It was a beautiful day for a walk in the park. I let my dog pick which trails to take, and we ended up around the quarry ponds where we saw several ducks and a beaver swimming. I had never been on the quarry trail before, and it was a nice surprise, and we only passed one other person. The trails were dry and there weren't many bugs (no bees). There were some beautiful fall colors!

Beautiful day to be out. Got in 6.5 miles sticking to the perimeter trails and adding the loop around the quarry pond (bonus: beaver den sighting). They've done trail work and the two pig wallows will be easy peasy come rainy season.

What a great place for a meander on a hot Friday! Plenty of people on and around the water but quiet and lovely on the trails. Will be back often.

I needed a quick hike today and the Northwest Loop at Millersylvania State Park south of Olympia fit the bill. There are a lot of (mostly well marked) trails in the park, so it's a big choose your-own-adventure. The route I took (pic attached) starts at the little parking lot just inside the main entrance, winds along Deep Lake, crosses over the wetland, loops around the Maple Glade, and uses Old Growth Lane to connect to the Perimeter Trail before ending back at the parking lot. This came out to around 4.4mi and 200ft of elevation gain.

The trail is in good shape overall! I didn't see many people aside from along the lake (honestly my least favorite part of the hike because you're going through the day use area) and the only wildlife I saw was squirrels and banana slugs. The forest is showing signs of changing seasons already! Yellow and red leaves are starting to come out and mushrooms are starting to show up. This will be a great after work Fall hike! This hike is part of my #hikeathon this August :)

This is a great park if you enjoy walking among mossy trees that is relatively flat with just a few small hills. I like to park near the boat ramp at the boardwalk trailhead stopping at the campground restroom beforehand. Most intersections have a trail map so you can choose your own adventure. Hiking boots are helpful due to muddy spots. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy at one of the many picnic tables along the lake.