Nisqually Delta

I have passed this Washington wildlife refuge so many times. Just off of I-5 between Joint Base Lewis-McCord where I spend several years of my Army career and Olympia Washington is the Beill Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. I don't remember it having the name of Billy Frank Jr. Learning who he was is only part of the journey to explore this wonderful outdoor location.

Billy Frank Jr. was a Native American leader and a Nisqually tribal member who fought for the rights of his tribe to get fishing rights on one of the Northwest's iconic mountain rivers. The refuge was named in his honor in 2015 by federal law. The Nisqually River flows from the southern side of Mt. Rainier to Puget Sound. 

The delta, long known as a waterfowl haven is a unique location to see how the land meets the sea. You can walk all the way out on the elevated boardwalk to the sound. Along the way, you will find a couple of special things. The first is the old barns that are a remnant of the farm that used to be here. We visited this during the autumn and the colors and barn were wonderful. They were even better while out on the boardwalk where Mt. Rainier peeked over the hills in the background.

The parking was not robust and the sunny day we visited packed the cars in. The fee was $3 to park, well worth helping preserve our national treasures. Rebecca noticed the amount of winter clothing people were wearing. It was not until the middle of the river on a sunny 50-degree day that we found out why. It does get chilly but the 2.5-mile walk kept us warm enough, 5 miles round trip, and by the time we were done the hunger had set in. I think the ladies we passed having lunch on one of the benches on the path had the right idea.  

One item to mention, no dogs allowed in the refuge area, and be sure to check when hunting season is so as not to be shocked by the sound of gunshots. I can't wait to go out again on this walk and hopefully see more wildlife.  We did not see a lot on this day but I am a fan of the Great Blue Heron which popped out of the grass on me. 

If you want to get off that I-5 I would recommend visiting the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. It is a great break from the traffic you usually find between Seattle and Portland. Interested in more information. I recommend the U.S. Fish and Wildlife website for more detailed information.