The second walk in a year-long exploration of local trails took me to the Kingston-Eglon trail, located on state Department of Natural Resources land between Kingston and Eglon.
Old logging roads through the property had long been used as informal trails. The Kingston Trails Committee worked with the Kitsap County Parks Department to formalize a public-use right-of-way and then with the county Public Works Department to create a small parking area at the south end of the trail.
I was impressed to learn how many groups have worked together on this trail. Beyond the collaboration required to establish the trail, the Kitsap County Juvenile Detention Program has done trail maintenance and the Kingston office of Windermere Real Estate devoted a community service day to improving the north end of the trail.
The trail is about 1.5 miles long. Walking it at a leisurely pace, the three-mile round trip took about an hour. The first three-quarters of a mile is a wide logging road which travels through recently harvested forestland. This section was great for our group of three with our dogs, as we could easily walk together and talk.
Logging by Natural Resources was done selectively rather than by clear-cutting and has left the woods pleasantly open. The road forks at mid-point. Turn right here. The trail narrow, and begins a gradual descent to Eglon Road. This will be a gradual but steady uphill on the return journey!
The narrower section of the trail travels through second-growth woods and some thick stands of thimbleberry. Because of the recent wet and cold weather, the very north end of the trail was a bit slippery, but still manageable. My walking partners commented that they enjoy this trail in all seasons as it is usually cool and shady in the summer, bright with deciduous leaves in the fall, and the deeper surrounding woods are filled with trilliums in the spring.
Motorized vehicles are not permitted on this trail, but it is traveled by horseback riders and mountain bikers as well as walkers. I’m anxious to show it to my husband who is a runner. The well-traveled path would make a nice trail-run and could easily be extended by continuing on to the Eglon beach with a left turn onto Hoffman Road at the north end of the trail.
This trail begins at the north end of Parcells Road. To reach it from State Route 104, turn north on Parcells and continue straight after the pavement ends to the metal gate and small parking area on the right. There is a familiar brown footprint sign which designates a public trail at the south end of the trail. For more information about Kingston trails, look on-line at http://kingston98346.org
The Kingston Parks, Trails & Open Space Committee meets at 7 p.m. on the first Monday of each month in the downstairs in the Kingston Community Center. All are welcome. For more information, call Evan Stoll at (360) 297-4489 or email stollel@centurytel.net
