This is a peaceful walk alongside a babbling stream, starting in a grove of Garry Oaks and descending past mossy Bigleaf maples to a beach. Today I saw trillium blooming and some small white flowers I don’t know.

If you like the soothing sound of a creek, Puget Sound waterfowl, and PNW history, this hike is for you! Better yet, the trailhead is right off of I-5 in DuPont. The trail begins next to the city hall building and you get your first dose of history and flora/fauna description before you even start walking. The first interpretive sign is adjacent to the portable toilet (strangely not level but clean). The next sign provides a description of the Buffalo Soldiers, an all-Black military regiment that camped at this location over 100 years ago.  From there, the wide trail slopes gently downhill as it parallels the creek.  Mileage signs pop up every quarter mile until you reach the end of the trail at 1.5 miles. The trail is mostly hard-packed dirt or gravel with occasional muddy spots that should not get your feet wet. A couple struggled with a stroller on the uneven ground. Many hikers had leashed dogs. I only saw two bicyclists.

Just before reaching the beach, you pass an estuary plus more interpretive signs as well as an old railroad tunnel (sadly, covered in graffiti). The beach has numerous logs and flat rocks for sitting and gazing over to Anderson Island with the Olympic Mountains in the background. The water was glass-flat and full of various dabbling ducks.  I even saw a lone seal swimming past. Old narrow-gauge railroad tracks plus rusted iron and concrete blocks speak to the area's past use as a wharf for the DuPont company that used the land for production of explosives from 1909-1975 (now you know how the small city got its name). Prior to the arrival of the DuPont company, the land was the ancestral home of the Nisqually Tribe. BNSF uses the tracks above the beach and I was there when a train passed.

It took me about 45 minutes to walk each way.

04mar2024 .. a lovely sunny (though chilly "Feels Like" 30+_F) morning, i was in Dupont WA for a ~3 hrs walk; total ~5 miles of Trails (Sequalitchew Creek Trail, and a few of the Dupont Trail System and ~3 miles of sidewalks along the city roads/streets; light traffic on the roads.

~06:30 i arrived and parked at the Sequalitchew Creek Trail parking (its between the Dupont Civic Hall and the Dupont Police). i was the only one there. And when i got back ~3 hours later, there's a vehicle parked beside mine.

On the Trails, only encountered 1 person at the lovely Dupont Wharf/beach, and later 1 Jogger at the "AA Trail". Further along, on the city roads/streets and Parks, noticed total of ~10 people - a few were walking their dogs. Everyone's nice and friendly,

The Honey-bucket beside the Sequalitchew Creek Trailhead was opened and clean. Also, the Dupont city seems clean (e.g.litter free), safe and nice 👍👍👍

Cheers!

A very wet hike today on the Sequalitchew Creek trail in DuPont. Surprisingly it was quite crowded with people & dogs, which we weren't expecting with all the rain.  I guess everyone wanted to get out on their holiday and enjoy the fresh air!  The first part of the trail had quite a few large puddles, but the trail itself wasn't super muddy.  It's 1.5 miles down to the beach and then back up.  Not a ton of elevation change and it's not steep, just a steady slope. The parking lot is between the police department & city hall. There is an ADA port-a-potty near the trailhead.  We didn't use it so not sure what condition it was in.  #LoveLocalTrails  

Mostly paved trail with easily walkable rock trail at the head and end of trail. I loved my solo hike, saw garter snakes, chickadees, possibly a woodpecker, and I enjoyed the view of the Puget sound and the old train tracks at the end.