Olympia Ecosystems

Help us open a new trail from West Olympia down to West Bay Park, and double your gift!

A trail we’ve been thinking about since day one

Across West Bay Drive from West Bay Park and Rotary Point, the hillside is covered by a fence and a wall of English ivy. It’s the south end of West Bay Woods, a shoreline forest above Budd Inlet that Olympia Ecosystems has cared for since our very beginning.

Ever since we began conserving the West Bay Woods in 2014, one of our long-term goals has been to connect the West Olympia neighborhood at the top of the hill with West Bay Park at the bottom. This fall, it’s time to build that connection!

The West Bay Connector Trail

With your help during this Give Local campaign, we will:

1. 1. Build a third of a mile of new trail through the forest in the southern part of West Bay Woods,
   2. Construct a small footbridge for the trail, across a stream at the bottom a deep ravine,
   3. Open a new entrance to West Bay Woods, right across the street from West Bay Park, and
   4. Create access to begin the removal of invasive English ivy from another five acres in West Bay Woods.

Work will start in late November. We intend for the trail to be open by summer 2027, when the park and the woods get the most visitors. In the future, we hope to see a protected crosswalk across West Bay Drive, so the trip from the neighborhood to the water is safe the entire way.

We won't be doing this alone. Crews from the Washington Conservation Corps and the Washington Trails Association, along with many of our own community volunteers, will all help bring this trail to life.

More than a trail

"I'm excited about the West Bay Connector project! It will give the public a new trail through a strikingly beautiful part of the woods. Also, building this trail opens up the whole southern part of West Bay Woods, so we can start the removal of invasives and restore ecological function."
    - Gabriel Taylor, Board Vice President and Restoration Committee Chair, Olympia Ecosystems

Gabe makes an important point. Right now, the south end of West Bay Woods is so overgrown that even our own crews can barely get in. Once we pull the ivy off the trees and groundcover and cut a path through, we'll be able to care for that whole part of the forest. A trail that brings people in is also a trail that helps us take better care of the place.

Double your gift

A longtime West Olympia neighbor and supporter of West Bay Woods will match every gift, dollar for dollar, up to $20,000. That means your $50 becomes $100. Your $250 becomes $500. Together, we can reach $40,000!

And every dollar counts — the more we raise, the faster this trail gets built. If we fall short, we'll keep going, but it will take longer.

Every gift made from November 2nd through November 20th counts toward the match. Your gift will support the West Bay Connector Trail and other public-access projects in West Bay Woods.

About Olympia Ecosystems

Olympia Ecosystems is a community-based land trust that protects and restores forests, streams, prairies, and wetlands in and around Olympia. We own and care for more than 600 acres, including West Bay Woods, Cooper Crest Forest, and the Deschutes River Preserve, and we keep them healthy and benefiting the community with help from local governments, state crews, partnering nonprofits, and community volunteers.

Thank you for helping us open the way!

Get Involved: Tree planting work party in West Bay Woods

When: Saturday, November 21, 10 am to 2 pm

Come plant native trees with us in West Bay Woods! The ecological work of OlyEcosystems is fueled by volunteers like you. No experience needed. We'll provide tools, gloves, and instructions. Wear sturdy shoes and dress for the weather. More info here: Work Party November 21 – OlyEcosystems

If you can’t make that date but want to volunteer another time, just email our Volunteer Coordinator at volunteer @ olyecosystems.org, and we’ll add you to our list.

Middle school students planting in the West Bay Woods