Scatter Creek is an amazing prairie/wetlands recreation area just south of Olympia/Tumwater via I-5. It’s a 20-30 minute drive from the Evergreen campus and offers really easy hiking opportunities as well as pheasant hunting (if that’s something you’re interested in). It offers excellent bird watching (I saw a bald eagle, pileated woodpecker, and red-tailed hawk this past weekend) as well as great prairie wildflowers and medicinal herbs.

This time of the year is a great time to see all of the camas blooming. Seriously, Scatter Creek is just blue right now with all of the camas. Camas is native to the moist prairies of the PNW and is an incredibly important plant and source of food for the indigenous peoples of this region. Also blooming right now is nightshade, Fritillaria affinis (mission bells), yarrow, wild violet, and wild strawberry. I even found a six-petaled strawberry flower there once, which is the equivalent of finding a four-leaved clover! Dogs are allowed off leash and I always run into other people with their dogs out there, so in many ways it can act as an off-leash dog park.

Strawberry flowers at Scatter Creek Wildlife Recreation Area

HOW TO GET TO SCATTER CREEK WILDLIFE RECREATION AREA FROM CAMPUS:

From McCann Plaza Dr NW (off of which, B and C lots are located) take the first exit (left) on the roundabout onto Evergreen Parkway NW. Continue onto US-101 (2.6 mi). Take slight right for I-5 S (toward Tumwater/Portland). Take exit 95 from I-5 for Littlerock/Maytown (12.5 mi). Take first left after exiting I-5 for Case Rd SW. Follow Case for 4-5 miles, parking will be on your right.

*A Discovery Pass is required to park at Scatter Creek Wildlife Recreation Area