-stop snacks. No dogs are allowed anywhere in the refuge. Fee is $3. Visitor center open Wednesday through Sunday.

Our son (Boston area) and daughter (Indianapolis) and their family were with us for 10 days to help us celebrate our 50th Anniversary. Time did not allow for our usual camping and hiking trip so we brought them here for a short walk on the boardwalk. We had never been here in the summer. There were very few birds which was disappointing, but it was a fun walk with family. Heron, a kingfisher, 2 eagles, mallards, geese, and a few shorebirds were seen.

We couldn't find it at first. The directions say to get off on exit 114 and follow the signs to the Nisqually NWR, but we never saw any signs. There are only three different ways you can go from the off ramp and of course we chose the wrong way twice before finally finding the right road. It will feel like you're just going to just get right back on the freeway, but you will actually come to a 'T' in the road where you can't go straight and can only go left or right. Left will put you back on the freeway. Right will take you to the reserve (and its here that we saw our first sign for the place). Nice flat hike over water, wetlands and mudflats. Parts of it are on a boardwalk and parts are a traditional trail. My favorite part is the board walk that goes out over the mudflats towards the water. Easy hike!