Sometimes you are blessed with great weather for a weekend in February. And that is just what happened on weekend in Feb. 2022. Rather than trying to find a last-minute camp spot, I thought we could try out a couple state parks that we haven’t visited before. Enter Twanoh State Park.
Twanoh is a 188-acre, marine camping park with 3,167 feet of saltwater shoreline on Hood Canal located near Union in Mason County. Since it was just under an hour drive, it was perfect for a late morning, early afternoon hike. When we arrived, there was plenty of options for parking, I’m guessing since it was the off season. Twanoh is known for its warm saltwater swimming and shellfish. Kayakers and SUP paddlers can find space with marine mammals, fishers can find great fishing or crabbing spots, and there’s even a chance for oyster shucking at low tide.
Stone and I started on the Twanoh Trail, a roughly 2.5-mile loop on the south side of the park. The trail crossed a small bridge and followed a handful of campsites. The campground has 25 standard campsites, 22 full-hookup sites, two restrooms, and one shower. The campground also has one site for those traveling the Cascadia Marine Trail, arriving via wind or human powered watercraft. The Cascadia Marine Trail would be an incredible adventure to complete. Maybe one day when I have more time, and Stone is a bit older. I should also purchase a kayak first.
The trail is rated as easy, with clearly marked paths. For most of our time, it felt like Stone and I were the only ones in this small piece of rainforest. We took our time admiring the height of the trees, the abundant moss, and the fungus growing on fallen trees.
The park gets its name from the original inhabitants of this land, the Twana. The Twana is a name for a group of nine Coast Salish Peoples that lived in the mid and northern Puget Sound Area. These peoples were known by their location in the sound – Dabop, Quilcene, Dosewallips, Duckabush, Hoodsport, Skokomish, Vance Creek, Tahuya, and Duhlelap. Most of the descendants of these nine groups are now part of the Skokomish Tribal Nation and self-identify as the Twana.
In 1883, the original habitants were forced to move to the Skokomish reservation by way of the Point No Point Treaty. Under the terms of the treaty, they were to cede ownership of their land in exchange for small reservations along the Hood Canal and a payment of $60,000 from the federal government.
And while this history is a saddening reminder of what colonialism has done to this land, it’s also a critical reminder. There is a strange, sick realization that once we put a price tag on a tree or a mineral or a metal, it instantly loses value beyond that dollar amount. When in reality, the true value isn’t a dollar amount. It’s that interconnected beauty that I have written about several other times.
Maybe that’s why I get so excited to see trees growing out of stumps or dead logs. Or why I love seeing different fungi and mushrooms? Because I know that the mushroom I see is only the fruiting body of an organism that has spread through the forest. Underneath the visual of mushrooms and ferns and decaying logs, there is a mycelium that connects a network of mushrooms and interconnects with the plants around it, gathering nutrients and providing health to the vegetation about it.
Wild fact – the largest organism in the world is a fungus that occupies roughly 2,384 acres in Oregon’s Blue Mountains. And it is estimated to be 2,400 years old. You can read more about this incredible organism in this article.
We continued on out brief walk in the woods, lightly touching moss growing on tree trunks and admiring the sun beams shining through breaks in the conifers. It was a great reminder that hikes don’t have to be to grand, sweeping vistas or pristine glacier lakes. They can be simple and grounding and quiet.
When we got back to the shoreline, we stopped for a break in the back of the RAV. Always pack snacks, even if the trip is short. We enjoyed a small snack break then checked out the water. A family was out shucking oysters and looking for other shellfish. The sun was shining, and it felt like a perfect day.
Starting July 5, 2023, DOT will close SR106 for several weeks to work on road improvements and starting August 1, 2023, multiple park shoreline restoration projects will begin. This will affect both camping and day use in the park.
- Camping will remain open until July 5, 2023.
- Reservations will NOT BE ACCEPTED for dates after July 5th for the 2023 summer season.
- Campground will be closed July 6, 2023 – September 30, 2023.
- Large Day Use Area will remain closed during duration of work.
- Intermittent closures of other day use lots including the boat launch can be expected.
We hopped into the car and headed back to our regularly scheduled life. But with the sun shining, our bellies happy, and our legs and faces smiling, we both felt ready to take on the work week ahead of us.
