Salmon Experience at Bayshore Preserve

Yes! Knowledgeable salmon docents will be at Bayshore Preserve during Salmon Experience hours to help you understand what’s happening in the creek, from salmon life cycles and migration patterns to how habitat restoration supports their return. Look for their bright orange or green vests.

The best viewing areas are along Johns Creek at the pedestrian bridge and at the estuary. These areas are marked 1, 2, and 3 on the map below. Docents will be stationed in these areas to help you spot salmon and explain their behavior. Underwater cameras will also provide a unique view of the salmon below the surface and a spotting scope will be available at station 3. Visit each station to see the salmon at different point along their migration from the estuary. If you are visiting on a day when no docents are present, you can take the trail map with you on your phone and learn more about the preserve during your visit using our self-guided interpretive Google Map. Using polarized glasses will help you see salmon in the water.

We expect the Bayshore parking lot and trails to reopen by November in time for Salmon Experience. The ]trail from the parking lot to the bridge is being reshaped to a gentle 5% grade or less and will be resurfaced with crushed rock once work is finished. A crushed rock trail will also extend along a portion of Johns Creek, offering smoother access to key salmon viewing areas. The main viewing area is relatively flat and close to parking. Please check our website before your visit for the latest updates on access and trail conditions. There will also be one official ADA compliant parking space once work is completed. There will be an ADA-compliant portable toilet.

Trails at Bayshore Preserve are mostly gravel and crushed rock, with gentle slopes. While some sections are being improved, visitors using mobility aids may find uneven or muddy surfaces in some areas the further into the preserve you go.

Address: 3800 WA-3, Shelton, WA 98584. Look for event signage along the highway. Volunteers will be on site to help direct parking and guide you to the salmon viewing areas. 

Do not turn onto Bayshore Drive, there is no access to the preserve. Bayshore Preserve’s parking lot is immediately off Highway 3 across from the Shell gas station.

Transit Options: Mason County Transit route 1 and Dial-A-Ride. (There is not a marked bus stop at Bayshore Preserve, so you will need to communicate with the bus driver where you are going and flag them down for your return trip.)

No. Parking at Bayshore Preserve is free. On Salmon Experience days overflow parking will be available. Please note that overflow parking is only available for Salmon Days from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm on November 8, 9, and 11. For additional parking, drive north along Highway 3 to the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife’s parking lot, located here. Please note that a Discover Pass is needed for this lot.

We recommend you leave your dogs at home when experiencing the salmon run. Not only do we see a peak number of visitors during this time, but also fatal diseases can be passed from fish carcasses to dogs. Should your dog become sick after having contact with a fish carcass consult a veterinarian immediately.

During other times of the year dogs are welcome at the preserve and must be kept on a leash for the safety of people and wildlife.