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Nisqually wildlife refuge is a sanctuary for winter hikers, too
By KAREN SYKES ![[Bio]](../image/bio_bttn.gif){kind=small}
SPECIAL TO THE POST-INTELLIGENCER
I have a lot of respect for glaciers. Glaciers are busy places, alive with an energy and purpose all their own. Glaciers shift as you sleep, the source of uneasy dreams and rivers that flow down to the lowlands, to the plains and deltas where birds gather and men build houses.
High on Mount Rainier the Nisqually River is not yet a river, it is a few drops of water under the ice. High on The Mountain, the hiking trails are closed by winter snows and on Sunday mornings hikers stir and wonder where to go, where to hike on a gloomy, drippy day when the snow and rain mix and Rainier is a memory, hidden in clouds.
It may be a good day, then, to worship at the feet of The Mountain and visit the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. The waters of the refuge originate under the Nisqually Glacier, which is 400 feet deep and covers a surface of approximately 2 square miles. It is the seventh largest glacier of 25 on Rainier, source of the 78-mile long Nisqually River. The Nisqually is a healthy river that salmon return to despite years of threats to its water quality from logging, agriculture and dam construction.
The river was once home to the Squall-absch people thousands of years ago, ancestors of the Nisqually Indian Tribe. The river gets its name from this ancient people -- "Squalli" meaning tall grasses. The Nisqually is joined by the Mashel River, where long ago the Nisqually Indians built Me-schal, a large permanent village, living in harmony with the land until the Puget Sound Indian Wars of 1855-56. When a treaty could not be agreed upon, Gov. Isaac Stevens' troops staged a surprise attack on the village, killing many Indians. "Peace" was eventually negotiated with the Nisqually and Puyallup tribes, but many people were moved to reservation lands.
As Indian populations dwindled, timber towns began to grow -- Ashford, National, Eatonville -- but early logging operations resulted in erosion that damaged fish and wildlife habitats. By the turn of the century, foresters changed their philosophy and began to work toward the concept of sustainable forestry, resulting in less devastation to the land. Today most of the land in the Nisqually's middle and lower watersheds is devoted to dairy and livestock production.
The river reaches the end of its journey at Puget Sound, where the incoming tides and the river have formed the Nisqually River delta. On the seaward side lies Nisqually Flats, mudflats inhabited by shrimp, snails, worms and geoducks. Inland lies the partially submerged salt marsh, which consists of a variety of grasses, weeds and other salt-tolerant plants, many of them growing in tangled masses.
These rich wetlands were considered worthless by some settlers, but others, such as Alson Brown, recognized them as valuable real estate. In 1904, Brown purchased acreage on the Nisqually River delta and built four miles of dikes on the bordering properties, walling off his land from the sea. In a few years Brown Farm was a thriving business, growing farm products for residents of Puget Sound.
When the land went up for sale in the 1960s, efforts were successfully made to preserve the delta as a feeding and breeding ground for wildlife. In 1974, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service purchased the land for a wildlife refuge. In 1994, the refuge consisted of approximately 4,100 acres and had about 70,000 visitors.
Birds migrating from Central America stop at the delta to rest and feed before continuing their long journey to Alaska, as do other migratory waterfowl. Some threatened and endangered resident species such as bald eagles and peregrine falcons rely on wetland habitats for rearing their young.
The refuge offers easy hiking year-round -- hike the 1-mile loop or a 5-mile loop. You may see snow geese, great blue herons or adolescent bald eagles practicing their hunting skills. There are 100 species of permanent residents and more than 20,000 migratory birds that gather over the fall and winter. Bring a bird guide and add to your identification list, or simply come and enjoy their presence.
The Brown Farm Dike Trail is an easy walk, with platforms and viewing blinds on the dikes. It's a hike anyone can do except family pets, which are not allowed. The refuge also has restrooms and an interpretive center.
Getting there
From Interstate 5 between Tacoma and Olympia, take Exit 114 (Nisqually), turn west and go under the freeway and follow the signs to the refuge.
Trail detail
From the parking lot and restrooms, hike through an aromatic orchard and past the farmhouse. On the dikes you can wander between brush and berries and listen to the wrens and sparrows calling. Both loop trails begin from the parking lot.
The 5-mile Brown Farm Loop Trail goes counterclockwise and follows the Nisqually River, passes the flats, and wanders near McAllister Creek before crossing the dikeand returning to the parkingarea.
Trail data
A 1-mile loop and a 5-mile loop -- no elevation gain. There is a $2 admission fee (Golden Age and Golden Eagles passes are exempt). A 3-mile section of the 5-mile loop is closed because of hunting through Jan. 17. For more information call the refuge at 360-753-9467.
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