By Laurie O’Brien
Armed only with a bottle of water and my trusty camera, I recently ventured out to take a hike in the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, a spot I hadn’t visited in over ten years. What a gem we have right here in Thurston County. There are countless opportunities for nature lovers at the Refuge: hiking, wildlife observation and photography, and environmental education are available year round, and parts of the Refuge are closed seasonally to allow waterfowl hunting.
The Refuge sees approximately 200,000 visitors per year with the heaviest months being April through July. On the sunny day I chose to visit, I ran into fellow photographers, young parents with toddlers and strollers, people using wheelchairs and other walking aids, and groups of school-aged children being led on nature hikes by volunteer naturalists. All were taking advantage of the four miles of accessible trails. An easily navigated boardwalk takes visitors all the way from the parking lot to the northwest corner of the Nisqually River delta, near the mouth of McAllister Creek. Additional raised trails and accessible paths with signs identifying habitat and wildlife wind through the rest of the Refuge.
Created in 1974, the Nisqually NWR is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. After nearly a century of diverted water flow, hundreds of acres of land were reclaimed in 2009 with the removal of the Brown Farm Dike. Already teeming with wildlife, the Nisqually NWR is now one step closer to returning to the natural estuary it was before the farm was built.
Today, four distinct native habitats – estuary, riparian, freshwater wetlands, and mixed forest- can be identified in the Refuge. Each plays host to hundreds of different species of fish, reptiles, amphibians, mammals and other wildlife. Countless migratory birds can be spotted at various times throughout the year, and on any given day, visitors can spot animals ranging in size from the tiniest shrew crossing a trail to the occasional whale out in the Sound. A complete photo set from the Refuge can be found here.
One of the secrets of the Nisqually NWR is the number of educational and recreational programs offered to the public.
Free Lecture Series
Wednesday evenings starting July 11 and running through August 29, 2012
All lectures begin at 7:00 p.m. and are held at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center auditorium. Lectures last approximately one hour and are followed by a question and answer session. Attendance is limited to 100 people. Seating starts at 6:00 p.m. and is on a first-come first-served basis.
The entrance fee is waived for those attending the lectures. On lecture nights, the Visitor Center is open until 7:00 p.m. and again after the lecture.
Please check the Refuge website for specific subjects and dates.
Free Weekend Programming
Led by volunteers and staff naturalists, most classes and lectures are aimed at adults and mature teens. Please check the Refuge website for specific course dates and times.
Environmental Education
During the school year, approximately 5,000 students from all over western Washington take advantage of the education programs offered by the Refuge. There are programs designed for elementary through high school aged students. Often college and graduate programs will take advantage of the outdoor resources available at the Refuge for advanced course work.
Because the education programs are so popular, group reservations are required.
Volunteer Opportunities
The Refuge has training for new volunteers once every year or so. They encourage those who may be interested to contact the visitor’s center.
Additional Information
Location: The Nisqually NWR is located 8 miles northeast of Olympia. Take exit 114 off of I-5 and follow the signs to the Refuge.
Cost: There is a daily entrance/parking fee of $3.00 per four adults. An Interagency Annual Pass (old Golden Eagle), Senior Pass (old Golden Age), or Access Passport, Federal Duck Stamp, or an Annual Refuge Pass will admit the pass holder and 3 additional adults (over age 16). Children under 16 enter free. Each of these passes is available for purchase at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge Administration Office and Visitor Center. All proceeds from entrance fees and passes go back into Nisqually NWR programs.
Hours: Refuge trails are open every day from sunrise to sunset. The Refuge Visitor Center is open Wednesday through Sunday, 9:00a.m. to 4:00p.m. The Visitor Center is closed on major holidays. Call the Refuge for specific questions regarding holidays. The Refuge office is open Monday through Friday, 7:30a.m. until 4:00p.m. The office is closed on all Federal holidays.
Restrictions: Pets, jogging, bicycles, fires, and camping are not allowed on the Refuge.
For contact information or more specific information regarding programming, click here. For a complete photo set from the Refuge, click here.
