New trails map for Mason County hikers
Staff writer
Hikers and walkers visiting Mason County have a new resource to guide them.
A new trails map identifies 31 hikes and walks, from a walk to the beach at Lilliwaup Bay to more challenging jaunts such as the North Fork Skokomish Trail
“By including both walking trails and walking opportunities within the urban area, as well as the more strenuous hikes in the surrounding national park and forest, it serves the highly and less mobile, said Terri Jeffreys, executive director of the Shelton-Mason County Chamber of Commerce.
The map was produced by a coalition of chambers of commerce and local businesses, she said.
“Frequently we have visitors looking for trails. (The map) allows us to present them all the different options, from the city of Shelton to the outlying areas,” Jeffreys said.
Among the trails described on the map are Goldsborough Creek Trail, Twanoh State Park trail, Lower Lena Lake Trail and the trail to the top of Mount Rose.
The map is certainly not all inclusive, Jeffreys admits.
“It’s impossible to have all the trails on the map. We wanted to include trails with easy access, that are well-maintained,” she said. “We wanted to cover the entire county as much as possible, as well as all levels of difficulty.”
The map also will be used by the county public health and parks departments as part of their efforts to educate the public on being healthy, Jeffreys said.
It also will complement existing maps that covers biking, scuba and kayaking opportunities, Jeffreys added.
Jeffrey P. Mayor: 253-597-8640
jeff.mayor@thenewstribune.com
blog.thenewstribune.com/adventure
Picking up a map
John Keates, director of the Mason County Parks and Trails Department, said the map will be available on the county website at
www.co.mason.wa.us, the tourism website at
www.explorehoodcanal.com, area visitors centers and other locations.
