i parked at the civic center, which leads to the trail. the main trail is 1.5 miles down a gentle decline, eventually ending at the shores of puget sound. the journey is full of immersive  natural beauty as well as interesting historical markers due to this location playing an important role in the history of the exploration of the coast of puget sound. the beach area was where a wharf used to be; used for the loading and shipping of dynamite made by the dupont company in the early 1900's. the trail down used to be the route that the  "dynamite train" took. the trail back up is a pretty mild incline, the trail is mostly dirt and gravel w some muddy areas, ending on pavement at the top.

(i highly recommend doing some research online to gather some context in  regards to what i write about below or before you go there...)

on your way down there are a number of unmarked side trails on the right side, all are worth checking out. using a gps map you can find a marker where the mission bldg was as well as a  mention of a  grand fourth of July party held there in  1841(read about this). there is still a small remnant of the prairie where the party was held, great place to contemplate that day/night or just to rest.

at the 1.25 mile marker there is  a trail to the left, follow that down, to the right i believe was a power plant, but if you take the left trail  you will go up a series  of switchbacks (7 if i remember). the walk up can be tiring, i usually took a 5-10 second rest at ea switchback. poles comes in handy as well, and you have 2 fallen trees you need to get under. at the top, follow the gravel road to the right until you see a trail; to the left is wilkes trail and if you go straight you will find the marker for the wilkes observatory, and a bench to sit on! i did not walk the entire wilkes trail as i  knew it ended up in a neighborhood, turned around right where the spit is, supposedly a shipwreck is there but i did not see it.

anyway i backtracked and went back on the gravel road; using an app i eventually located the old 1833 fort nisqually location. it was a long and rocky walk and i don't like to walk on rocks, they do better in my head. it is surrounded by a black chain link fence. this area is usually locked but when  i went the gate was open and so i went in. like many places here at the top other than the golf course it was overgrown w weeds and the like, but i eventually found the marker, yay!

after the long slog back down to the sequalitchew trail and then up  to  the trailhead, i stayed to the left, and using the underpass crossed center street and to my right another black fenced in area, which was where the 1843 fort nisqually was. unfortunately this gate was locked, but i did see the white marker. i was told later by a volunteer at the dupont historical museum that the plaque was taken by someone so nothing is on the white marker. also highly recommended that you visit the museum, no admission charge! 

all in all a great place to walk/hike and explore, and its historical importance really made me think about events and people from long ago. the history of the dupont company is also worth looking into...

Started Hike-A-Thon month off with one of my favorite local trails. This trail has it all and is a local gem for sure! Lovely evergreen/deciduous forest, bird song, some elevation and you end at the Salish Sea!

The dry weather is obvious here as the licorice ferns are all dried up and some trees are showing their thirst. There is a spring that is draining lightly onto the trail so it was a surprise to see some moisture.

The tide was out on my visit and folks were enjoying the exposed area. There was a harbor seal feasting on something which made for fun entertainment. Views of the Olympic Mountains were unfortunately obscured due to the Bear Gulch wildfire. There was an interesting line of blue sky and smoke. Fortunately there was no smoke impacting our breathing.

A word to off trail folks!! First stay on the trail and if you don’t you may make and unwanted friendship with poison oak!!! As you near the railroad track tunnel there are lots of poison oak patches and especially at the exit and slop up to the tracks.

This was a great evening hike and perfect way to begin a month of hiking and fundraising!

Well maintained trail surrounded by beautiful forest. Easy to walk with dogs. Not too much elevation change and no obstacles in the path. The beach and ocean views at the end were breathtaking and well worth the hike out. The path is clearly marked but you have to turn into the police station and park there to access the trailhead.

Nice crisp day to hike this trail. Lots of ez parking. The first half mile is paved. There are a few mud puddles after that but nothing you can’t step around. The beach is really pretty with not to much shoreline to walk but enough to stroll a bit and maybe sit on a log to contemplate life. On the way back my dog wanted to explore the woods to the left. So we found a trail that led us into some trees and even found a plaque noting one of the first 4th of July celebrations took place there. I’ll include a photo. We managed to clock about 4.5 miles adding in the forest trails.

What a beautiful day for a hike! I had planned to go out to Porter Creek, but ended up getting waylaid waiting for a contractor, so I decided to check out Sequalitchew Creek instead. The trailhead is at Dupont City Hall, so there's plenty of parking. There is a port-a-potty located at the trailhead for anyone who needs to use it. 

The trail itself follows the creek down the little canyon and onto the beach. The path back takes you gently uphill. There were sections of the trail with water on it and running across it, but nothing that could cause any problems. I saw lots of dogs and a few families with strollers. About 1/3 of the trail is paved, but the rest is dirt and rock. The real highlight of the hike is the beach! It was so beautiful and came with a lovely view of the Olympic Mountains. If you are in the area, this is a great leg stretcher!