Chehalis Western Trail, Rail trail and protected area in Thurston County, United States.
The Chehalis Western Trail is a paved rail trail in Thurston County, Washington, running from Woodard Bay south to its junction with the Yelm-Tenino Trail. The route passes through forests, wetlands, farmland, and suburban neighborhoods, staying flat the entire way.
The Weyerhaeuser Timber Company ran a logging railroad along this corridor from 1926 to 1980, using it to move timber from surrounding forests to a dumping point at Woodard Bay. When operations ended, the old rail bed was gradually turned into the public trail that exists today.
Along the route, visitors pass by the Monarch Contemporary Art Center and Sculpture Park, where outdoor sculptures sit directly beside the path. This stretch shows how a former industrial corridor has become a place where art and everyday recreation share the same space.
The trail has several access points with parking, including at Woodard Bay, Chambers Lake, and along 67th Avenue SE, making it easy to join the route at different spots. Because the surface is paved and level, it is accessible in most weather conditions and for people with varying levels of mobility.
Several pedestrian bridges carry the path over major roads, including Interstate 5 and Pacific Avenue SE, so the entire route can be traveled without crossing a single lane of traffic. These structures follow the alignment of the original railroad, which was itself built to avoid road crossings where possible.
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