Trip Planner: USA / Washington State / Olympia / Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area

Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area, Olympia

4.8

#6 of 16 in Parks in Olympia

Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area is a natural reserve in Olympia, Washington protected under the Washington Natural Areas Program. Once an important processing facility for the logging industry, it has been designated as the Weyerhaeuser South Bay Log Dump Rural Historic Landscape. Today the area is a renowned sanctuary for a variety of birds, harbor seals, river otters, bald eagles, and a colony of bats, as well as serving as an important great blue heron rookery. A recent conservation program in the area between the State of Washington and the Nature Conservancy is the first of its kind in the country.HistoryAmerican Indians use of the area dates back over 5,000 years when the present coast line stabilised. Euroamerican settlement began in the 1850s with Puget Sound's logging era. Early in the history of the area, the Woodard family built the railway for hauling logs down to the waterfront. From there they would load it on ships at the end of the peninsula.In the 1920s the site was bought by the Weyerhaeuser Timber Company, which brought up to 1 million board feet of timber here annually by rail from all over Thurston and Lewis counties until it closed the site in 1984. A former logging railroad crosses Woodard Bay on a wooden trestle and a narrow peninsula. It runs out onto a pier in Henderson Inlet across the mouth of Chapman Bay. Here logs were dumped in the water, gathered into rafts and floated to mills in Everett, Washington.

To visit Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area and other attractions in Olympia, use our Olympia vacation website .
Source

Create an itinerary including Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area

Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area Reviews

Rate this attraction

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

32 reviews

facebook

4.8

137 likes

By hilite On January 22, 2018

A nice walk on a winters day, shared by our local family member while we were visiting. Would love to spend some time here in warmer weather!! more »
By Phranc68 On October 31, 2017

Quiet, beautiful and diverse. Good forest as well as waterfront. Great historic elements along with great natural setting. Only issue for some is the fact dogs are not welcome. more »
By Philip W On October 1, 2017

There is a bit of a walk from the parking area to the end of the road where you can walk out into the bay. Great place to see sea birds and other wildlife.. The walk is through a typical Washington fo... more »

View more on TripAdvisor »

Places to stay near Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area

Plan your trip to Olympia

Get a personalized plan

A complete day-by-day itinerary
based on your preferences
Customize it

Refine your plan. We'll find the
best routes and schedules
Book it

Choose from the best hotels
and activities. Up to 50% off
Manage it

Everything in one place.
Everyone on the same page.

Best things to do in Olympia

Popular

Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge

Olympia

Visit for: 3h

Hands On Children's Museum

Side Trips

Columbia River Maritime Museum

Astoria

Visit for: 2h

Northwest Trek Wildlife Park

Eatonville

Visit for: 2h 30min

Lake Cushman

Olympic National Park

Parks

Hidden Gems

Millersylvania State Park

East Bay Public Plaza

Olympia

Visit for: 2h 30min

Kid Friendly Attractions

Nisqually Reach Nature Center

Olympia

Visit for: 2h 30min

Lattin's Country Cider Mill & Farm

Nearby

Washington State Capitol

Nisqually Red Wind Casino

Olympia

Visit for: 2h 30min

Don't Miss a Thing. See & Do More.

Plans to Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area by other users

View more plans

For Business Owners

Every day, we help thousands of travelers plan great vacations. Here are some tips on how to use your Listing Page to attract more travelers to your business - Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area.

Review Your Listing
Review information on this page and make sure it is accurate. If you have photos, descriptions, contact information, social media handles, etc. you would like to add, please send us an email.
Promote Your Listing
Promote your permanent link - https://www.inspirock.com/united-states/olympia/woodard-bay-natural-resources-conservation-area-a625686823 - on your website, your blog, and social media. When a traveler builds a plan from this page, the itinerary automatically includes Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area. This is a great way for travelers looking for a great vacation in your city or country to also experience Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area. Promoting your link also lets your audience know that you are featured on a rapidly growing travel site. In addition, the more this page is used, the more we will promote Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area to other Inspirock users.
Setup Your Trip Planning Widget
For best results, use the customized Trip Planning Widget for Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area on your website. It has all the advantages mentioned above, plus users to your site can conveniently access it directly on your site. Visitors to your site will appreciate you offering them help with planning their vacation. Setting this up takes just a few minutes - Click here for instructions.

Want more great tips? Send us an email.

Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area, Olympia

Plan your trip to Olympia

Get a personalized plan

Customize it

Book it

Manage it

Best things to do in Olympia

Plans to Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area by other users

For Business Owners