Day Hike - Darlin Creek Preserve

This walk in a nature preserve is one in a series of hikes going an easy distance at a moderate pace, usually about 2 mph, and moderate elevation gain, typically 100 feet per r/t mile, which may be agreeable to those who are rehabbing an injury or just getting back into shape.  Folks just wanting an easy hike that doesn't take all day are welcome.  

The Darlin Creek Preserve was acquired by the Capitol Land Trust in 2016.  It lies just outside the eastern boundary of the Capitol Forest.  Darlin Creek flows into Dempsey Creek, which feeds the Black River, which flows south to join the Chehalis River near Rochester.  Here is a brief description from the Washington Trails Association: 

The area is relevant to a much larger ecosystem, notably because Darlin, Dempsey, and Pants Creeks are all key migration avenues for salmon such as steelhead, cutthroat, coho, and Chinook. Besides salmon, the preserve boasts beaver ponds which divert water flow through streams throughout the site. In over 100 acres of wetland, bird species like wood ducks, geese, kingfishers, and warblers thrive among the brush and wetlands. A flowery undergrowth of bleeding heart flowers, false lily-of-the-valley, trillium, and other native plants line the trail, and tracts of scotchbroom are slowly being removed and replaced with native species as Capitol Land Trust and their partners work to preserve the native habitat.

Here is a link to the source listing and hike description: www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/darlin-creek-preserve#hike-full-description

Here is a link to the Capitol Land Trust description: https://capitollandtrust.org/conserved-lands/conservation-areas/black-river-chehalis-watershed/darlin-creek-preserve/

Let's meet at 9:30 a.m. in the Haggens supermarket parking lot in west Olympia, at 1313 Cooper Point Road and Black Lake Blvd., across the parking lot from the main entrance, and near the white ballot drop and US mail boxes.  Haggens has an in-store Starbucks and bathrooms.  Please take care of all of that so we are ready to go at 9:30.

From Haggens, turn right onto Black Lake Blvd and head south until you reach a T-intersection with Delphi Road, and turn left. Turn right onto Waddell Creek Road, then turn left onto Lake Lucinda Drive.   Stay on Lake Lucinda Drive to trailhead.  About 15 minutes drive.  The trailhead has about 10 parking spaces, just before a yellow gate.  No parking pass, permit or fee is required.