The Area is located approximately 100 yards from the junction of U.S. Highway 101 and Old Olympic Highway, about a 15-minute drive from Washington's capital city of Olympia. Parking areas are located on the side of Old Olympic Highway, and a short all-weather pedestrian trail leads to an improved wildlife viewing and interpretive area. The Preserve is visited by large numbers of migratory waterfowl, especially in winter months. Birding is best on a falling tide.
Kennedy Creek, whose headwaters are 500-foot (150 m) Summit Lake in the Black Hills,[3] is one of the largest Chum salmon spawning areas in the lower Puget Sound,[4] and has a genetically distinct run of Chum salmon.[5] A forest trail about 1 mile (1.6 km) up from Oyster Bay along Kennedy Creek was opened in 2000 for salmon viewing during spawning season.[6]
A $1 million expansion of the area has been proposed and is pending legislative action.
References
^"Estuarine NAPs". Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition. Archived from the original on 2013-04-16. Retrieved 2012-12-21.
^Kennedy Creek NAP, Washington Department of Natural Resources, archived from the original on 2013-04-14, retrieved 2012-12-21