Pets allowed
Allowed
Trail type
Loop
Distance
0.50 mi (0.80 km)
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

The Terrell Marsh Trail weaves a 0.5-mile loop through the forested eastern portion of Birch Bay State Park, and it is accessible from near the campground entrance. Although the area was logged with oxen and horse teams during the early 1900s, many large trees have re-established themselves over the past century. Several interpretive signs guide you along the well-maintained, level path.  Thick groundcover and understory foliage create a lush green environment in the mixed forest of western red cedar, paper birch, red alderwood, black cottonwood, hemlock, and Douglas fir. After a quarter mile, a small spur trail leads to a bench and viewpoint of Terrell Marsh, which is one of the few remaining brackish estuaries in the north Puget Sound. The trail is for hiking traffic only, and there is a bike rack near the trailhead. 

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Spring
Summer

Congestion

Moderate

Parking Pass

Washington Discovery Pass

Pros

Interpretive signs. Wildflowers. Level path.

Cons

Can become crowded during camping season.

Trailhead Elevation

33.00 ft (10.06 m)

Features

Bird watching
Wildlife
Old-growth forest
Wildflowers

Location

Nearby Adventures

Northern Puget Sound, Washington
San Juan Islands National Wildlife Refuge

Nearby Lodging + Camping

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