Day Hike - William Ives Trail

If you are recovering from surgery, rehabbing an injury, trying to get back in shape, or just doing some low intensity conditioning or maintenance workouts, this may suit you. Leader is doing hikes at local parks of about 2 to 3 miles, averaging a little under 2 mph, and invites you to join him.

The William Ives Trail is a 2.6 mile round-trip on easy terrain through a mostly wooded pocket greenbelt surrounded by suburban housing developments and a golf course.  The trail is natural surface.  I cross-country skied it when Olympia got the big snow a few years ago.  William Ives was one of the three surveyors who laid out the Williamette Meridian and base-line in 1851, which is the reference point for present day surveys and land titles.  The line runs from Portland, OR, to Puget Sound at the Nisqually Reach.  The end of the trail and turnaround point is by Meridian Road NE, which follows Ives’ original meridian.   For more information, see Urban Trails Olympia, by Craig Romano (Mountaineers Books, Seattle), and the Lacey Parks, Culture and Recreation site: https://laceyparks.org/parks_trails/william-ives-trail/

We'll try for a social pace, slow enough to talk but enough for some cardio conditioning. Hiking time one to two hours. We'll hike rain or shine.

Thursday, June 12 at 9:30 a.m. at the Meridian Neighborhood Park pavilion.  Take I-5 exit 111 or local roads to Marvin Road NE north about 0.4 mile to a roundabout, taking first exit to turn right onto Williamette Drive. Continue 1.7 miles. Turn right on Campus Glen Drive NE.   and look for Meridian Neighborhood Park parking lot and pavilion immediately on the right.  No parking pass or fee required. Restrooms near the pavilion and parking.