Kennedy Creek Natural Area Preserve is a state-protected
Natural Area
A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or o ...
near
US Highway 101
U.S. Route 101, or U.S. Highway 101 (US 101), is a north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, on the West Coast of the United States. It is also known as (The Royal Roa ...
on
Oyster Bay,
Puget Sound
Puget Sound ( ) is a sound of the Pacific Northwest, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, and part of the Salish Sea. It is located along the northwestern coast of the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected ma ...
, in southwest
Washington state
Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first U.S. president—the state was formed from the western part of the Washington ...
, United States. The preserve is on the border of
Thurston County and
Mason County and contains of
intertidal salt marsh and upland forest.
The Area is located approximately 100 yards from the junction of U.S. Highway 101 and Old Olympic Highway, about a 15-minute drive from Washington's capital city of Olympia. Parking areas are located on the side of Old Olympic Highway, and a short all-weather pedestrian trail leads to an improved wildlife viewing and interpretive area. The Preserve is visited by large numbers of migratory waterfowl, especially in winter months. Birding is best on a falling tide.
Kennedy Creek, whose headwaters are
Summit Lake in the
Black Hills
The Black Hills ( lkt, Ȟe Sápa; chy, Moʼȯhta-voʼhonáaeva; hid, awaxaawi shiibisha) is an isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming, United States. Black ...
, is one of the largest
Chum salmon spawning areas in the lower Puget Sound, and has a genetically distinct run of Chum salmon. A forest trail about up from Oyster Bay along Kennedy Creek was opened in 2000 for salmon viewing during spawning season.
A $1 million expansion of the area has been proposed and is pending
legislative
A legislature is an assembly with the authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country or city. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial powers of government.
Laws enacted by legislatures are usually known ...
action.
References
External links
*
Kennedy Creek salmon trailat South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group
*
{{Authority control
Protected areas of Thurston County, Washington
Protected areas of Mason County, Washington
Washington Natural Areas Program