Families enjoy salmon viewing at Bayshore Preserve, Bruce LivingstonNovember 9, 10, and 11
Join Capitol Land Trust (CLT) and Puget Sound Estuarium to witness one of nature’s most extraordinary displays of migration and resilience. Every fall thousands of chum salmon return from the Pacific Ocean to Johns Creek at our Bayshore Preserve where their lives began. Here they spawn, marking the transition of one generation of salmon to the next.
Salmon docents and underwater cameras will be at Bayshore Preserve on November 9, 10, and 11 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.
Bayshore Preserve: 3800 WA-3, Shelton, WA 98584
Docents will be there to answer your questions about salmon behavior and our salmon habitat restoration efforts at Bayshore Preserve. It’s a great friend and family activity! Don’t forget your polarized glasses for better salmon viewing.
Check back for updates
Our conserved public-access preserves give families and individuals year-round opportunities to enjoy outdoor experiences and create fond memories in nature that will last a lifetime. The return of salmon in the fall makes our Bayshore Preserve a particularly exceptional destination. Follow CLT Facebook and Instagram and Puget Sound Estuarium on Facebook and Instagram for updates.
Contact Capitol Land Trust at (360) 943-3012 or info@capitollandtrust.org.
Witness the transformation from golf course to nature preserve at Bayshore Preserve! Visitors are welcome to come and enjoy views of Johns Creek and Oakland Bay while witnessing Bayshore Preserve’s transformation from golf course to nature preserve. Long-term plans for the preserve include more accessible trails and viewing platforms to support environmental education programming already taking place here.
Fishing is not allowed on the property, but Capitol Land Trust does provide access via a trail to public land for fishing at the mouth of Johns Creek – see maps on kiosk for directions.
Guidelines:
Open from dawn till dusk.
Keep pets on leash and dispose of waste properly.
No hunting or fishing, boat launching, fires/fireworks, camping or biking.
No removal of vegetation or mushrooms.
Avoid walking in active restoration areas – stay on existing trails.
Location:
3800 WA-3, Shelton, WA 98584. Free parking to the right of the gate facing a wood and metal mesh fence as well as along the concrete blocks to the left of the fence. Alternative parking is available at the WDFW parking lot to the north of Bayshore Preserve with a Discover Pass. Please do not block the metal gate at the main entrance.
Transit Options:
Mason County’s free Dial-A-Ride service. Mason County Transit Route 1. There is no marked bus stop at the preserve, so let the driver know when you plan to get off.
Bathroom Information:
There is an ADA-compliant portable toilet with hand sanitizer.
Trail Information:
Bayshore Preserve Trail Map
Self-guided interpretive Google map
Bayshore Preserve photo monitoring project
The trail system is about 1.5 miles total. The Main Loop Trail is mostly flat and a mixture of dirt and gravel. Most of this trail was used as a road in the past. The Lookout Trail goes down a short hill and across a wide bridge crossing Johns Creek. From there, it heads up a short but steeper hill to a relatively flat trail. Johns Creek Trail is a narrow dirt footpath and has several smaller hills, especially when it meets the Main Loop Trail on the south side of the trail. The Johns Creek Estuary Trail is a dirt path with a dip about halfway down. It can get muddy and wet along this trail, especially during high tide. The Shoreline Overlook Trail is a dirt trail that is relatively flat, but dips slightly towards the water.