Winter Fjord 2025

Embracing the Season’s Change Around Hood Canal

Rachel Hansen | editor

As the crisp air settles over Hood Canal, we are reminded of the quiet magic that comes with the changing of the seasons. Autumn’s golden hues give way to winter’s serene stillness and the random raging storm to remind us of nature's force. There is something truly restorative about walking along the shoreline, watching the gentle waves ripple beneath a soft gray sky, or simply savoring a steaming cup of coffee while the landscape transforms around us. It is in these moments that Hood Canal reminds us of the simple joys and the beauty of nature’s rhythm.

The holiday season is a time for celebration, and our area is alive with festive spirit. From charming Christmas markets to local events that bring neighbors together, there is no shortage of ways to connect and create memories at the Festival of Firs across our region.

This is the perfect moment to slow down, enjoy the company of friends and family, and take part in traditions that warm the heart even as the temperatures drop. Whether you are attending a cozy gathering or taking in the local lights, the community spirit is unmistakable and welcoming.

Thank you to George Stenberg for the photo of the Lilliwaup store shrouded in winter character. In this issue we take you around the Canal to find some treasures for your holiday shopping list. Stenberg's calendars and framed photos make great gifts!

We also want to highlight a stunning contribution from scuba diver Tom Robbins, whose recent article showcases the vibrant underwater world of Hood Canal. His photographs of sea anemones are nothing short of breathtaking, capturing colors and textures that most of us rarely see.

Beyond the visuals, Tom’s article offers fascinating insights into the delicate ecosystems beneath the water’s surface—a reminder of the wonders that thrive quietly below the tides. It’s a feature that inspires curiosity and awe, inviting readers to see our local waters in an entirely new light.

As the year draws to a close, we extend heartfelt thanks to our readers and contributors for helping us celebrate the seasons, the stories, and the communities that make Hood Canal so special. Your engagement, passion, and shared experiences enrich this publication and strengthen the bonds we have with the place we all call home. We are grateful for every story told, every photograph shared, and every moment celebrated with us.

Finally, we invite everyone to join us at Camp Grisdale in Shelton through December 21. Experience the holiday magic and immerse yourself in all that this season has to offer.

From our team to yours, we wish you a happy holiday season filled with joy, wonder, and warmth. Here’s to new beginnings and the promise of an exciting year ahead.

ISSUE 36 | YEAR 8

EVENTS 4

STAY LOCAL 11

Celebrate the season in your cabin by the fjord or in the forest.

OPERATION SCROOGE 14

Love local with music & community.

SHOP LOCAL 15

Your guide to some local shops and what we love about them.

THE STILL ONES 24

The secret natural history of anemones in Hood Canal

CAMP GRISDALE 31

Discover a slice of our timber heritage at the holiday celebration in Shelton

BIRDS OF A FEATHER 41

Ever considered birdwatching? Here are a few resources to get started

MID WINTE R BLUEGRASS CELEBRATION 42 DEC 27, Shelton

TRACING THE FJORD IS PRODUCED BY RACHEL HANSEN IMAGE IN ACTION DESIGN rachel@nwevent.org

(360) 427-5599 PO BOX 622, SHELTON, WA 98584 © 2025 No reprint without permission COVER IMAGE: Lilliwaup in winter Photo: George Stenberg

'round the fjord

ONGOING EVENTS

Shelton School Board Meeting

2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 6 PM Mt. View Elementary School

Hood Canal Kiwanis Sewing Club

Tuesdays, 2 - 4 PM, St Germains 600 Lake Cushman Rd, Hoodsport

Builder Tuesdays

Tuesdays, 10 - 2 PM, Shelton Library

Cribbage at Bent Bine Brew

Tuesdays, Sign-up begins at 5 PM tournaments at 6 PM with cash prizes. 23297 HWY 3, Belfair

Open Mic Night at El Serape Cantina

First Tuesday of each month 318 W Railroad Ave, Shelton

Bookmobile in Brinnon & Quilcene

Tuesdays, 10–12 PM Brinnon Comm Center Tuesdays,1:30 – 4 PM Quilcene Comm.

Trivia Night at Alderbrook Resort

Wednesdays, 6:30 - 8 PM, Union

Open Mic night at Hood Canalé Wednesdays, 6871 E SR 106, Union

Darts at Bent Bine Brew

Wednesdays, 5:45 PM registration with cash prizes. 23297 HWY 3, Belfair

Open Mic at Bent Bine Brew

Thursdays, 5 PM , 23297 HWY 3, Belfair

Fiber Art Fridays at Marmo Caffè

Every first and third Friday, 3-6 PM

217 W Cota St, Shelton

Bring a fiber art project to work on (FREE).

Shelton Family YMCA FREE Teen Night Fridays, 5 PM - 8 PM

3101 N Shelton Springs Rd, Shelton

Trivia Night at Bent Bine Brew Co. Fridays, 7 PM, FREE 23297 HWY 3, Belfair

North Mason Eagles Karaoke Fridays, 7 PM, 80 NE Alder Creek Ln, Belfair

Shelton Film Society

Second Friday, 5:30-7:30 PM

Movie screenings at Marmo's Shelton (FREE).

Saturday Night Bingo in Brinnon Saturdays, 6:45 PM, 151 Corey Street, Brinnon

Bookmobile in Brinnon & Quilcene Saturdays, 10 – 12 PM Brinnon Comm Center Saturdays, 1:30 – 4 PM Quilcene Comm Center

Bingo at Brinnon Booster Club

Bingo Saturday night at 6:45pm 151 Corey Street. Brinnon

Craft Club at Marmo Caffè & Gallery

Every 2nd and 4th Sunday, 11 - 2 PM

217 W Cota St, Shelton

Christmastown at Camp Grisdale

525 Cota Street, Shelton

Explore the Guinness Record Tribute Maze and check out the gift huts, live music, and interactive crafting activities.

DEC 11 5-7 PM DEC 18 5-7 PM

DEC 12 5-8 PM DEC 19 5-8 PM

DEC 13 12-5 PM DEC 20 12-5 PM

DEC 14 12-5 PM DEC 21 12-5 PM

Visit schedule at festivalofthefirs.com for details on vendors, crafts, workshops, snow times, music, and Santa visits!

Live Music at Bent Bine Brew Co. Saturdays, 5PM, 23297 HWY 3, Belfair

Joon Bug Winter Yoga Classes

Civic Center, 425 Cot Street, Shelton Chair Yoga Classes January 8, 15, 22 and 29, and February 5, 12, 19, and 26, Thursdays at 10:00 AM; Cost: $120.00 per person for the full session. $15.00 per person for a drop-in class after 9 people have pre-registered for the full session.

Evening Yoga Classes January 7, 14, 21, 28 & February 4, 11, 18, 25, Wednesdays from 6 to 7 PM: Cost: $120.00 per person for the full session. $15.00 per person for a drop-in class after 9 people have pre-registered for the full session. joonbugyoga.com

Hama Hama Holiday Market

December 13 & 14, 11-3 PM

Hama Hama Oyster Co, Hwy 101, Lilliwaup

Live music 1-3 PM: Dec. 13: Whozyamama

Dec. 14: Hannah Hackett Trio

December

Make Quilcene Sparkle Day

Friday, December 12, 12 PM

Quilcene Community Center 294952 US-101, Quilcene

This heartwarming holiday effort aims to bring much-needed sparkle, cheer, and community pride to our beloved centers this season. We are launching a major initiative to bring enlightenment and holiday cheer to our communities by installing festive lights outside at both the Brinnon and Quilcene Community Centers. Join us in Quilcene for our first dedicated Decoration Day! Bring your holiday spirit and help us transform the space into a festive, glowing gathering place! We are calling on community volunteers to help us "sparkle" by hanging lights, garlands, and wreaths. Sasquatch Santa will be available for photos too. Children of all ages can get their selfie pictures taken with Sasquatch Santa, and because the North Hood Canal loves its creatures, pet selfies are absolutely welcome too!

Christmas Market at Maggie’s Market

Friday, December 12, 2 PM – 7 PM

128 East Railroad Ave, Shelton Celebrate the season at the 2nd Annual Christmas Market! Enjoy live music from Kittie Mae, food, and shop a selection of hand crafted gifts and treats from local vendors.

Christmastown at Camp Grisdale

December 11 -14

425 West Cota St, Shelton

Enjoy games, live music, food, vendors, craft workshops as well as snow flurries on the Christmas Tree Maze, and visit with Paul Bunyan, Babe the Blue Ox, and Santa (Saturday at 2). christmastownwa.org

Grinch Paint Workshop

Friday, December 12, 6:00 PM

215 West Railroad Ave, Shelton Don’t be a Grinch — paint the Grinch! $35 per person, price includes supplies, instructions, as well as snacks and soft drinks. graffitiartcenter.com

Light & Gold Holiday Music

Friday, December 12, 7:00 PM

St. David of Wales Episcopal 324 W Cedar St, Shelton, WA

Join the Great Bend Chamber Choir for Light & Gold, a warm and glowing holiday concert featuring music by Whitacre, Lauridsen, Gjeilo, and more. Enjoy four beautiful settings of O Magnum Mysterium and the shimmering Lux Aurumque, all performed by candlelight in the cozy space of St. David’s. A perfect way to slow down and savor the season. Tickets: $16 General, $12 Senior/Military, Free for Season Pass holders. More info: greatbendmusic.org.

DESIGN MATTERS

Best Friends Fridays – Put a Bow on It!

Friday, December12, 4:30 PM

Join a collection of local antique, vintage, and specialty shops for in downtown Shelton, The event features specials, prizes, and caroling in December!

4th Annual Holiday Market

December 13, 9 AM - 2 PM

3031 N Shelton Springs Road, Shelton

Lots of local vendors selling goodies in time for Christmas! Free admission and accepting food donations for local food bank.

Simpson Rail Christmas Special

Saturday & Sunday, December 13-14

10138 W Shelton Matlock Rd, Shelton Climb aboard for the annual event— a festive 2.25-mile train ride behind historic locomotive. Visit Santa, enjoy hot cocoa, warm up by the bonfire, and make a keepsake log cookie ornament to take home. Proceeds support museum and preservation of logging and railroad history. Dress for the weather and enjoy a day filled with cheer, tradition, and holiday magic. Tickets: $20/ $16 (ages 2–12) simpsonrailroad.org

Shelton Library Winter Art Market

December 13, 11 AM - 2 PM

710 W Alder St, Shelton

Support creators while finding great items for yourself or to give as gifts.

Beaded Viking Wire Weave Bracelet Workshop

Saturday, December 13, 11:00 AM

215 W Railroad Ave, Shelton

Skill level: beginner–intermediate; $90/person graffitiartcenter.com

Chuck Easton Holiday Jazz Quintet

Saturday, Dec. 13, 5-7 PM

Finnriver Cidery,124 Center Rd, Chimacum

A festive evening of Christmas tunes as well as some jazz standards. Meet family and friends and enjoy a glass of cider and a delicious meal at this special event. The enclosed pavilion is heated and vendors will be serving up food. Cover charge (up to $5, excluding children) will be collected. All funds collected go to the music program.

Be Ready For Storm Season Know what to do if the power goes out

• Report your outage: Report outages with PUD’s SmartHub app or visit my.pud3.org.

• Have a plan B: Customers dependent on power for life-support equipment should have a backup plan for power outages. Consider purchasing a backup generator and/or have contingency plans in place.

• Stay at least 100 ft. away from downed lines: Assume power lines are live and dangerous. Report fallen power lines to 360-426-8255. If life-threatening, call 911.

• Be ready BEFORE the lights go out: Build an emergency preparedness kit, including a supply of non-perishable food and water, blankets, flashlights and a first-aid kit.

Christmas at Loblobby Lavender Farm

December 13–14 and 20-21, 12–6 PM

2950 SE Lynch Rd, Shelton

Enjoy hot cocoa by the fire, Christmas treats, and locally made gifts.

A Ceremony of Carols at St David's Saturday, December 13, 3 PM

324 W Cedar St, Shelton

Join Harstine Choir to celebrate the Christmas season. During the first half of the concert, the choir will be performing A Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten with harpist Cassie Turner.

App. Choose Your Provider Type in “Mason PUD 3” and confirm.

Register Your PUD 3 Account

Enter the following: account number, last

Operation Scrooge:24 Hour Live Streamed Music Telethon

December 13-14, 12 PM

A 24-hour live online Christmas telethon, “Turning Humbugs into Hope,” to support families along the Hood Canal. The event features 12 bands and 12 solo acts raising funds to ensure every family can enjoy the season. Operation Scrooge’s mission is to provide families with a full Christmas — including dinner, breakfast, gifts, and all the little touches that make the holiday special — while bringing dignity, joy, and hope to those who need it most. Donate or sponsor a family, contribute items from a holiday checklist, or share the event to raise awareness. Together, the community can turn humbugs into hope, one family, one song, and one Christmas at a time. For information email OperationScrooge@gmail.com.

A Ceremony of Carols on Harstine Is.

Sunday, December 14, 3 PM 3371 E Harstine Island Rd N, Shelton Join Harstine Choir to celebrate the Christmas season with one of the great choral works of the 20th century.

Shelton’s 3rd Annual Cookie Stroll

Saturday, December 13, 12:00–5:00 PM Downtown Shelton

Enjoy a festive walk through downtown as you collect 14 delicious cookies from local bakers and explore participating shops. Each ticket includes a commemorative box and ornament. A sweet way to celebrate and support local. Tickets $40. sheltondowntownmerchants.com

Chimacum Farmer’s Craft Fair

December 13-14

Chimacum Grange, Chimaicum

Handmade crafts and goodies made by local makers and artisans.

YSS Dive Underwater Santa Photos

Saturday, December 13, 1:30 - 5:15 PM

Shelton High School Pool

22320 N US Highway 101, Shelton

This event is FREE and fun for the whole family— no scuba experience required! Register and reserve at yssdivetacoma.com

“Let Us Be Your Guides”

The Munn Bro's specialize in waterfront homes and acreage in the N.W. Hood Canal which includes Lake Leland, Dabob Bay, Quilcene and Brinnon areas. Enjoy the extended spring and autumn seasons of the Hood Canal. Munn Bro’s agents are thankful for the wonderful people in this pristine area that make it a unique place to live. Experience outdoor activities, wild crafting mushrooms, wildlife, locally grown food, and an abundance of fresh seafood.

Owner/Broker

Select the most knowledgeable and experienced agents to guide you in the purchase or sale of your property. Our team truly know the homes and land of West Hood Canal. Stop by our new office at 294772 Hwy.101in Quilcene for FREE maps, tide books and local insight of this beautiful area.

Jim Munn Bruce Munn Kalan Hatton

JOIN BURGER BASKET

Hoodsport's Yule Tide 2025

Saturday, December 13, 5:30 PM

24113 N US Highway 101, Hoodsport head to the town of Hoodsport to warmly welcome in the holiday season. Ceremonial Christmas tree lighting will commence at 5:30 with the arrival of Santa Claus. Celebrate on the streets after with caroling, hot beverages and a walk around town enjoying the sights.

Marmo 2nd Year Anniversary!

Sunday, December 14, 8:00 - 4:00 PM

317 Cota St., Shelton

Marmo celebrates with a day of good food, wine, music, and community. Raise a glass, enjoy treats, and toast to the creativity, connection, and care that have grown here.

Donuts With Santa!

Sunday, December 14, 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Peace Love Donuts, 18350 E SR 3, Allyn Santa is coming! Come grab a donut and coffee and get a picture with Santa. Jess D photography will be taking pictures with Santa for donations. Donations will go to North Mason Giving Tree!

Marmo Craft Club

Sunday, December 14, 11:00 – 3:00 PM

317 Cota St., Shelton

Bring a project to work on, or help yourself to our free collage supplies. We provide paper, old journals, books, glue, scissors, pens, and more.

Snowman Painting Class at Graffiti

Wednesday, December 17, 6:00 PM

215 W Railroad Ave, Shelton

Get into the holiday spirit with this fun, beginner-friendly acrylic painting class—great for all ages! Come solo or bring friends for a festive crafting night. Cost: $35 per person (includes all supplies, instruction, snacks, and soft drinks). graffitiartcenter.com

North Mason Coffee and Cookies with the Superintendent

Wednesday, December 17, 8 AM

250 E Campus Dr, Belfair, WA 98528

Winter Festival

Thursday, December 18, 5:30 - 7:30 PM

Cedar High School, 807 W Pine St, Shelton

Join us for a night of fun for all ages! Admission is FREE and the evening is packed with festive activities, including delicious food, crafts, hot chocolate, face painting, cookie decorating, games, cotton candy, and the chance to take pictures with Santa and meet the Grinch.

Potlatch Brewery Bingo Night

Thursday, December 18, 6-8 PM

24180 N US Highway 101, Hoodsport

Camp Grisdale at Christmastown

December 19 -21

425 West Cota Street, Shelton, WA

Enjoy live music, food, vendors, crafts, wreath and ornament workshops, snow flurries on the Christmas Tree Maze, and visit with Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox and Santa Claus will visit Saturday at 2 PM. Celebrate the season with family, friends, and your community. Maze open daily from 3PM. Schedule at christmastownwa.org

Northern Lights Acrylic Paint Workshop

Friday, December 19, 6:00 PM

215 West Railroad Avenue Shelton

Join Graffiti creative art center in downtown Shelton amidst all the beautiful Christmas lights and festivities for this whimsical moonlit Christmas tree paint class. $35 per person. graffitiartcenter.com

Lighted Boat Parade

Friday & Saturday December 19-20

Hammersley Inlet, Shelton, WA

Parade starts when it’s dark, around 4:30-5:00

Shelton Yacht Club hosts the Lighted Boat Parade on Friday, December 19 and Saturday, December 20 this year! The boats can be viewed from any waterfront spot, but visibility from the Oakland Bay Marina is limited. Walker Park is a great spot to view the parade from.

Brinnon Community Craft Fair

Saturday, December 20

Brinnon Community Center 306144 Highway 101, Brinnon

Simpson Railroad Christmas Special

Saturday and Sunday, December 20 –21 10138 West Shelton Matlock Road Shelton

Families are invited to climb aboard a festive 2.25-mile train ride behind historic locomotive 900 in caboose 1201 or 201. Visit Santa, enjoy hot cocoa, warm up by the bonfire, and make a keepsake log cookie ornament. Proceeds support the museum and the preservation of logging and railroad history on the Olympic Peninsula. Dress for the weather and get ready for a day filled with cheer, tradition, and a little holiday magic. Tickets: $20 adults,$16 kids (ages 2–12) simpsonrailroad.org

Winter Solstice Gentle Yoga Workshop

Saturday December 20, 6:00 - 7:30 PM

Alderbrook Resort & Spa

10 E Alderbrook Dr, Union

Celebrate Winter with candle lit gentle yoga and guided Yoga Nidra meditation. Open to everyone! $35/person atjoonbugyoga.com

Christmas at Loblobby Farm (Week 2)

Saturday & Sunday, December 20-21 2950 SE Lynch Road Shelton

Enjoy a cup of hot cocoa by the fire pit, snack on Christmas goodies, and find thoughtful, locally made gifts for everyone on your list. Farm shop will be open from 12–6pm, filled with handmade lavender products, festive treats, and warm holiday cheer.

“Oh Christmas tree” Acrylic Workshop

Saturday, December 20, 3:00 PM 215 West Railroad Avenue Shelton

Join Graffiti creative art center in downtown Shelton and admire all the beautiful Christmas lights and festivities for this whimsical moonlit Christmas tree paint class. This is a beginner level acrylic painting for all ages.

2025 Holiday Open House

Sunday, December 21, 2:00 - 4:00 PM

Worthington Park 151 E Columbia St, Quilcene Spend the afternoon enjoying holiday cheer at the Worthington House in Quilcene! Light refreshments and tours of the house!

The Baby Born in the Barn

December 21, 5:00 PM

Hunter Farm, 1921 WA-106, Union Carols, refreshments and the nativity story.

Marmo Artist Pop-Up Market

December 20, 11 AM - 5:00 PM December 21, 10:00 - 3:00 PM 217 Cota Street, Shelton Holiday market - shop local makers!

Potlatch Brewery Trivia Night

Thursday, December 26, 6-8 PM 24180 N US Highway 101, Hoodsport

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

December 24, 7:00 PM

New Community Church of Union 951 East Dalby Rd, Union

11th Annual Midwinter Bluegrass Celebration

Saturday, December 27, 6:00 - 9:00 PM

Shelton HS Performing Arts Center, Shelton

The annual Bluegrass concert will include the talent of Westbound Sky (formally Bluegrass Regulators), Union City Council Band as well as the Host band Runaway Train. Tickets available at the door or online: bluegrassfromtheforest.com

Marmo's Craft Club

Sunday, December 28, 11:00 AM 3:00 PM 217 Cota Street, Shelton

Bring a project to work on, or help yourself to our free collage supplies. We provide paper, old journals, books, glue, scissors, pens, and more.

January

YSS Dive New Year's Day at Sund Rock

Thursday, January 1, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Sund Rock Marine Preserve

Whether you’re newly certified or a seasoned pro, all skill levels are welcome to start the year with bubbles, buddies, and breathtaking views beneath the surface. Registration is free, but required so we can plan for everyone’s safety and fun. yssdive.com

Hama Hama New Year's Polar Plunge

Thursday, January 1,12-3 PM 35846 N. US HWY 101, Lilliwaup

Load up on zinc and good vibes, and clear your heads for the new year. Group plunge will happen with the high tide at 1:30 PM. The 2026 Polar Plunge tickets($40) is available online and includes 1/2 dz raw, ~1/2 dz roasted, a mug of homemade beef bone broth, plus a door prize ticket. hamahamaoysters.com

Full Moon Yoga: WOLF MOON

Saturday, January 3, 6:00 PM

10 E Alderbrook Dr, Union Cost: $35/person at joonbugyoga.com

Hood Canal Improvement Club Meeting

Tuesday, January 6, 2026, 6:00-7:30 PM

Union Fire Department - Community Hall RSVP at hoodcanalimprovementclub.org

Native Plant Watercolor Workshop

Thursday, January 8, 6-8-7:30 PM Salmon Center, Belfair

Come learn to paint plants available from this year’s plant sale, and take home supplies to keep up your new hobby. Beginners are encouraged. Supply cost is $12/person. masoncd.org.

Through the Garden Gate

January 31- March 7, 9:30 AM-12:00 PM

100 W Public Works Dr, Shelton

Each year’s program is designed around practical, science-grounded topics chosen to address the challenges local gardeners face. Contact Tessa at (360) 427-9670 ext. 682.

February

Full Moon Yoga: SNOW MOON

Monday, February 2, 6 pm

Alderbrook Resort & Spa

10 E Alderbrook Dr, Union Cost: $35/person at joonbugyoga.com

Hood Canal Improvement Club Meeting

Tuesday, February 3, 6:00-7:30 PM

Union Fire Department - Community Hall

An Evening with Sheriff Ryan Spurling - Mason County Updates. RSVP at hoodcanalimprovementclub.org.

Hood Canal Polar Plunge

Sunday, February 14

Alderbrook Resort, 10 E Alderbrook Dr. Union

Hood Canal Improvement Club Meeting

Tuesday, March 3, 6:00-7:30 PM

Union Fire Department - Community Hall

Bigfoot Historian and Expert - Marc Myrsell. RSVP at hoodcanalimprovementclub.org.

Escape To Mason County FOR THE HOLIDAYS

As another year draws to an end, there's no better place to slow down, soak in nature, and feel the warmth of community than in Mason County. Tucked along the forested shores of the Hood Canal on the Olympic Peninsula, the area transforms into a festive retreat, especially during the annual Festival of the Firs. Whether you're dreaming of a cozy cabin, a waterfront getaway, or a central base to explore the county's charm, the county offers lodging gems for every kind of holiday traveler.

Where to Stay: Your Home-Base for Holiday Cheer

Shelton is the heart of the holiday action, giving you quick access to the various Festival of the Firs events, shopping, dining, and all the conveniences of a small town. It's an ideal place to stay if you want to be close to the action. The lodging options span the full range, from simple, budget-friendly motels to resort-style comfort.

The Shelton Inn is a longtime community staple and a good choice if you plan to spend most of your time in Shelton proper. Be sure to stop into their on-site restaurant, Blondies, for some great food. The Super 8 has the basics covered in uptown Shelton. If you're looking for something more inclusive, Little Creek Casino Resort delivers spacious rooms, plenty of amenities, dining, entertainment, and a warm place to unwind after a chilly winter day.

Explore Hood Canal if you're looking for a waterfront cabin with Instagram-worthy views, or look for cozy spots tucked up into the trees near the Olympic National Forest. Along the canal, there are communities like Union, Hoodsport, and Lilliwaup, chockfull of small-town charm. Alderbrook Resort & Spa in Union is a longtime choice for anyone seeking an upscale experience, from renovated cottages and lodge-style rooms to its canal views, which makes a stay feel like a winter storybook escape.

The Glen in Hoodsport is another solid pick, especially if you like being close to the outdoors. Whether hiking, fishing, or just settling in by a warm fire after a day at Rocky Brook Falls, it offers a nice balance of rugged, natural surroundings and a renovated base-camp feel. Additionally, The Glen is offering a winter special: buy two nights and get one night free.

Towns like Allyn and Belfair are great if you're looking for a slower-paced holiday in the Northeast part of Mason County near Kitsap County and Bremerton. Both spots have charm, easy access to waterfront parks and trails like the Theler Wetlands, and a calm atmosphere that helps you relax this time of year. Don't worry, everything is close in Mason County (especially a hike), so you're never far away from the events and views of the canal.

Mason County isn't just a beautiful place to stay. During the holidays it comes alive with tradition and warmth. The Festival of the Firs and this year's "Christmastown at Camp Grisdale" celebrate the region's timber heritage and holiday spirit by blending history, community, and celebration through caroling, wreath-making, parades, visits with Santa, and more.

Take the next step and imagine waking up in a cabin on the water, breathing in crisp canal air, and heading into Shelton for crafting, lights, and local events. Consider coming back this summer, because in Mason County there's always an opportunity for adventure: kayaking, forest walks, exploring quiet docks, or relaxing. The waterfront cottages and resorts provide a perfect setting for a holiday that's memorable and lasting.

The Glen, Hoodsport

Alderbrook Resort lobby, Union

Holiday Crafting Workshops

At Christmastown’s Camp Grisdale, holiday creativity unfolds with a relaxed, West Coast sensibility—festive, hands-on, and welcoming to all. In addition to guided workshops, guests can enjoy free craft activities throughout the event making it easy to drop in, linger, and create at your own pace.

For those seeking a more immersive experience, artisan-led workshops offer the chance to learn new skills and take home something truly special. Wreath-making workshops with Nicole Helser invite guests to craft a lush, fragrant 14-inch wreath using the bouquet method, selecting from an abundant spread of fresh greens and embellishments while sipping cocoa and enjoying seasonal snacks. Her warm, step-by-step instruction makes the process both accessible and deeply satisfying.

Beloved local maker Lisa Welander will be on site December 13–14, sharing her signature holiday crafts and inspiring guests with her thoughtful designs. Coastal tradition comes to life through gyotaku fish printing workshops led by

Rachel Hansen, where this time-honored Japanese printmaking technique transforms real fish into striking works of art. Adding a distinctly regional touch, Hood Canal mural artist BriAnne Lesman leads the ornament workshops, guiding participants in creating keepsake ornaments.

All guided workshop participants are provided with tools, materials, and refreshments. Activities are well suited for families and groups, though some workshops are not recommended for young children due to sharp tools. Preregistration is required for select workshops, with full details available at festivalofthefirs.com or by calling 360-427-5599.

Register at festivalofthefirs.com or call 360-427-5599.

America 250 Mason County Celebrates a Year of Community

Guided by historical societies at the federal, state, and local levels, America 250 Mason County has spent 2025 honoring the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. As we approach July 4, 2026—the 250th anniversary our community has enjoyed a variety of events designed to celebrate our shared heritage, with even more activities planned for the coming year.

America 250 Mason County extends its heartfelt appreciation to the many organizations, partners, and volunteers who have supported our mission throughout 2025. Their generosity and enthusiasm have brought history to life across the region.

We offer special thanks to: The City of Shelton, the Wilde Irish Pub, and North Mason Community Voice for hosting the Two Lights for Tomorrow presentations. Forest Festival and Loop Field organizers for welcoming our participation in both the Forest Festival Parade and the Loop Field festivities. Oyster Fest organizers for providing space to commemorate the 250th anniversaries of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and the U.S. Post Office—

along with a heartfelt thank-you to all who have served in the military and to those who have helped deliver the mail. Festival of the Firs organizers for creating a joyful setting filled with Christmas and winter cheer. We are also grateful to the hundreds of visitors who added their names to our replica copy of the Declaration of Independence. Your signatures symbolize a living connection to the spirit of 1776, and we look forward to offering even more opportunities to sign in 2026.

Next year promises to be an exciting continuation of our journey toward America’s 250th birthday, with new partnerships and even more engaging community events on the horizon.

For those who would like to take part in creating these meaningful experiences, we welcome your involvement. Please contact Sandy at 360-229-2882 or Will Harris at 702-250-4301 to learn how you can join the celebration.

Shelton Yacht Club

Boat Parade 2025

December 19-20

The Shelton Yacht Club Lighted Boat Parade will be held December 19 & 20. Boats will leave the marina at 6:30 PM (weather permitting) and travel down Hammersley Inlet.

Boaters are welcome to join in the parade regardless if you're a yacht club member or not. The boat parade can be viewed from the club parking lot, Church Point and Walker Park. Check the yacht club website for additional viewing options. For information, visit sheltonyachtclub.com.

Operation Scrooge: A 24-Hour Celebration of Heart, Music, & Community

This December, the historic Robin Hood Village Resort transforms into a production studio to bring Christmas to local families in need. From noon on December 13 to noon on December 14, volunteers host a live-streamed music telethon.

Operation Scrooge began decades ago when a caring teacher rallied his eighth-grade students to raise funds for families lacking the means to celebrate the holidays. One of those students remembers delivering the gifts. That experience stayed with him. Now living in Union, Chris Eakes and his wife have brought the tradition westward.

“When I discovered how much need exists within my own community, I knew it was time,” he shared. “Union is full of heart, full of music and this is our chance to give back.”

In partnership with Hoodstock Music and Arts Festival, volunteers have secured the Robin Hood Village Resort for the 24 hours of entertainment. Local businesses have joined in the effort—sponsoring a sold out “Paint and Sip” experience. The live stream kicks off at noon on December 1 with fan favorites Honey Babe, and won’t sign off until Seth Ryan Unger wraps things up at noon the next day.

Volunteers are partnering with the Hood Canal School District to identify families facing the steepest challenges this year. Whether you donate, tune in, share the event, or simply help spread the word, your involvement makes a meaningful difference. View "Operation Scrooge" on Facebook or follow youtube.com/ ChrisEakesMusic or twitch.com/ChrisEakes.

Celebrating 90 Years

SHOP LOCAL

'TIS

THE SEASON

Confession first: I’m one of the worst offenders. There’s something dangerously easy about settling in by the fire with a cup of tea and a laptop and letting the shopping begin. This year, though, I’m trying to pause before each purchase and ask a simple question—can I find this locally?

I love our small towns. I’ve traveled far and wide, but few pleasures compare to wandering for a couple of hours on a sunny summer day in Port Gamble or Hoodsport with my daughter, Charlotte, browsing shelves and discovering small treasures. Those afternoons usually end in a café, sharing lunch or a cup of coffee. Next summer, I want those shops to still be there. That means putting a little more thought—and effort—into my list this year.

Chances are, Christmas shopping might actually become more enjoyable this way, replacing the frantic rush to beat shipping deadlines, dodge extra fees, and decode online coupon codes.

To help with that challenge, we reached out to learn what people love about their local shops.

BELFAIR & ALLYN

Allyn Knit Shop

16590 WA-3, Allyn | (360) 275-4729

Why we love them: Fantastic selection of yarns. What they offer: Knitting items.

Bear in a Box

18359 WA-3, Allyn

Why we love them: Unique hand crafted wood statues What they offer: Custom designs and pre-made items. Chain saw carving class make a great gift.

Scott McLendon's Hardware

51 NE WA 300 , Belfair | (360) 275-0113

Why we love them: If you need it, they have it. What they offer: Everything.

White Barn Decor

23611 WA-3, Belfair (360) 277-4598

Why we love them: The displays are not just a treat for the eyes - but also the nose! What they offer: Beautiful gifts, flowers and home decor. A Christmas visit must!

SHELTON

Annie's Quilt Shoppe

2505 Olympic Hwy N #220 | (360) 427-6164

Why we love them: Walk in, if you can be insprired., you will be. What they offer: Quality fabrics and notions also a wide range of kits, books, patterns, tools, and sample quilts. anniesquiltshoppe.com

Back Room Vintiques

107 S 4th St. | (360) 791 - 2431

Why we love them: Eclectic and unusual items artfully displayed. What they offer: Vintage clothing, accessories - furniture , collectibles. Shop in store.

Bobland * Vinyl & Audio

123 W Railroad Ave | (206) 383-8645

Why we love them: Fun store, good quality, fair pricing and definitely worth checking out! What they offer: Vintage records, tuners, turntables, amps and speakers.

Builders FirstSource

114 E Cedar St, Shelton | (360) 426-2611

Why we love them: Okay, not typically what you would call a “gift” shop – but I can think of a few on my list that would dig a new Dewalt. What they offer: Quality building materials and hardware as well as tools.

Cota Street Antiques

328 W Cota St. | (360) 358-8387

Why we love them: Reasonable antique furniture. What they offer: Antiques found at auctions and antique fairs throughout England and shipped directly to the furniture showroom in Shelton. cotastreet.com

Creekside Antiques

209 W Railroad Ave | (360) 490-0376

Why we love them: Some great finds and collectibles in this shop. What they offer: Antiques, gold & silver jewelry, coins, vintage & antique furniture, and Native American pieces.

Ish PNW

221 W Railroad Avenue | (360) 349-5468

Why we love them: The 'In Shelton Homes' has hand-crafted stock changing daily. What they offer: Gifts in a collaboration of local crafts, artists and goods. Sharon posts images of her latest items on Facebook, so be sure to follow her to see when new stuff comes in.

Lynch Creek Wreaths

Why we love them: Send a little piece of Mason County to family and friends. What they offer: Wreaths, centerpieces, and garlands. lynchcreekwreaths.com.

Maggie's Market

128 E. Railroad Ave | (360) 432-9397

Why we love them: This hip shop has a wide selectioon of great hostess gifts. What they offer: locally made sauces, tortillas,wines, blankets, gifts. madeinshelton.com

MARMO

217 W Cota St.

Why we love them: trendy, artistic and serves fantastic coffee. What they offer: High-end gourmet foods, coffees, and gifts in this spacious gallery space.

Mottet Fine Jewelry

116 W. Railroad Ave. | (360) 426-5811

Why we love them: Reasonable prices and a vast selection What they offer: Curated gifts and jewelry as well as repairs and design.

Neil's Pharmacy

512 W Franklin St | (360) 426-3327

Why we love them: Fun selection of Christmas decor including Christmastown branded! What they offer: Snacks, pharmacy, gifts.

Nifty Thrifty Thrift Store

826 W Railroad Ave | (360) 427-0858

Why we love them: The books section is our favorite place to start in this very full store. What they offer: Great collectible section. Open 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM every day except Sunday.

Riverdance Soapworks

790 E Johns Prairie Rd | (360) 427-7811

Why we love them: bath and body products made in Shelton. Soap products, whipped shea body butters, ip balms, herbal deodorant and bath bombs. riverdancesoapworks.com

403 W Railroad Ave, Shelton | (360) 464-8013 candy? Chances are they stock it.

707 Cascade Ave | (360) 426-3359.

One stop Christmas shopping for everyone on your list.

2018

Clothing shoes, booth, outdoor gear, household items and an amazing selection of toys! Shopping in store only. Open daily.

2505 Olympic Hwy N | (360) 426-4677

DESIGN the perfect per sonalized gift – variety is limited only by your What they offer:

Some R 4 U Antiques & Collectibles

321 W Railroad Ave | (360) 549-6860

Well organized with a great selection at reasonable prices — “some might even say the prices are a steal." Antiques and collectibles.

2001 N US- Hwy 101 | (360) 432-5900

From chimney pieces to bee supplies – Tractor Supply is supplied. What A wide variety of agricultural supplies, plus tools, work wear & boots. Open daily.

Tozier Bros.

110 Mill St, Shelton | (360) 868-4352

Why we love them: Pick up your tree and find the perfect gift for dad or granddad. What they offer: Selection of plants (and Christmas trees), tractors, hardware, and household goods.

Urraco Coffee Co

628 W Cota St | (360) 462-5282

Why we love them: Delicious coffee and friendly people. What they offer: Locally roasted coffee. Drive though available daily.

Williams Flowers & Gifts

331 W. Railroad Ave | (360) 426-8615

Why we love them: Always find something perfect! What they offer: A selection of plants, gourmet baskets and gifts.

Verle's Sporting Goods

741 W Golden Pheasant Rd | (360) 426-0933

Why we love them: Not only will they have what you need, they have the knowledge to help you pick the perfect gift. What they offer: Fishing equipment, hunting, outdoor maps and passes, huge selection of new and used boats.

SOUTH HOOD CANAL

Cameo Boutique

320 E Dalby Rd, Union, | (360) 898-3200

Why we love them: A unique and inspired selection of fun gifts for your mother, sister, best friend. What they offer: women's clothing and accessories, jewelry, children's gifts, home furnishings, and cards. Recently moved.

Kari’s Collectibles

4941 E SR-106, Union | (360) 898-0277

Why we love them: A treasure hunt every time. What they offer: One of a kind jewelry, antiques etc.

Union City Market

5101 E SR 106, Union | (360) 898-3500

Why we love them: This adorable beach shop has everything you could possibly need. What they offer: Snacks, art, gifts and specialty grocery items. unioncitymarket.com

Hunter Farms

1921 E SR 106, Union | (360) 898-2222

Why we love them: Olympic Mountain ice cream and local gifts. What they offer: Trees cut everyday, plants and farm gifts.Open daily.

YSS

Dive

22320 US-101, Shelton | (360) 877-2318

Why we love them: The perfect gift for the non-scuba diver? Scuba lessons! The perfect gift for a scuba diver? Well, everything in the store. What they offer: PADI Scuba Diving certification and a full service dive shop.

Hama Hama Farm Store

35846 N US Hwy 101, Lilliwaup

Why we love them: Everyone appreciates a cozy hoodie with the signature bridge logo. Travel the world and all who recognizes it will express oyster kinship. What they offer: Certificates and swag.hamahamaoysters.com.

The Hardware Distillery

24210 N Hwy 101, Hoodsport | (206) 300-0877

Why we love them: The cute little gnomes and tree shaped bottles. What they offer: Handcrafted spirits. hardwaredistillery.com

Yelvik General Store

251 Hjelvicks Rd, Brinnon (360) 796-4720

Why we love them: Hard to find gifts What they offer: One-stop shop offering groceries, hardware, boots, clothing, and live animals.

Cove RV Park & Country Store

303075 US-101, Brinnon · (360) 796-4723

Why we love them: Charming store, great location, friendly staff What they offer: Groceries and gift items.

McKay Shrimp and Crab Gear

306362 US-101, Brinnon | (360) 796-4555

Why we love them: Gifts and useful items

What they offer: Bait, tackle, gear

Whitney Gardens and Nursery

306264 US-101, Brinnon (360) 796-4411

Why we love them: Beautiful for a walk!

What they offer: Plants and garden gifts

Quilcene Village Store

294235 US-101, Quilcene | (360) 765-0190

Why we love them: Fresh made bakery items

What they offer: Surprising variety of gifts and quality grocery items and local products.

Olympic Mountain Mercantile

294752 US-101, Quilcene

Why we love them: The question is what not to take home. Selection of vintage sweaters. What they offer: Vintage denim, timeless clothing (both new and vintage), hand crafted woodwork, candles, soaps, books.

Shells at Olympic Mountain Mercantile

Hoodsport Canalside is great for Christmas ornaments and many other gifts plus makes a great shopping excursion to the Canal.

When a Tree Falls in the Forest

Trees are ever-present above us when visiting or camping in the forest. Yet, too often, we are unaware of the risks as sociated with trees. Trees and branches can fall at any time and at any location for lots of reasons, including weather, age, fire, damage and disease.

Avoid spending time in the forest on very windy days. If you are visiting a park on a windy day and hear trees and branches falling, leave the forest or go to an open area. Be aware of recent weather. Be particularly careful immediately following strong winds, heavy snowfall, or ice storm. Wind can break branches or uproot trees. Heavy snow and ice can weaken and break trees. Storm damage can take days to reveal itself and days or weeks to clean up. Avoid stopping to spend time under dead and unhealthy trees. Trees with missing needles or leaves, peeling bark, or missing limbs may be dead. Dead limbs and trees can fall without warning. Trees can have other defects that can cause them to fall such as internal rot, broken tops, weak branch connections, open cavities, or insect and disease activity. Not all defects are visible.

Be prepared and share your plans. Trees can fall and block roads or trails. Bring emergency supplies in case your adventure lasts longer than you planned.

The Christmas Tree Capital of the World

In the wake of Hood Canal’s timber boom it was discovered that the glacial till left after the fjord was carved was ideal ground for growing Douglas fir Christmas trees. During the 1950s and 1960s, the area annually harvested several million, earning it the title as “Christmas Tree Capital of the World.”

Local u-cut and pre-cut farms around Hood Canal continue to “Keep it Real” by producing some of the finest Nobles, Grands, Frasers as well as Douglas Firs. Northwest growers claim that real trees help the environment and are recyclable and biodegradable while artificial trees will eventually end up in a landfill.

Annually many families head to local farms to select their favorite and enjoy holiday activities like hayrides, petting zoos and visits with Santa. There’s hardly anything that’s more quintessentially Christmas than decorating a handpicked Pacific Northwest

Christmas tree and gathering your family around a tree that you brought home together from Hood Canal.

ALWAYS call the farm or store BEFORE YOU GO to confirm their supply, their hours and whether they have trees, are allowing choose-and-cut or just precut trees; and which attractions or winter activities are available. All three can change, due to weather, demand and the farmer's business conditions! Since the season is so short they often don’t have websites, so please check before you go!

Choose the Perfect Tree

Make it a family tradition to cut your own or carefully select a pre-cut beauty from the Hood Canal area. Head into the forest to select your own or visit one of the farms we have included below.

Olympic Christmas Trees

2091 W. Deegan Rd. W., Shelton

U -Cut trees (or they cut if you need help)

November 28 - December 14 Friday -Sunday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. olympicchristmastrees.com

Bayview Tree Farm

4673 E State Route 302, Belfair

While you sip your hot beverage and warm up check out the wreaths and selection of handmade Christmas decor.

November 28th, 29th, 30th, December 5th, 6th, 12th and 13th. 9am-4pm .bayviewtreefarm.net

Once home, cut the bottom of the tree off and place the freshly cut trunk in a bucket of water. Replenish the water often.

Hunter Farms

1921 E State Route 106, Union

Family owned, seasonal crops, gift shop at main location as well as farm store and petting zoo! (360) 426-2222

California Road off Highway 101 — follow signs - U-cut is open on the weekends. General Store — 1921 E Hwy 106, Union, WA

Pre-cut and u-cut trees as well as gifts.

Toziers Bros.

110 Mill Street, Shelton, WA

Hours of Operation

Monday - Saturday: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM | Sunday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Pre-cut Douglas firs and nobles; live trees, lights, decorations. (360) 868-4352 |

Olympic National Forest trees $5

Before you go –

Check the latest weather conditions, forest warnings and road closures before you leave on your trip, conditions can deteriorate rapidly in the mountains. Make sure to bring a map and don’t rely on GPS because it may not be up-to-date with forest service roads. Dress warmly and take extra dry clothes. Remember, the forest service roads are not plowed. Carry tire chains, shovel(s) and a tow chain.

Things to know –

Tools you might want to consider bringing with you include a measuring tape to ensure you select a tree that fits in your home; handsaw to cut your tree; gloves to protect your hands; boots to protect your feet; a tarp to sit on and/or to move your tree once it's cut; and rope or straps to secure your tree to your vehicle. Trees may be cut from along roads, from forest plantations and in the under story of older stands.

Cut trees only if there is a standing tree within 10 feet to avoid denuding areas. Do not cut trees within 100 feet of campgrounds or trail heads. Any evergreen, 15' maximum, is available for cutting except Western White Pine. Cut down the entire tree. Washington State Law requires a hauling permit for hauling more than five trees on/in a vehicle at one time.

If the tree is too big to transport inside of your vehicle, wrap it in canvas to prevent wind damage.

national forest christmas tree permits $5

Checklist for a ONF Tree Hunt

Purchase online at recreation.gov.

Be sure to be on Forest Service land. Know before you go. Trees may be cut along roads and in the under story of older stands.

Cut only if there is a standing tree within 10’ to avoid denuding areas.

Do not cut trees within 100’ of campgrounds or trail heads.

Any evergreen are available for cutting except Western White Pine.

Tree Height: 15’ maximum.

Do not remove the top of the tree; cut down the entire tree.

Washington State Law requires a hauling permit for hauling more than five trees on/in a vehicle at one time.

Oly On Ice Returns for the Season

The City of Olympia is welcoming the winter season with the return of its beloved outdoor ice rink, Oly on Ice, now celebrating its seventh year. Running from November through January, the rink transforms Isthmus Park into a festive gathering place filled with bright lights, seasonal treats, and joyful winter activity.

Located in downtown Olympia, Oly on Ice offers free parking during evening and weekend hours and is surrounded by plenty of restaurants andand holiday attractions. Tickets are available both online and at the rink, with advance online reservations encouraged to secure preferred time slots. Each ticket grants skaters 75 minutes on the ice and includes skate rentals. Skaters can purchase winter essentials such as gloves, hats, socks, and skate aids for young beginners at the concession stand.

For those interested in group outings, Oly on Ice offers private rentals suitable for corporate events, birthday parties, and special celebrations. For reservations or more information, contact Olympia Parks at 360-7538380 or olympiaparks@ci.olympia. wa.us.

HAMA HAMA OYSTER FARM

Located 12 miles north of Hoodsport on Highway 101 Make a reservation or learn more at hamahamaoysters.com

Farm Fresh Shellfish | Grilled Oysters

Live Crab | Local Specialty Foods & Gifts

FARM STORE & DELI Daily, 9:30 - 6

OYSTER SALOON Friday - Sunday, 11 - 5

THE STILL ONES: LIFE AMONG PACIFIC NORTHWEST ANEMONES

STORY & IMAGES THOM

ROBBINS

Drop beneath the surface of Hood Canal, and the world does something strange. The noise you never realized you carried slips away. The cold presses close, the green water folds around you, and what felt familiar on the surface becomes something older, slower, more deliberate. Down here, even the smallest things can pull your attention, and few creatures lure you in like anemones.

The first time I hovered eye-level with a pair of orange-and-white plumose anemones, anchored together, I realized I’d stopped breathing. It rose from the rock like a lantern someone forgot to snuff out, its feathery ring swaying with the patience of something that had never once needed to rush. I had dropped into the water that day looking for wolf eels, maybe a wandering Pacific octopus if I was lucky, but instead I found myself suspended in the water, staring at a creature that held the whole moment in its grip. The light from my dive torch slid across its surface, and the anemone flared gently, as if waking. The muted fire of orange and white felt older than anything else on the reef. I stayed there longer than I meant to, caught by something anchored in place, looking back without eyes and waiting without fear.

People often imagine anemones as simple flowers of the sea. They are anything but. Spend enough time underwater with them and you see the truth: they are predators, architects, survivors, and quiet powerhouses of the Pacific Northwest. They feed the ecosystem, help shape the seafloor, and provide shelter for everything from tiny shrimp to juvenile rockfish.

And they manage all of this without ever taking a single step.

Up close, anemones feel uncanny in a way only the sea manages, rooted creatures that still seem alert and watching. Divers tend to lump them together, these bright creatures pinned to the rocks, but the truth is far older and stranger than it appears. They all belong to the same ancient lineage, the class Anthozoa, animals that appeared long before fish, long before bones, long before anything with a face to show its intent.

Each anemone follows a familiar blueprint: a soft column crowned with tentacles and anchored by a disc. That disc holds the animal to rock, piling, sand, or shell and lets it ride out currents that could peel skin from stone. For a few species, it even becomes a getaway tool. When conditions turn bad, a few Pacific Northwest anemones release their grip, inflate slightly, and drift away like pale balloons searching for safer ground. Stillness is their choice, not their limitation.

In the Pacific Northwest alone, there are several dozen species of sea anemones. Within that shared design, each species holds its own personality, its own way of surviving a world that rarely shows mercy. Some anemones are patient hunters, waiting for fish or shrimp to brush against their tentacles so their stinging cells can fire like tiny traps tucked inside a single hair. Others are filter feeders, living a life where the current does the work, sweeping plankton across their tentacles. A few do both depending on what the tides bring,

FANTASTIC FACTS ABOUT ANEMONES 8

1. THEY HAVE ONLY ONE BODY OPENING

The same opening functions as both mouth and anus, handling feeding and waste.

2. THEY HAVE HEALING ABILITIES

If torn by waves or predators, many can regenerate tentacles or body tissue.

3.THEY ARE BRAINLESS

A simple nerve system allows them to respond to touch, light, & chemicals minus centralized control.

4. THEY CAN CHANGE SHAPE

When threatened or exposed at low tide, some species contract into smooth, rubbery blobs that look nothing like anemones.

5. ARMED WITH SPRING-LOADED VEMON

Their tentacles contain nematocysts—tiny, spring-loaded stingers that fire fast!

6. THEY REPRODUCE 2 WAYS

Many species spawn into the water or reproduce by splitting to form clones.

7. SOME GLOW UNDER UV LIGHT

Certain anemones fluoresce under ultraviolet light, due to proteins similar to those found in corals.

8. COLOR CAN SIGNAL TOXICITY

Bright reds, greens, and patterns may serve as warning coloration to predators.

switching strategies the way a writer changes pens, steady and deliberate. Some swallow crabs whole. Others feed on jellies. Some are as small as scattered beads on the rock, and others rise tall enough to brush a diver’s mask.

They are family in the scientific sense, but in the water, they feel more like estranged relatives gathered in the rooms of the same old house. They share the same history, but each carries its own hidden secrets. Some shimmer with light borrowed from algae living inside them. Others wage quiet chemical war against their neighbors.

A few clone themselves into armies that spread across the seafloor like a slow tide. And others, despite their rooted appearance, quietly unstick

and sail off into the dark if the world around them shifts.

They may look decorative at first, but spend enough time with them and the illusion dissolves. Beneath the calm is intention. Beneath the color is strategy. And beneath the soft drift of tentacles is a creature that has been perfecting survival since before the ocean knew anything more complicated than hunger and light.

Once you start paying attention, that structure begins to make sense through function rather than form. At the top, the tentacles guard a single opening that leads into the coelenteron, the chamber where circulation, digestion, and waste share a common path.

There is no heart or specialized organs, only water moving through the body to do the work. It is simple on the surface and efficient beneath, a design nature created early and never had reason to revise.

If you understand that basic framework, the distinctions between species sharpen, almost like personalities rather than anatomy.

Giant green anemones are usually the first to pull you in, their bodies lit from within as if they are holding on to every bit of sunlight they ever borrowed. The color runs deeper than the tissue because of the algae living inside their cells, tiny partners trading photosynthesis for shelter. Brush too close and the whole ring of

tentacles snaps shut, quick and certain, a reflex shaped by millions of years of ambush. To us, the sting is little more than a pinprick.

To anything small enough to count as prey, it is a door shutting for good. The harmony in that green body seems gentle, but the creature itself is anything but. Plumose anemones follow the same plan but stretch it into something ghostly. They rise from pilings and rocky shelves as pale towers, their feathery tentacles blooming under a dive light. They do not hunt so much as gather. They stand in the current and let the world pass through their arms, sifting plankton with steady ease.

On night dives, they look like candles lining some forgotten aisle, pale glimmers flickering each time a tide pulse rolls through. I have floated among them with only my breath for company and felt, for a moment, that I had wandered someplace sacred and not entirely safe. Painted anemones carry the same architecture but disguise it under carnival colors. Reds, purples, creams, and browns swirl across their columns, so vivid you almost doubt what you see through your mask. They hold perfectly still, predators that know stillness can be its own kind of lure. I once watched a hermit crab inch across the edge of a painted anemone, as if easing across ice that might crack beneath them.

One careless touch, one stumble into the tentacles, and that would have been the end of him. The anemone never twitched. It didn’t need to. Time does the work. Then there are the aggregating, or clonal, anemones, the most abundant anemones on the tide-swept rocky shores of the Pacific coast. They repeat their small green design across whole stretches of reef, shrinking the instant a finger or wave brushes them. Most people never realize these harmless-looking colonies wage slow territorial wars, leaving chemical borders etched into the rock long after the fighting has ended.

And in the dimmer reaches of the walls, you find the strawberries, small and intensely bright, gathered in clusters that shine like embers against the rock.

Their red and pink tones come from pigments in their own tissues, natural shields that help them handle shifting light rather than anything they eat. A single anemone barely catches the eye, but together they form tiny reefs, pockets of shelter where young fish slip out of the current. Shrimp thread themselves between the bodies, and tiny crabs wait out storms beneath the guarded crowns, trusting something that looks delicate yet stays anchored through anything the water delivers.

That is the truth, the anemones keep tucked beneath their soft crowns. They look like decoration, the ocean’s wildflowers, but nothing could be more wrong. They are shelter and glue, hunters and architects, patient predators and caretakers. They build structure where none would stand. They root the ecosystem in place. Without them, parts of Hood Canal would feel hollow in ways you only understand after you have spent years underwater, watching the quiet power of creatures that never move and never need to. They are not background. They are the bones around which the seafloor grows. For something anchored in place, anemones live complicated lives.

They begin as drifting larvae, tiny specks carried wherever the tides push them. Most never make it, swept off or swallowed long before they touch stone. The few that survive settle on a rock, shell, piling, or even an old

bottle and anchor there. Once they attach, they stay for life, which can stretch for decades if the currents and predators leave them be.

Once settled, anemones grow slowly and steadily, unfurling their tentacles to hunt. Those tentacles are loaded with tiny stinging cells called nematocysts. Under a microscope, they look like harpoons coiled in a trap, waiting for anything soft enough to touch.

Here’s a quiet bit of trivia: the same stinging machinery that makes box jellies deadly exists in Pacific Northwest anemones. Ours are far gentler, but the machinery is the same. Just scaled down.

Some reproduce sexually by releasing eggs and sperm into the water, letting the current handle the matchmaking.

Others, like aggregating anemones, clone themselves until an entire colony becomes one genetic individual. Kneel beside one and you might be looking at hundreds of copies of a single ancestor.

It’s an ancient strategy, and it works.

Underwater, alliances are messy, and enemies show up in strange shapes. Small crabs hide beneath anemones. Shrimp thread between their tentacles. Juvenile rockfish hover above them like nervous birds perched on an unseen rail. Anemones are living real

estate, shelter for whatever needs protection from the current or from things waiting to strike.

Some fish even learn to hover close enough to avoid predators but not so close that they get stung. It’s an uneasy arrangement, but down here, even bad roommates can get along if the alternative is being eaten.

Crabs, strangely enough, are both protected by and prey to anemones. I have watched decorator crabs tiptoe across their tentacles with scraps of sponge strapped to their backs like makeshift armor.

They move with a careful, testing gait, feeling for the slightest hint of danger.

Sea stars sometimes pry anemones off rocks, consuming them in slow, patient mouthfuls. It is not a quick process. Nothing underwater ever is quick.

And then there are the battles you never see, the chemical duels between neighboring colonies. Aggregating anemones have specialized “fighter” polyps that they use to burn competitors. The line between territories is drawn in sting scars.

Some anemones even fight themselves by accident, clone battling clone after currents shift them into the wrong arrangement.

Everything in the ocean is friend, enemy, or dinner. Sometimes it is all three at once.

If you ever want to understand the Pacific Northwest, descend into Hood Canal when the water turns green and the current softens. Look for the places where color gathers on the stone. Where tiny tentacles reach and sway. Where something motionless begins to feel like it is breathing with the sea.

Anemones are easy to overlook, but once you notice them, they pull you in. They are the quiet machinery of the ecosystem, visible only when you slow down enough to see them. They filter water, provide habitat, feed predators, and shape entire stretches of shore with time and patience.

On one late-winter dive, I found a single giant green anemone perched on a rock, its tentacles half-closed against the surge. I hovered there, just watching it. A whole world moving around a creature that stayed fixed in place. I raised my camera, took the shot, and realized something simple.

Not every marvel in the Salish Sea chases you or darts across your light, trying to be seen. Some simply wait to be noticed. And once you do, you begin to see the seafloor differently. You understand how much depends on what stays still.

THOM ROBBINS BIO

I spend as much time underwater as life allows, teaching diving and photography, chasing the perfect shot, and writing both nonfiction and fiction inspired by these waters. You can explore more of my work at www.thomrobbins.com.

Christmastown's

CAMP GRISDALE

To honor the history and unique spirit of Camp Grisdale, we are recreating it as a tribute village at this year’s Christmastown celebrations in Shelton. Grisdale was more than a logging camp—it was a vibrant community where families and loggers lived, worked, and thrived in the high country of the Olympic foothills. By bringing Grisdale to life for Christmastown, we aim to celebrate its remarkable culture, inventive spirit, and enduring legacy, allowing visitors to experience a glimpse of life in a logging community that helped shape Mason County’s history. This tribute is a way to educate, entertain, and preserve the memory for future generations while sharing its story in a festive, immersive environment.

Camp Grisdale emerged in 1946 as Simpson Logging Company’s first permanent, purpose-built high-country logging camp, created to support operations in the rugged foothills of the South Olympic Mountains.

Unlike the company’s earlier mobile, numbered camps that followed the rail lines, Grisdale was designed as a stable community for both single loggers and loggers with families. Named for William and George Grisdale, nephews of Sol Simpson, the camp functioned as a timber transfer hub where logs were moved from trucks to rail cars for shipment to Shelton. Under the guidance of chief forester George Lincoln Drake, Grisdale became a model logging town, complete with modern bunkhouses, family housing, a store, a recreation hall, and a two-room schoolhouse.

Its residents developed specialized logging skills suited to the steep Olympic slopes, earning the camp a reputation as one of the most remarkable logging communities in the United States.

Grisdale closed in 1986, marking the end of the last company-owned logging camp in the continental United States. The buildings vanished soon after, and the forest reclaimed the land, but former residents continue to preserve its legacy through reunions and shared memories.

Christmastown’s tribute Camp Grisdale leans into the legends of local mascots -Paul Bunyan and Babe by imitating early camp designs. The event is open weekends through December 21 at 425 Cota Street in Shelton.

Mason County Historical Society Photos

Christmastown’s Camp Grisdale guinness tribute christmas tree maze

In December 2019, Shelton and Mason County captured national attention with a festive challenge to the Hallmark Channel. Dubbed the “Christmas Tree Capital of the World,” the community celebrated its claim to fame by setting a Guinness World Record for the Most Lit Christmas Trees in One Location—an astonishing 797 trees, surpassing Hallmark’s previous record of 559. Since then, volunteers have rebuilt the commemorative maze every December, turning it into a cherished holiday tradition.

For 2025, Shelton is returning to its roots with a tribute to its timber heritage. While the Guinness-sized maze takes a backseat, visitors can still enjoy a festive holiday experience.

The original 2019 maze featured two giant Christmas tree-shaped installations powered by LED lights donated by PUD 3, constructed with wood from Sierra Pacific, and decorated with fir trees from local farms. Each year, the maze has been open nightly throughout December at no charge, thanks to the dedication of volunteers and support from local businesses. In 2024 we received maze sponsorship from Annie’s Quilt Shoppe, Lynch Creek Farm, Kealy Electric, Melanie Bakala State Farm Insurance, Shocking Difference, and Peninsula Credit Union.

In 2025, Camp Grisdale is evolving into a holiday village.

With over 300 trees in the tribute maze visitors can also enjoy:

• Fire pits and cozy gathering areas

• Live music and festive performances

• Crafting stations and workshops for wreaths, ornaments, and more

• Photo opportunities with Santa, Paul Bunyan, and Babe the Blue Ox

• Newly built timber cabins

• Snow flurries (weather dependent)

The festivities kicked off December 5 with Shelton’s annual tree lighting and continues through December 21, offering a full schedule of holiday activities, music, crafts, and treats.

Schedule

Christmastown at Camp Grisdale

425 West Cota Street, Shelton, WA

Thursday, Dec 11 | 5–7 PM

Christmas Bingo hosted by Panhandle Lake Camp Gyotaku fish printing workshop, food, fire pits

Snow flurries: 5:30 PM, 7 PM (weather dependent)

Friday, Dec 12 | 4–8 PM

Event Nonprofit: America250 Mason County

FREE crafts, music, food, fire pits, vendors

Christmas bead bracelet craft with Jeff Nicole’s wreath workshop @ 5 PM

Music: Kota On Sixth

Ornaments with Brianne (adults $25/kids $15)

Snow flurries: 5:30 PM, 7:30 PM

Hanging the 1000s of light strings takes many hands. We are so thankful for all our community volunteers!

2019 Guinness Record Winning maze 797 trees

Saturday, Dec 13 | 12–5 PM

Event Nonprofit: OBJH PTSO

FREE crafts, music, food, fire pits, Santa visits

Shelltown Strummers: 1–2 PM

Crafts with Lisa Welander

Santa Claus visits at 2 PM

Snow Flurries: 2 PM, 4 PM

Sunday, Dec 14 | 12–5 PM

Event Nonprofit: SHS Parent Booster Class of 2026

FREE crafts, music, food, fire pits

Santa visits, crafts with Lisa Welander

Camp House Kitchen, Fjord Oyster Shack

Workshop: Cloverwood Candles

Nicole’s wreath workshops: 1 PM & 3 PM

Paul Barber Music

Snow flurries: 2 PM, 4 PM (weather dependent)

Thursday, Dec 18 | 5–7 PM

Event Nonprofit: Citizens for Shelton Schools

FREE crafts, music, food, fire pits

Santa visits, Rock painting with Jeff Slakey

Camp House Kitchen, Fjord Oyster Shack

Paul Barber Music

Wreath workshop with Nicole – 5 PM

Snow flurries: 5 PM, 7 PM (weather dependent)

Friday, Dec 19 | 4–8 PM

Great Bend Music Root Beer Choir

Event Nonprofit: Great Bend Music

FREE crafts, music, food, fire pits

Camp House Kitchen, Fjord Oyster Shack

Santa visits, Scratch Art with Jeff Slakey Snow flurries: 5:30 PM, 7:30 PM

Saturday, Dec 20 | 12-5 PM

FREE crafts, music, food, fire pits, Santa visit

Music: Oma & Greg

Grisdale Christmas Dance 6-8 PM

Display:America 250 Mason County

Snow flurries: 2 PM, 4 PM (weather dependent)

Sunday, Dec 21 | 12–5 PM

FREE crafts, music, food, fire pits, Santa visits, Shelton YMCA craft

Music: Oma & Greg

Santa Claus visits at 2 PM

Nicole’s wreath workshops: 1 PM & 3 PM

Ornaments workshop with Brianne Lesman (FEE)

Book Binding Workshop

Shelton Family YMCA Activities

Snow flurries: 2 PM, 4 PM (weather dependent)

Camp Grisdale invites families and community members to celebrate the season together. For full schedules, updates, and event details, visit christmastownwa.org.

Laurie Hall

Photo

Laurie Hall

Photo

FACES OF 2025 Merry Christmas!

HOLIDAY MAGIC

PHOTOS:COOPER STUDIOS

Celebrate with Caroling, Crafts & Community!

HOODSPORT YULE TIDE

The Hoodsport business community is pleased to announce the third annual holiday downtown Hoodsport celebration – Yule Tide! Families will enjoy activities, food and local shopping and festivities during the afternoon and evening at businesses throughout the entire town.

Look forward to caroling starting at the Port of Hoodsport at 5:30 PM. Carolers will stroll through Hoodsport with stops at businesses along the way.

YSS Dive will once again host boat rides at the Port of Hoodsport dock (very popular in 2022), Potlatch Brewery will again host Santa Paws where you can get pictures with your pets and Santa Claus. They will also serve drinks and food.

The Hardware Distillery and the Flywheel Gallery will be joined by The Tides Restaurant, serving up chowder for purchase. Canalside Gifts will be joined again by the Hood Canal Kiwanis Club for craft activity and pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus and serving hot chocolate and cider. Local artists and crafts people will be on site to provide guests with last minute gifts and Canalside will be open late.

The Model T and other local businesses will join on the event with activities and warm treats for the traveling carolers as they traverse the route through town!

Caroling ends at Fjord Oyster Bank where there will be fire pits and fun on the Finch Creek patio. The Fjord will also host activities for families including ornament and wreath workshops, marshmallow and chestnut roasting as well as more caroling and music.

Parking is available along the street as well as at Canalside parking lots, the Hoodsport Fish Hatchery and the Fjord Oyster Bank Restaurant.

For additional details on this event & others, visit festivalofthefjord.com.

Cooper Studios Photo

HCC Lights Up Union

Hood Canal Communications (HCC) is bringing holiday cheer to Union with its first-ever illuminated decorations on select power poles throughout the community. This festive initiative marks a new tradition for Union, the community HCC has proudly served the longest.

Inspired by HCC’s participation in the Shelton-Mason Chamber of Commerce beautification program in Shelton, HCC General Manager and Vice President Mike Oblizalo led the effort to purchase and install the decorations in Union. Each pole-mounted display features a 5-foot star snowflake with garland, adorned with cool white and blue lights to create a dazzling winter scene.

The decorations debuted in time for the Alderbrook Resort’s Annual Tree Lighting Celebration in November en-

suring Union shines bright alongside one of the area’s most beloved holiday traditions.

“This project reflects our commitment to the communities we serve,” said Oblizalo. “We’re thrilled to help make Union sparkle this holiday season.”

HCC extends its sincerest gratitude to its dedicated employees and Mason County PUD 1 for making this project possible. For more information, visit hcc.net or follow Hood Canal Communications on social media.

Cameo Boutique moves to Union Square on Dalby Rd.

After 42 wonderful years, Cameo Boutique has officially moved to a new location in Union Square. The shop is now located at 320 E. Dalby Rd., Suite E, in Union, marking an exciting new chapter while continuing its long tradition of offering unique finds, thoughtful gifts, and a welcoming shopping experience for the community.

Cameo Boutique invites everyone to stop by, see the new space, and enjoy all the holiday spirit. The boutique is open daily from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

For more information, visit www.cameoboutique.com or call 360-898-3200.

Looking for the perfect gift for a loved one?

Mason County Sportsman’s Association's classes in their indoor range in Shelton are a great way to learn a new skill and increase firearm safety. Questions? Message phone: (360) 427-1102

Poetry Takes Shape: Ars Poetica at FlyWheel Gallery in Hoodsport

On the edge of the fjord where fir trees soften the light and Hood Canal mirrors the sky, a quiet alchemy is about to unfold. It’s called Ars Poetica, and it asks a simple,intriguing question: What happens when a poem becomes a painting?

This spring, Mason County artists and poets are invited into a collaborative experiment known as ekphrastic art— the transformation of poetry into visual form. Words inspire images. Text turn into color, texture, and gesture.

The process begins with an open call for poetry. Whether seasoned writer or first-time poet—all are encouraged to submit original work by December 31. Once the poems are gathered, visual artists from across the region will respond to them, creating artwork drawn directly from the emotional and narrative heart of each poem.

By April 2026, the poems and their visual counterparts will be unveiled in local galleries, including the FlyWheel Gallery in Hoodsport, transforming familiar art spaces into immersive conversations between word and image. Each pairing tells a story—not just of inspiration, but of community.

The FlyWheel Gallery will host its Ars Poetica celebration on Saturday, April 4, 2026, welcoming both poets and artists for a special gathering. It promises to be an evening where creators finally meet the work—and the voices—that shaped their own.

Ars Poetica is part of an established Olympic Peninsula group celebrating collaboration between literary and visual arts. Similar projects—supported by the Ars Poetica WA program— have brought poets and artists together in juried exhibitions across Kitsap, Jefferson, Clallam, and now Mason counties.

Each year, these shows remind us art is best experienced as a conversation and it thrives in dialogue.

In our Hood Canal landscape rich with natural beauty, Ars Poetica adds another layer: the beauty of shared imagination. Whether you write, paint, sculpt, or simply love the arts, this is an invitation to witness creativity crossing boundaries— show us your creativity. According to organizers, " Ars Poetica not only showcases individual talents but also underscores the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in enriching cultural landscapes." FlyWheel Gallery is the perfect spot to exemplify these values.

For more information and to submit poetry (by December 31) visit the group's website arspoeticawa.com.

14 Handcrafted Award Winning Wines

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Hoodsport, WA on Hwy 101

Open for

Locally produced and bottle using grapes from some of the oldest and most prestigious vineyards in Washington. www.StottleWinery.com 360-877-2247 Open for Tastings in Hoodsport!

Socially Distanced Tastings

HOURS: FRI - SUN, 11 AM - 5 PM

Fri - Sun 11am - 5pm (possibly Thursdays as well) Visit our website for the most up to date hours. Due to Covid we are open based on demand. Call ahead recommended on Weekends.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER flock together.

STELLA WENSTOB | STORY

Those folks obsessed with bird identification? Yes, birders—and they’re far cooler than the stereotype suggests. Once caricatured as binocular-toting nerds with overstuffed packs and dubious dried banana chips, today’s birders are more likely carrying a smartphone than a color-coded guidebook. Nerdy, it turns out, is in. Modern birding trades paper for sleek apps like iBird and iNaturalist, making it easy to identify, log, and even crowdsource sightings—all while contributing to real scientific understanding. And in the Pacific Northwest, with its remarkable variety of birdlife, birding is about far more than snacks and checklists—it’s an inviting way to slow down, look up, and connect with the natural world.

The Audubon Society is a great place to start if you are just dipping your webbed foot in the vast waters of birding. Their website offers a free birding app, intriguing articles on birds and birding and is supported by hundreds of local chapters (five in the Olympic-Kitsap Peninsula area) that host birding classes, walks, and events, including the longest running bird census in the world – the Christmas Bird Count. Entering its 125th year, the Christmas Bird Count gathers information from volunteer birders across North and South America. It was developed as a replacement for the Christmas tradition of the “side hunt” a competitive pastime amongst hunters for most game taken over the holidays.

Or if the weather is just too nasty, stay in your nest and feather it with avian knowledge. There are many online courses from the Audubon Society (including interactive Zoom lectures, where you can talk to local experts) and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (they offer pricier accredited bird identification courses, as well as plenty of solid free bird basics.

The Washington Ornithological Society and American Birding Association offers a digital up-to-date version of A Birder’s Guide to Washington. This free volume does not help with actual identification, but provides an exhaustive list of where to find bird species and helps to plan the most productive outdoor birding adventure.

If you wish to venture out in this wintery weather, the Mason County is teaming with migratory and year-round resident bird species. Hit the trails and start scanning the skies, vegetation, and water ways.

Pack your binoculars, scope, digital camera, smart phone (with iBird and Audubon maps downloaded) or go old-school with note pad and pencil to record your sightings – make sure to wear good walking shoes and weather appropriate clothes. Just about every green space, be it a back garden or a state park, holds birding possibilities, but to honor the spirit of road trips and the hallowed practice of making lists, on the following pages we've listed a few favorite local birding haunts.

For the Birds

The Capitol Land Trust Hilburn Preserve (just off Highway 101, west of Shelton) offers an easy half-mile loop adjacent to the very active Goldsborough Creek. The wooded area is ideal for spotting woodland birds such as Red-breasted Sapsucker, Hutton’s Vireo, Pacific Wren, and Cedar Waxwing.

Leaving the Hilburn Preserve, head east on Railroad Avenue toward downtown Shelton. Turn left (north) onto Olympic Highway South, then after two blocks turn right onto Highway 3 (East Pine Street), which follows Oakland Bay to the Bayshore Preserve. A Capitol Land Trust property, Bayshore Preserve is part of the Great Washington State Birding Trail.

Here, natural oak savannas border the shoreline and the outflow of Johns Creek. Peregrine Falcons have been spotted perched in the oaks, scanning the grasslands for rodents, while Great Blue Herons also frequent these open areas. Watch the bay for waterfowl dipping and diving in the warmer waters.

Continuing along Highway 106 through Union places you in the estuarine delta formed by the Skokomish River. This area is rich with waterfowl, including Mallard, Northern Pintail, Red-breasted Merganser, and large flocks of American Wigeon, as well as frequent sightings of Bald Eagles.

Next is a birder’s paradise: the Mary Theler Wetlands Nature Preserve, located just outside Belfair (22641 WA-3, Belfair, WA 98528). Situated near the end of Hood Canal, this 139-acre preserve protects estuarine habitat along the Union River delta. The varied landscape—marshlands, meadows, forests, and tidal waters—supports an impressive diversity of wildlife. Five distinct trails highlight different habitats, some offering sweeping views of the southern Olympic Mountains. A favorite is the River Estuary Trail, built atop breached dikes that once kept tidal waters out of historic farmland. Today, river otters explore this newly reclaimed habitat, Belted Kingfishers announce their territories, and Great Blue Herons hunt along the water’s edge. Pools host waterfowl such as Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Common Merganser, and shorebirds including Black-bellied and Semipalmated Plovers, Killdeer, Dunlin, Western Sandpipers, dowitchers, Wilson’s Snipe, and Bonaparte’s Gull. Bald Eagles are commonly seen.

Backtracking along Highway 106 and following Hood Canal west brings you to Twanoh State Park. With more than 182 acres of forest and shoreline, the park offers both terrestrial and marine birding opportunities. The 2.5-mile inland trail is a reliable spot for Red Crossbills and Brown Creepers.

Merging north onto Highway 101 keeps you alongside Hood Canal, where excellent birding stops include Potlatch State Park, Lilliwaup Creek, Eagle Creek, and Jorsted Creek. At Jorsted Creek, the pilings from a former log dump serve as roosts for all three species of Cormorants. These fish-eating diving birds lack the water-repellent oils of other waterfowl and are often seen perched with wings spread to dry in the sun.

The estuary surrounding the Hamma Hamma River is another productive birding area and is home to a nearby Great Blue Heron rookery.

Dosewallips State Park is the final stop on this list, though there are many more birding locations along Hood Canal. This 1,000-acre park encompasses river, estuary, shoreline, and mature forest ecosystems. It is famous for herds of Roosevelt Elk and the curious seals visible offshore. The diversity of habitats supports a remarkable variety of birds. The North Tidal Trail crosses tidal marshes and offers excellent winter views of migrating Trumpeter Swan populations.

The many parks and nature preserves of the Pacific Northwest provide outstanding birding opportunities. Birds of a feather flock together—and birders are never far behind. For more information on fjord birding, visit olympicbirdtrail.com.

11th Annual MIDWINTER BLUEGRASS Celebration

WESTBOUND SKY

When December settles in and the days grow short, there are still warm places to gather. One of them will be the Shelton High School Performing Arts Center on Saturday, December 27, 2025, where the 11th annual Midwinter Bluegrass Celebration brings friends and neighbors together for an evening of music and community.

Hosted by Bluegrass From the Forest and the Kristmas Town Kiwanis, this midwinter gathering has become a welcome tradition—part reunion, part concert, and wholly rooted in shared love for bluegrass music.

WESTBOUND SKY

Westbound Sky, formerly known as The Bluegrass Regulators, returns with the focus and drive that has marked their work since 2010. After a period spent on other musical paths, the band is once again playing together, bringing thoughtful arrangements, steady rhythm, and close harmonies. Guitarist and songwriter Jake Dewhirst lends a clear musical voice to the group, joined by Josh Adkins and Martin Stevens, longtime figures in regional bluegrass circles. Molly Dewhirst’s vocals round out the sound, carrying melodies that balance tradition with expression.

THE UNION CITY COUNCIL

Formed around a shared respect for traditional bluegrass, The Union City Council draws its members from across the South Puget Sound and Hood Canal area. Their music blends old-time mountain sounds with touches of fiddle tunes, blues, gospel, jazz, and folk. With a lineup that includes guitars, dobro, mandolin, bass, and fiddle, the band brings energy and variety to the stage, shaped by the different musical backgrounds each member brings to the group.

RUNAWAY TRAIN

Serving as host band for the evening, Runaway Train has been a familiar name in Northwest bluegrass since the early 2000s. Based in the Puget Sound region, the band stays close to tradi-

tional roots while allowing room to explore. Having appeared at major festivals throughout the region, they also serve as the resident band for Bluegrass From the Forest in Shelton.

As the year winds down, the Midwinter Bluegrass Celebration offers a simple invitation: come in from the cold, take a seat, and let the music carry you through the evening. Tickets are $20 and available online or at the door.

Children 15 and under are admitted free. Refreshments will be offered by donation.

Saturday, December 27, 6:00–9:00 PM

Shelton High School Performing Arts Center

3737 North Shelton Springs Rd, Shelton

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A Winter Guide to our Local Tides

WA SEA GRANT/NOAA

PREDICTED KING TIDES

WINTER 2025-2026

DATE TIME PREDICTED TIDE (FT)

PORT TOWNSEND

JAN 3 5:34AM 9.9

JAN 4 6:12AM 10.0

JAN 5 6:48AM 10.0

SHELTON

JAN 4 7:56AM 16.3

JAN 5 8:33AM 16.4

JAN 6 9:08AM 16.3

Details at wsg.washington.edu

If you live or spend any time along Hood Canal or in the South Sound, you get used to checking the tides. They shape when people head out for recreation, plan a boat launch, or keep an eye on their waterfront. But the names we use for tides can feel a little mysterious until you break them down.

Tides are the rise and fall of the ocean caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun. As the Earth turns, our area passes through these gravitational pulls, which is what causes the highs and lows we notice along the shoreline. Most of the Pacific Coast, including Hood Canal and South Puget Sound, experiences what's called mixed semi-diurnal tides, meaning two highs and two lows every 24 hours. Still, each one is a little different in height. Regular tide-chart watchers recognize that pattern right away.

You'll also hear terms like spring tides and neap tides. Spring tides aren't tied to the season, they happen when the sun, moon, and Earth line up, which creates higher highs and lower lows. Neap tides are the opposite. They arrive when the sun and moon are at right angles to each other, pulling the water in different directions and giving milder highs and lows.

Another term that comes up often in winter is king tide. It's not a scientific label, but a common nickname for the year's highest tides. These happen when the moon is closest to Earth and lines up with the sun. Around Hood Canal, king tides can raise water levels several feet above normal. People may notice when the shoreline creeps and low-lying roads collect water.

In winter, tide shifts carry a different rhythm. Many of the lowest tides show up in the early morning or evening, long before daylight. Boaters and paddlers will see water levels changing faster through the Great Bend or the area around Ayock Point. Homeowners might keep an eye on their docks and pilings, since deep lows can expose more structure than usual.

Shellfish growers around the canal monitor winter tides too, since cold air paired with low water can stress their

crops. And for anyone heading out to collect shellfish on local beaches, those low tides can be inviting, just make sure you have the proper license and check harvest openings before you go.

A better understanding of the tides help explain what we see every day along the Canal. And for anyone heading out in the winter months, a quick tide check remains one of the easiest ways to stay safe and make the most of the season.

Situated between the Puget Sound and Olympic Mountains in Mason County, is Hood Canal. A place filled with world-class activities, wild-caught fare, lively events, and plenty of places to hide away from it all when you just want the world to yourself.

Hood Canal is Washington’s wild side. And it’s here for you, when you’re ready to discover yours. #WILDSIDEWA

KAYAKING

Whether you seek tide-ripped saltwater passages, Challenging whitewater, or lakes big and small, Hood Canal is a kayaker, canoer, or paddleboarder’s ideal destination.

A rich paddling community supports any adventurer’s vision; rental packages and lesson opportunities for the budding kayaker or paddleboarder are not in short supply.

Get out on the water and enjoy a fresh perspective of the canal with colossal peaks towering overhead.

EXPERIENCE THE WILD SIDE OF WASHINGTON

Like a giant fish hook weaving beneath the Olympics with a web of inlets, Hood Canal is poised to catch your Imagination and reel in memories for years to come. This majestic saltwater fjord hosts unparalleled shellfish, shrimp, crab, and salmon and is renown as a diving mecca with its glacial formation causing underwater biomes that appear nowhere else. Venture away from the canal to Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest for hiking and Thrilling vistas. Choose from hundreds of easy access freshwater lakes or revel in waterfall views including the Iconic High Steel Bridge. Ablaze with wildflowers in the spring, hidden swimming holes in the summer, a chance To see spawning salmon in the fall, and snow-capped peaks in the winter, there is never an inopportune Time to visit Hood Canal.

CLEAR YOUR MIND AND CHASE WATERFALLS

Hamma Hamma & Rocky Brook are just two of the many falls on Hood Canal waiting to be explored. Want to plan a waterfall getaway? Visit waterfalltrail.org for 25 unique and special places to visit.

HIGH STEEL BRIDGE

Soaring 420' above the Skokomish River, the High Steel Bridge (1929), is the highest steel truss arch bridge in Washington. You won’t even need to leave the car for this breathtaking view. Follow Skokomish Valley Rd 11 miles from Hwy 101 to reach the bridge.

MOTORSPORTS

The Ridge Motorsports Park racing course near Shelton includes a fantastic road course that's geared towards club racers and competitors. Head to the DNR forests for some unmatched off-road trail rides.

TRAILS & WALKS

World-class hiking trails lace the Olympic Mountain wilderness, leading from mountain stream beds through old growth forest to high-altitude ridge lines with breathtaking views of Hood Canal and beyond.

TASTE YOUR WAY AROUND THE CANAL AND SOUND

Do a farm-to-table dining loop experiencing some Northwest flavors – including Hama Hama, Chelsea, Taylor, Fjor Oyster Bank, Hardware Distillery, Stottle Winery, Hood Canal Winery, and, don't miss Olympic Mountain Ice Cream.

TAKE A LEAP

We love the folks at SKYDIVE KAPOWSIN! Feel the adrenaline pumping rush of free-fall and experience the freedom of the air with highly trained professional instructors. Views of the fjord and the Olympics and a seven minute free fall adrenaline rush from 13,000 feet will definitely change your outlook.

PICK A PEAK

From easy day hikes with the family to overnights or “experience needed” excursions – you don’t

Have to go far for spectacular memories!

RIDE THE RAILS

Experience nature and history pedaling the rails on a quadricycle excursion. vancecreekrailriders.com

FISHING

From open water trolling on the sound to throwing dry flies on small lowland lakes, there are plenty of fishing opportunities in the area.

Seek colossal coho in the fall and hungry trout in the spring to see why every season is fishing season in Hood Canal.

BIKING

Don the helmet and clip into your pedals, for there is no shortage of road or trail from which to experience the beauty and thrill of this landscape

PHOTO: TOBY TAHJA-SYRETT

Dive-in Hood Canal lodging, sales, air, training, rentals, and charters available near renowned destinations like SUND ROCK PRESERVE and OCTOPUS HOLE. yssdive.com

SHELTON CELEBRATING A RICH TIMBER HISTORY

SHELTON is the westernmost city on Puget Sound. Featuring a bustling heritage core, its landscape is marked by colossal forests which led to a title of “Christmas Tree Capital of the World.”

Dubbed CHRISTMASTOWN, USA, since 1962, Shelton successfully won the Guinness World Record for Most Lit Christmas Trees in 2019.

SHELTON AREA LODGING

81ST FOREST FESTIVAL

MAY 29 – JUNE 1

This event has celebrated the rich timber history in Mason County since 1945 with an epic parade, carnival, logging show, vendors, car show, music, and fireworks! Learn more by visiting explorehoodcanal.com/events.

LakeCushman

POTLATCH STATE PARK

Longest stretch of PUBLIC BEACH in Mason County with shellfish, kayaking, and Hood Canal water access.

DISCOVER PASS REQUIRED

HUNTER FARMS

Farm Market, seasonal events; Visitor Center

SHELTON VISITOR CENTER

TO GO: Red Caboose on Railroad Avenue Information, handouts, and maps

ISABELLA LAKE TRAILS

EASY 2.5 mile loop, rolling meadows

TO GO: Hwy 101 exit at SR#3 to Golden Pheasant Rd, right on Delight Park Rd. DISCOVER PASS

TAYLOR SHELLFISH STORE

Fresh seafood, tours available; open to public. Hwy 101 to Taylor Towne Exit.

SQUAXIN ISLAND TRIBE MUSEUM

Stories, photos, art, artifacts dating back over 500 years. TO GO: Hwy 101 to Kamilche exit , follow signs. ADMISSION CHARGE

SCHAFER STATE PARK TRAIL

Trails, interpretive center, swimming, fishing. TO GO: 12 miles north of Elma on the East Fork of the Satsop River. The park is also accessible via the Brady exit from Hwy 12.

DISCOVER PASS REQUIRED

ALLYN

Waterfront park features gazebo and lawns, play area, and beach access. NO FEE/PASS

HARSTINE ISLAND TRAIL

300 acres to explore EASY 1.5 mile, beach DISCOVER PASS

WALKER PARK Beach access, playground, restrooms, picnic shelter, kayak access. NO FEE/PASS

HOPE ISLAND STATE PARK

OYSTER BAY Beach,marshy estuary, for birding, salmon observing or fishing. TO GO: Parking pullout on Hwy 101, marker 356 /Old Olympic Hwy. NO FEE/PASS

THE KENNEDY CREEK SALMON TRAIL

Chum salmon are on view as they make their way up river

TOPOGRAPHY: flat, viewing platforms, interpretive signs TO GO: Hwy 101, Old Olympic Hwy; weekends, seasonally. NO FEE/ PASS

106 acre park reachable only by water. Old-growth forests, saltwater marshes, fruit trees, beaches, historical buildings, friendly deer. Destination for kayakers and boaters!

TO GO: access by boat, mooring available, beach landing, boats and kayaks can launch at Arcadia Point (0.5 miles). CAMPING FEES

STAIRCASE | OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK

Ranger Station is open in summer with information, exhibits, wilderness permits, map sales and wheelchair available. Road open year-round weather permitting. Call (360) 565-3131 NATIONAL PARK PASS

TO GO: HWY 101 to SR#119, follow FS#24 to Staircase Entrance.

RAPIDS LOOP: EASY family friendly 2 mile trail through old growth forest to a bridge over the North Fork Skokomish River; only 200-foot elevation gain. BIG CEDAR, a 0.6 mile spur trail, leads to a fallen cedar while a 0.5 mile section leads to a river viewpoint.

FOUR STREAM: EASY 1.2 mile to Beaver Flat, swampy section of alder/cedar forest. Elevation loss 100 ft.

WAGONWHEEL LAKE: MODERATE TO DIFFICULT climbing 2.9 miles (elevation gain of 3,365 ft).

FLAPJACK LAKES: DIFFICULT climbing 7.8 mile one-way hike (3,115 ft elevation gain).

LOWER LENA LAKE TRAIL

Well maintained popular trail leads to a small lake

MODERATE TO DIFFICULT 3 mile climb,switchbacks TO GO: Hwy 101 at Hamma Hamma Recreation Area

UPPER LENA LAKE TRAIL

Steep with unstable bed; camping.

MODERATE TO DIFFICULT 4.3 mile climb

TOPOGRAPHY: 3,800 foot gain to sub-alpine lake

TO GO: Same as Lower Lena Lake Trail above.

WILDERNESS PERMIT FOR CAMPING

NW FOREST PASS FOR PARKING

BIG CREEK

Great pack-in picnic destination with pools and footbridges.

MODERATE 4 miles TO GO: Trailhead at FS#24 and SR#119 junction. NW FOREST PASS

HAMA HAMA STORE

Oyster Saloon, store and fresh seafood market. hamahama.com

EAGLE CREEK

Beach access & parking across from Eagle Creek Saloon. NO FEE/PASS

HAMMA HAMMA

LIVING LEGACY TRAIL

Spectacular views of the Mt. Skokomish and the Brothers ranges; interpretive signage. Trail passes Hamma Hamma Cabin built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (1930s).

EASY TO MODERATE 1.5 mile loop.

TOPOGRAPHY: First 0.25 mile is barrier free along the river; ascends bluff to creek. TO GO: Hwy 101 to FS#25, 5.5 miles.

WILDERNESS PERMIT REQUIRED FOR CAMPING

DEWATTO BAY Beach with dramatic view of the Olympics; excellent photography destination. Lots of ripe berries in late summer. TO GO: Belfair-Tahuya Rd to Dewatto Rd, 4 miles. SERVICES AT PORT OF DEWATTO CAMPGROUND

TAHUYA STATE FOREST

23,100 acre forest provides open spaces for sightseeing, camping, nature study, fishing, hiking,horse, ATV, ORV, and biking. A “working forest” trail may be closed due to forest management activities.

TOPOGRAPHY deep woods

TO GO: Hwy 300/Belfair

Tahuya Rd, 1.1 mile DISCOVER PASS

HOODSPORT VISITOR CENTER

TO GO: Located just off Hwy 101 in Hoodsport – information, handouts, maps PASSES FOR PURCHASE

MENARD’S LANDING

Expansive beach with panoramic views of Olympics. Picnic tables. NO FEE/PASS

VISITOR CENTER/ BELFAIR LICENSING

TO GO: On Hwy 3 in Belfair PASSES FOR PURCHASE Park/ vehicle/vessel/fishing/hunting northmasonchamber.com

DALBY WATERWHEEL TO GO: SR#106

HIKING & BACKCOUNTRY CAMPING

Clamber up the rugged trails, tiptoe through the quiet old growth forest, or careen through the pristine meadows of Olympic National Forest & National Park. Shoulder your pack and experience the sights and sounds of the vast wilderness home to some of the most beautiful flora & fauna in the world. Ablaze with wildflowers in the spring, cool hidden swimming holes in the summer, a chance to see spawning salmon in the fall, and snow capped peaks in the winter, there is never an inopportune time to hike Hood Canal.

ITINERARY 3: HOODSPORT & NORTH HOOD CANAL

HUG THE CURVES

As Hwy 101 navigates the bays of HOOD CANAL, imagine relaxing dockside of a beachside cabin, watching the seals roll off the rocks

CANAL

SPIRIT

HOODSPORT WINERY, STOTTLE WINERY, and HARDWARE DISTILLERY offer tastings amongst shopping, dining and the famous Olympic Mountain Ice Cream.

FORAGE DINNER

Come prepared with buckets and boots. Check regs at wdfw.wa.gov before digging – or stop by HAMA HAMA STORE & OYSTER SALOON for freshly prepared seafood.

DIVE DEEPER

Giant octopus, wolf eels and swarms of ancient rock cod add to the wonder of this special place. AIR, GEAR & SCUBA LESSONS, RENTALS & CHARTERS available.

WEST HOOD CANAL LODGING

Alice’s Little Beach House | 112 N Allie Ahl Ln, Lilliwaup | (360) 877-9226 | aliceslittlebeachhouse.com

The Glen Motel (Glen Ayr) | 25381 N Hwy 101, Hoodsport | (360) 877-9522 | glenayr.com

Mike’s Beach Resort | 38470 N Hwy 101, Lilliwaup | (360) 877-5324 | mikesbeachresort.com

The Moose House at Lake Cushman | Lake Cushman | themoosehouse.com

Pali-Kai Canal House | 327000 N Hwy 101, Lilliwaup | (360) 426-2224

Sunrise Motel & Dive Resort | 24520 N Hwy 101, Hoodsport | (360) 877-5301

Waterfront at Potlatch | 21660 N Hwy 101, Potlatch | (360) 877-9422 | thewaterfrontatpotlatch.com

Yellow House | 23891 N Hwy 101, Hoodsport | (360) 877-6818 | hoodsportndive.com

ALLYN/ BELFAIR/UNION LODGING

Allyn

Allyn House Inn | 18350 State Route 3, Allyn | 535-2198 | allynhouseinn.com

Belfair & Tahuya

Belfair Motel | 23322 NE State Route 3, Belfair | 275-4485 | belfairmotel.net

Gladwin Beach House | 391 Gladwin Beach Rd, Belfair | (360) 337-2960 | explorehoodcanal.com

Sisters Point Waterfront Cabin | 12121 NE North Shore Rd, Belfair | (360) 275-6816

Summertide Resort | 15781 NE Northshore Road Tahuya | (360) 275-9313 | summertideresort.com

Union

Alderbrook Resort & Spa | 10 E Alderbrook Drive, Union | (360) 898-2200 | alderbrookresort.com

Blue Heron Resort Condos | 6520 E SR106, Union | (360) 614-3191 | attheblue.com

Cottages at Hood Canalé | 6871 E SR 106, Union | (360) 710-7452| booking.hoodcanale.com

Hood Canal Events Accommodations | curated short term rentals | hoodcanalevents.com

Hood Canal Resort Properties | 8761 E SR 106, Union | (360) 842-9779 | hoodcanalresort.com

Robin Hood Village Resort | 6780 E State Route 106, Union | 898-2163 | robinhoodvillageresort.com

The largest chainsaw carving outlet, BEAR IN A is a great place to explore this unique art. They also teach chainsaw carving.

GRAPE VIEWS

Waterfront Grapeview is the location of first winery and vineyards of the Pacific Northwest.

BEACH WALK

The area features quaint shops, a variety of restaurants, and beach parks.

There are plenty of great public beaches to explore and launch points for your kayaks.

ALLYN & GRAPEVIEW enjoy gorgeous views of the protected harbor waters of Case Inlet. The area features quaint shops, waterfront lodging, restaurants, and beach parks.

Annually, the Grapeview area hosts the Water and Art Festival, a day-long event featuring entertainment and juried artists.

ITINERARY 5: BELFAIR AREA

TAKE A WALK ON BOARDWALK

Hood Canal’s wild 139 acre THELER WETLANDS hosts two miles of trails. 1,700+ feet of floating boardwalk, native plants, and interpretive kiosks to experience wetland wildlife. olympicbirdtrail.org

SALMON STRONG

THE SALMON CENTER provides education and recreation through a series of collaborative activities at their certified organic farm. They also host seasonal events. pnwsalmoncenter.org

VISITOR INFORMATION & RESOURCES

HOODSPORT VISITOR CENTER

150 N Lake Cushman Rd, Hoodsport, WA (360) 877-2021 | (800) 576-2021

BELFAIR VISITOR CENTER

30 NE Romance Hill Rd, Belfair, WA (360) 275-4267 | northmasonchamber.com

UNION VISITOR INFORMATION

Located at Hunter Farms, E 1921 SR 106, Union, WA

SHELTON CHAMBER

VISITOR CENTER

215 W. Railroad Ave, Shelton, WA | (360) 426-2021

Open 8 AM - 5 PM | Monday through Friday

MASON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM

427 W. Railroad Ave, Shelton, WA

11 AM - 4 PM | Tuesday through Saturday

TAKE TO THE TRAILS

23,100 acre TAHUYA STATE FOREST for camping, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, ATV, ORV, and mountain biking. dnr.wa.gov

FJORD WELCOME CENTER

24341 N US Hwy 101, Hoodsport, WA

FREE Concierge Service: maps, lodging, dining & hikes information (360) 877-2102

RIDE FREE IN MASON COUNTY

From ferries in Seattle to trailheads in Hood Canal, Mason Transit offers free rides – masontransit.org

OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK nps.gov

25 SCENIC WATERFALLS

25 SCENIC WATERFALLS

Hood Canal to the Pacific Coast & points between

Hood Canal to the Pacific Coast & points between

Receiving hundreds of inches of rain annually, the Hoh, Quinault and Queets Rainforests are located on the coastal foothills of the Olympics. With 21 feet of snow or rain at its peaks, it’s no wonder there is a myriad of waterfalls lacing the area. Explore this sampling curated by celebrated guidebook author and avid hiker, Craig Romano. Some are small, secret, and unique, others are popular but magnificent. All are worth the journey!

Olympia & Hood Canal

1. Tumwater Falls Loop (1 MILE – EASY)

Olympia | Exit #103 off of I-5 S to Deschutes Way

Tumwater Falls Park, no pass required, kid/dog friendly Iconic landmark, multi-tiered showy falls separated by gorge.

2. Kennedy Creek Falls (6.8 MILE RT – MODERATE)

Kamiliche | US 101 N, left at Old Olympic , mile to gate Forestry & WA DNR, no pass required, kid/dog friendly Descend to a grove of big trees — and the falls. Here Kennedy Creek tumbles over basalt flow.

3. Vincent Creek Falls (ROAD ACCESS – EASY)

Skokomish Valley Rd; 5.6 miles to FR 23; 2.3 miles to FR 2340

Olympic National Forest, no pass, caution: low guardrail

Arched truss 685’ High Steel Bridge (1929) spans 375’ and is the 14th highest bridge in USA. Falls drop 250’ over canyon.

4. Big Creek Cascades Loop (4.2 MILE – MODERATE)

Lake Cushman / Hoodsport | SR 119 for 9.3 miles to trail head

Olympic National Forest, pass required, kid/dog-friendly Loop utilizes old logging roads, new trails and series of bridges constructed by volunteers that continue to improve this loop.

5. Staircase Rapids Loop (2 MILE – EASY)

Lake Cushman/Hoodsport | SR 119; FR 24 for 14.7 miles

Olympic National Park, pass required, kid-friendly, no pets

Follow river to suspension bridge, cross river and complete loop on North Fork Skokomish River back to Ranger Station.

6. Hamma Hamma Falls (ROAD ACCESS – EASY)

Lilliwaup | FR 25 for 13.3 miles

Olympic National Forest, pass required, kid-friendly Bridge spans two-tiered falls (80’). Overhead view decent year round. On drive back, enjoy views of secondary falls along river.

7. Murhut Falls (1.6 MILES ROUND-TRIP – EASY)

Duckabush River Valley | FR 2510 6.3 miles, FR 2530, 1.3 miles

Olympic National Forest, no pass required, kid/dog-friendly

Well-built trail to 130’ two-tiered waterfall. Pacific rhododendrons line the trail in May and June.

8. Rocky Brook Falls (QUARTER MILE – EASY)

Brinnon | Milepost 306 on US 101, Dosewallips Road 3 miles

Private, no pass, kid/dog-friendly - check for closures

Classic horsetail waterfall crashes more than 200’ from hanging valley. Summer, the cascade pool is a popular swimming hole.

9. Dosewallips Falls (9.0 MILE ROUND-TRIP – MODERATE)

Brinnon | US 101 Milepost 306, Dosewallips Rd 9.7 miles to trail

Olympic National Park, no pass, kid-friendly, dog-prohibited

Spectacular 100’ waterfall previously had vehicle access but now to reach waterfall you must hike or mountain bike closed road.

10. Fallsview Falls (0.2 MILE ROUND-TRIP – EASY)

Quilcene | US 101 at Falls View Campground. Trail in picnic area

Olympic National Forest, pass required, kid/dog friendly, ADA Trail is ADA accessible to a falls cascading 100’. By late summer it trickles—but during the rainy season the falls put on a little show.

Lake Crescent & Elwha River

11. Striped Peak Falls (2.2 MILE RT– MODERATE)

Salt Creek County Park | SR 112 , 7.2 miles, R. @ Camp Hayden Rd

Clallam County Parks and WA DNR, no pass, dog-friendly

Small but location in remote cliff-enclosed sea cove is stunning.

12. Madison Creek Falls (0.2 MILE ROUND-TRIP – EASY)

Elwha River Valley | Olympic Hot Springs Rd 2.1 miles

Olympic National Park, no pass, kid-friendly, ADA, dog-friendly

Short walk to mossy maple and cedar lined grotto. This path is one of the few within the national park that is open to leashed dogs.

13. Wolf Creek Falls (0.8 MILE ROUND-TRIP –MODERATE)

Elwha River Valley | US 10, milepost 240, Olympic Hot Springs Rd, 4.0 miles, left onto dirt Whiskey Bend Rd, 4.2 miles to trail head

Olympic National Park, pass required, dogs prohibited

After a steep descent to river walk along the gravel bank of Wolf Creek to a fanning 25’ falls. Step back to see another tier above it.

14. Goblins Gate (3.6 MILES ROUND-TRIP – MODERATE)

Elwha River Valley | milepost 240, Olympic Hot Springs Rd, 4 miles onto dirt Whiskey Bend Rd, 4.5 miles to trail head

ONP, pass required, kid friendly, dogs prohibited

Hike to a Elwha River gorge to a series of rapids.

15. Boulder Creek Falls (8.4 MILES ROUND-TRIP – MODERATE)

Elwha Valley | Milepost 240, Olympic Hot Springs Rd, 10 miles

Olympic National Park, pass required, dogs prohibited

A series of cascades in valley with luxuriant old-growth forest. The hike is an all-day event but is remoter than nearby popular sites.

Thank you.

Waterfall project made possible with Mason County Lodging Tax funding. explorehoodcanal.com

16. Marymere Falls (1.8 MILES ROUND-TRIP – EASY)

Lake Crescent | milepost 228, right at Lake Crescent Lodge

Olympic National Park, no pass, kid-friendly, dogs prohibited

A popular waterfall on the Olympic Peninsula, if it was harder to reach, this 90’ horsetail cascade would still be well-visited.

17. Sol Duc Falls (1.6 MILES ROUND-TRIP – EASY)

Sol Duc River Valley | Sol Duc Hot Springs Road, 14 miles to trail

Olympic National Park, pass required, kid-friendly, no dogs

ONP’s most photographed waterfall. The falls tumble about 40’ into a tight slot and abruptly flow at a right angle into the gorge.

Pacific Coast & Quinault

18.Strawberry Bay Falls (3.6 MILES ROUND-TRIP – EASY

Olympic Coast | SR 110 to Quillayute Prairie, 3.8 miles to trail

Olympic National Park, no pass, kid-friendly, dogs prohibited

Hike to Third Beach to witness this waterfall tumbling more than 100’ from a towering headland into the surf.

19. Mineral Creek Falls (5.0 MILES ROUND-TRIP – EASY)

Hoh Rainforest | Upper Hoh Rd from US 101, 18 miles to trail

Olympic National Park, pass required, kid-friendly, no dogs

Tucked within towering Sitka spruces, firs, and maples in the rain forest this pleasant hike follows along the glacier-fed Hoh River.

20. Cascade Falls Loop ( .7 MILES LOOP – EASY)

Quinault Rainforest | South Shore Rd 2.3 miles to trail

Olympic National Forest, no pass, kid / dog friendly

Not the tallest, nor most popular of the waterfalls within the Quinault Rainforest, Cascade Falls is perhaps the prettiest.

21. Merriman Falls (ROADSIDE—MINIMAL WALKING)

Quinault Rainforest | South Shore Rd from US 101, 6.7 miles

Olympic National Forest, no pass, kid-friendly, dog friendly

The falls plummet 40 feet over a mossy and ferny ledge into a mossy tangle of boulders and saturated logs.

22.

Enchanted

Valley of 10,000 Waterfalls

(26 MILES ROUND-TRIP – MODERATE BACKPACKING TRIP)

Quinault Rainforest | South Shore Rd from US 101, 13 miles to Quinault River Bridge,right on Graves Creek Rd 6.2 miles

ONP Wilderness Permits required, kid-friendly, no dog

Behold its stunning backdrop of sheer cliffs 3,000 feet high streaked with waterfalls and hanging snow and ice.

(including map coordinates)

®2020 | Information and images courtesy of Craig Romano. Craig has written more than 20 guidebooks including Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula 2nd Edition www.waterfalltrail.org

For full descriptions on all these waterfalls including maps, updates and images, visit: WATERFALLTRAIL.ORG

Wynoochee River Valley

23. Spoon Creek Falls (6 MILE ROUND-TRIP – MODERATE)

Wynoochee Valley | FR 22 34 miles, FR 23 2.5 mile to trail

Olympic National Forest, no pass, kid-friendly, dog friendly 93’ falls plunge into a box canyon. Trail goes through old-growth forest to a viewpoint of falls dropping into the gorge.

24. Maidenhair Falls (1 MILE ROUND-TRIP – EASY)

Wynoochee Valley | FR 22 34 miles, FR 2312 5.8 miles, FR 2385

Olympic National Forest, no pass, kid-friendly, dog friendly Overlooked by many due to its close proximity to Wynoochee Falls, this is a pleasant surprise in a quiet corner of the Olympics.

25. Porter Falls (1.6 MILE ROUND-TRIP – EASY)

Porter Creek Rd, 2.9 miles B-0150 Rd, .5 mile, B-Line 0.9 mile

Capitol State Forest, Discover Pass required, kid/dog friendly Located at the confluence of the South and West Forks of Porter Creek. Here one branch cuts through a cleft while the other plunges over a ledge into a big punchbowl.

CAPE

Our Local Bivalves

Get to know a few species

NATIVE LITTLENECK CLAM

Up to 3.5” with rounded shell displaying concentric rings and radiating ridge lines, cream, gray, brown, or mottled. White inside shell; found at 6-10” deep in gravel, mud, mid-tide level.

MANILA LITTLENECK CLAM (NOT NATIVE)

Up to 2.5”, oblong shell, Color can vary—typically gray,brown, or mottled and often times with what appears to be hand painted designs; some purple on the inside shell; found at 2-4” in gravel, mud, sand, typically above the half-tide level.

BUTTER CLAM

Up to 5”, shell with concentric rings (no radiating ridge lines), Yellow to gray/white colored; found at 1-1.5’ in sand, gravel, or cobble; lower intertidal or shallow subtidal zone. Butter clams retain marine biotoxins longer than other clams.

COCKLE CLAM

Up to 5” with round shell; prominent evenly-spaced radiating ridges fanning from hinge; mottled, light brown color; found at 1-2” in sand, mud in intertidal or subtidal zone.

PACIFIC OYSTERS (NOT NATIVE)

Up to 12”, white/gray oblong shell with irregular, wavy edges; found in intertidal zone; tumbled (farmed) Pacifics have cupped shape with fragile shells

OLYMPIA OYSTER

Up to 3”, rounded shell, white to purplish black and may be striped with yellow or brown; oyster’s flesh is a light olive green with a metallic flavor. Native oyster to the area and currently protected in wild habitats.

MUSSELS

Blue Mussel (native) up to 3”, California Mussel (native) up to 6”, Mediterranean non-native) up to 5”. Oblong shell, blueblack or brown, attaches to rocks, pilings, boats, gravel, or other hard surfaces in the intertidal zone with bissel threads.

GEODUCK

Up to 10”, 2.5 – 10 lbs. Gaping oblong shell with concentric rings; white shell with flaky brown skin; siphon and mantle are too large to withdraw; found at depth of 2-3’ in mud, sand, gravel in the subtidal zone (extreme low tides).

MASON COUNTY'S BEACH shellfish

Forage on Washington’s Wild Side. Mason County’s saltwater bays and inlets along Hood Canal and South Puget Sound are renown for some of the tastiest and freshest bivalves in the Northwest. Visit for the pristine waters, open wilderness and public beaches stocked annually.

LILLIWAUP STATE PARK

Full off on Hwy 101, stairway to beach at north opening of Lilliwaup Bay. Walk north or south when tide is out. Oysters and Clams. Eagles and osprey. Overnight RV camping permitted; no restrooms.

HOODSPORT

Public boat dock with beach access. Starfish and crabs at low tide. Closed to shellfish gathering. Picnic tables & restrooms,nearby dining, grocery and shopping.

POTLATCH BEACH PARK

Longest stretch of public beach, popular for swimming, kayaking, and picnics. Camping & restrooms.

TAYLOR SHELLFISH

130 SE Lynch Rd Shelton (360) 432-3300

Taylor’s product line includes worldwide export of geoduck, clams, mussels and oysters. Headquartered in Kamilche, retail store is open daily. taylorshellfish.com

WALKER PARK

Beach access, playground, restrooms, picnic shelter basketball court. Olympic Hwy to Arcadia Rd, from Rd take Left on Walker Park Rd, Park is on right. No shellfish harvest. No passes required.

OYSTER BAY

Easy beach access on marshy estuary. Popular for bird watching and salmon observing/fishing. Pullout on Hwy 101 near Mile Marker 356; near KENNEDY CREEK INTERPRETATIVE TRAIL.

EAGLE

BEACH & map

HAMA HAMA OYSTER SALOON

35846 US-101, Lilliwaup

5th generation farm serves oysters prepared to order with an ever changing menu of seasonal local ingredients. Retail store and farm dining. hamahamaoyster.com

DEWATTO BAY

CREEK when tide is out, obey Excellent oyster beach. swimming in summer. from Eagle Creek Saloon.

Small beach with dramatic view of the Olympics. Lots of ripe berries in late summer. From Belfair: take the Belfair-Tahuya Road to Dewatto Rd. Continue four miles to Dewatto. Parking limited.

BELFAIR STATE PARK

Nice beaches for walking and exploring with summer water temperatures surprisingly warm. Restrooms, camping and picnic facilities.

CHECK. CHILL. COOK.

CHECK: Health closures and advisories: doh.wa.gov/shellfishsafety Harvesting closures: wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfishing-regulation Signs on the beach: Follow posted warnings and respect private property.

CHILL: Harvest shellfish on the outgoing tide and put on ice as soon as possible to prevent bacterial growth. Keep them cold until ready to eat. Cover in fridge with a wet cloth to prevent drying out.

COOK: Cook shellfish in summer months when Vibrio illnesses can occur. To kill Vibrio bacteria cook shellfish to 145° F for at least 15 seconds, cooking does not destroy biotoxins.

Do not harvest in areas with pollution closures. Ask your doctor before eating raw shellfish if you have any concerns about allergies, are taking medications, or have a weakened immune system (such as cancer, liver disease, or HIV). Shellfish are a great and healthy food. Avoid illness by following the 3 C’s above and enjoy!

MENARD’S LANDING

Expansive beach (at low tide), picnic area, and views of the Olympics.

RENDSLAND CREEK, DNR owned clams and oysters open all year.

ALLYN

Gazebo, garden, play area, pier, restrooms and beach access with boat launch.

TWANOH STATE PARK

Excellent camping, swimming, kayaking, picnic sites, and shellfish harvesting.

UNION CITY MARKET

5101 E State Route 106 | Union | (360) 898-3500

Art, gifts, seafood and grocery items and seasonal cafe within a working marina.

HUNTER FARMS

921 WA-106, Union | (360) 426-2222

Direct farm to market retail includes Hood Canal oysters at the general store located on the farm.

DNR 24/GRAPEVIEW, DNR beach clams and oysters open all year. Access by boat only.

Community

kayakers, fishermen and local residents. Located on SR-3 at the south end of Allyn. The parking area is open only during the shellfish season.

ALLYN DAYS

JULY | Allyn, WA

Enjoy vendors, wine and beer garden, and live music allyntown.com

Local Seafood

Here are a few locations that serve Hood Canal & South Puget Sound seafood on their menus.

Bistro at Lakeland Village

470 E Country Club Dr, Allyn (360) 277-4137

Boat House Restaurant 18340 E WA 3, Allyn (360) 275-2954

HOPE ISLAND STATE PARK

A 106-acre marine camping park reachable only by boat. Covered with old-growth forests and saltwater marshes, the park features a beach oneand-a-half miles long. Access by boat only.

CHELSEA FARMS OYSTER BAR

222 CAPITOL WAY N, OLYMPIA | (360) 915-7784

Eld & Totten Inlet, South Puget Sound Chelsea Farm have made a priority of farming the native Olympia oyster that was on it’s way to extinction. Visit their oyster bar in Olympia for local seafood experience! chelseafarms.net

Burger Claim & More 24171 WA 3, Belfair (360) 277-5141

The Fjord Oyster Bank

24341 US-101, Hoodsport (360) 877-2102

Hama Hama Oyster Saloon 35846 US-101, Lilliwaup (360) 877-5811

Hook & Fork

5101 E State Route 106, Union (360) 898-3500

Model T Pub & Eatery

24281 N US 101, Hoodsport (360) 877-9883

Restaurant at Alderbrook 10 E Alderbrook Dr, Union (360) 898-2200

Spencer Lake Bar & Grill 1180 E Pickering Rd, Shelton (360) 426-2505

Squaxin Island Seafood Bar 91 West State Route 108, Shelton (360) 432-7120

Taylor Station 62 SE Lynch Rd, Shelton (360) 426-8501

Tides Family Restaurant 27061 US-101, Hoodsport (360) 877-8921

View more area dining at explorehoodcanal.com

NORTH BAY

park offers beach access, a picnic area and portable restroom and is very popular with

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Taking the Plunge: HOOD CANAL COLD WATER TRADITIONS

Diesel

Every winter, people gather near a shoreline, take a deep breath, and run into chilly waters. It's the tradition of a polar plunge. These events take place around the world, each a little different but all built around the same idea: start the year with a jolt to the system and, for some plunges, raise money for a good cause.

PLC

Safety

General

Some people do it for tradition. Some do it for the challenge. Others do it because a friend talked them into it. And for a large number, it becomes something they return to year after year.

Along the Hood Canal, two plunges stand out. A long-time tradition, a little later in the winter, is the Polar Bear Plunge at the Alderbrook Resort. This year marks the 15th annual event, set for Valentine's Day, February 14, 2026. It's organized through the Hood Canal Lions and has grown into a big gathering with spectators, families, and groups who come dressed in costumes.

helping different departments throughout Mason County Emergency Services, including the dive team, which is on hand in the water to help if anyone needs it.

Sierra Pacific

421 S. Front St. Shelton, WA 98584 (360) 427-8200

Participants take a quick dip in the Canal, snap a few photos, and warm up again with the Resort's hospitality, coffee, and chowder. It's become a winter tradition that draws visitors while giving locals a reason to get together in the slower months. Money raised during this event, through pledges for the plungers and raffles, goes towards

Proud to be part of Mason County!

Another plunge, on New Year’s Day, is the Hama Hama Polar Plunge, hosted on the shoreline of the oyster farm. Their plunge includes registration, beach access, oysters, and even a drink ticket. In true Hama Hama style, they're keeping the message relaxed: come out, jump in, and enjoy the experience. It gives people a reason to visit the farm in the winter and offers a fun, lighthearted event on a quiet stretch of the Canal. Hama Hama also offers sauna packages along with souvenir hoodies and oysters that can be booked in advance.

At their core, plunges are community builders. The cold water is simply the hook. The real value comes from bringing people together, raising money, or supporting local businesses during a slower season.

Many plunges support nonprofits or youth programs. Others, like the ones here, also help highlight winter tourism on Hood Canal. In addition to lodging at the Alderbrook for the plunge there, the Explore Hood Canal site has further listings of local hotels and short-term rentals, many with beach access.

Some folks believe the cold water offers personal benefits. Some find the brief shock energizing. Others say it's a way to hit a mental reset. It's not a medical treatment, but the ritual itself can give people a sense of accomplishment at a time of year when motivation can dip. They're also fun to watch.

Not everyone who shows up ends up in the water. Many people stand on shore with cameras and warm drinks, cheering on friends and family. With sometimes wild costumes… the excitement, and quick sprints into (and out of) the water create a memorable community moment.

Whether you jump in yourself, cheer from the beach, or watch from your car with the heater on, polar plunges have become a winter feature.

Reminding us that even on the coldest days, people will still come together, laugh, and try something that wakes them up a bit.

12 WAYS TO CELEBRATE IN CHRISTMASTOWN. Enjoy parades in Belfair and Shelton, caroling in Hoodsport, crafting, tree mazes, dances, markets, and picking the perfect Christmas tree in the Olympic National Forest—just a few ways to find your Christmas magic. Cozy up to a marshmallow fire pit, share cocoa and photos with Santa, and build memories with your family in a cabin stay by the forest or fjord. Less than ninety minutes from Seattle, unplug on Hood Canal and build new traditions with your family & loved ones.