Hiking Trail Descriptions

Brown Farm Dike Loop Trail (Seasonal)
This level 5 ½ mile loop trail is on an earthen dike. The trail is wide with both gravel and dirt surfaces and can be muddy in some places. All the major types of habitat found at the Refuge can be seen from this trail.

To Observation Tower (Seasonal)
The observation tower is located 2 miles along the east side of the Brown Farm Dike Trail. The tower overlooks the salt marsh and mud flats and can accommodate about 8 people.

Ring Dike Trail
The Ring Dike is a ½ mile trail located 1 mile along the east side of the Brown Farm Dike Trail. It offers views of a freshwater marsh.

Twin Barns Loop Trail
This level 1 mile boardwalk passes through woodland, grasslands, and freshwater marshes to the Twin Barns and observation platform, ending back where it starts at the Visitor Center. There are two spur trails off this trail, the Riparian Forest Overlook and the Nisqually River Overlook.

To Riparian Forest Overlook
A short trail to an observation deck branches off the east side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail. It curves through a surge plain, where very high tide causes the Nisqually River to spill into wooded habitat.

To Nisqually River Overlook
A little under one-half of a mile around the east side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail, the boardwalk extends for another 150 yards to the river. Here there is an observation deck with a mounted spotting scope for wildlife viewing along the Nisqually River.

To McAllister Creek
To get to McAllister Creek, walk along the south side of the Brown Farm Dike Trail for ¾ mile. This section of trail passes through grasslands and freshwater marshes.