Mason County: Nature, Water and History

Mason County unfolds between water, trails and regional history: At the state parks, water activities go hand in hand with wildlife watching and a variety of ways to explore the landscape on foot. Museums and historic sites add insight into the region’s history to the outdoor experience.

Water, Islands and Tides

At Potlatch State Park, mooring buoys are available year-round along 5,700 feet of shoreline. Swimming, boating, paddling, waterskiing and crabbing are among the activities available; be sure to follow the applicable permits and regulations for fishing and shellfish harvesting. Hope Island Marine State Park in Mason County can only be reached by watercraft. Visitors can explore trails there and watch seals in the water and eagles in the sky. The two destinations therefore have distinct focuses: Potlatch centers on mooring and a range of water activities, while Hope Island is about access by watercraft and wildlife watching.

Jarrell Cove State Park on Harstine Island also offers swimming, and boats can moor there overnight year-round. Twanoh State Park is a 188-acre marine camping park on Hood Canal. Its character is shaped by warm saltwater for swimming and an abundance of shellfish. Shellfish harvesting is also possible on Hood Canal. Check local regulations before harvesting, as rules can vary by season and location.

At McMicken Island, access depends on the tide: At low tide, a sandbar connects the island to the mainland. Plan your visit with the incoming tide in mind. The island has a trail about half a mile long, a picnic meadow and a rocky intertidal zone to explore. Water levels and trail length are important considerations when planning a visit here.

Trails Through Wetlands, Forest and Former Farmland

The trails vary considerably in length and surroundings. On McMicken Island, a trail about half a mile long leads through the island; the flat Shady Lane Trail near Staircase reaches Lake Cushman in less than a mile. The trail through the Mary E. Theler Wetlands Nature Preserve is three miles long. Lake Isabella State Park has trails totaling more than four miles through pastureland, orchards and forest.

The Theler Wetlands Nature Preserve lies on the edge of Hood Canal, where the Union River meets the fjord. Bridges and boardwalks accompany the three-mile trail, where visitors can watch birds and mammals. The walk also includes a native plant garden, a replica gray whale skeleton and outdoor art. At Lake Isabella, the state park preserves a former farm landscape. The grounds cover 182 acres, where deer can be spotted. The trails pass through pastureland, orchards and forest, offering a different landscape from the wetlands along Hood Canal.

Culture and Regional History

Historic sites also bring nature and the past together. Bayshore Preserve was converted from a golf course into a natural area and is culturally significant as the site of a former village of the Squaxin Island Tribe. Oakland Bay Historical Park is an 81.87-acre nature preserve with trails to Malaney Creek and Oakland Bay. It is also a historic property at the site of the Malaney House. The Mason Conservation District and the Capital Land Trust hold an annual native plant workshop and nature walks there; check current event information for specific dates.

In Shelton, the Mason County Historical Society Museum preserves artifacts relating to the timber industry, shellfish economy, agriculture and early pioneer life. The museum also has a public history library. The Peninsular Railway and Lumbermen's Museum displays restored locomotives, cabooses and logging equipment associated with Shelton's logging railroad history. The two museums have different focuses: one brings together evidence from several areas of regional life, while the other is devoted in particular to the logging railroad and logging.

The Squaxin Island Museum Library and Research Center features interpretive exhibits and artifacts about the relationship between members of the Squaxin Island Tribe and the seven inlets of southern Puget Sound. The Skokomish Tribal Center preserves historic artifacts of the Twana and an extensive basket collection. Together, these collections offer different insights into history and cultural heritage.

Discover more destinations: Shelton, Belfair, Hoodsport, Kamilche, King, Asotin, Yakima, Thurston County.

For the main travel overview: Washington.