Indian Island County Park

Location: Near Port Hadlock.

Length of trail: About four miles round-trip.

Level of difficulty: Level to moderate.

Setting: This peaceful and lovely 142-acre waterfront park makes a nice break in a trip to Port Townsend. From the north parking lot, a string of shoreline trails leads southeast. The Portage Trail runs under a canopy of madronas and other trees just above the water, climbing gradually for a half-mile.

You'll emerge on the access road, which leads down to a pebbly beach and lagoon (Lagoon Beach) on Oak Bay. If you continue farther up the road, you'll see the well-marked entrance in the forest to the Lagoon Trail, which follows the high bluff above the lagoon. The farthest south path is the Isthmus Trail, which runs partly along the road.

Highlights: Indian Island was once connected to the Quimper Peninsula to the west, but Port Townsend merchants dredged Portage Canal in 1913. Most of Indian Island is now a Navy ammunition-storage facility, and you cross this island to access Fort Flagler State Park on Marrowstone Island. From the park, you can see views of Mount Rainier and peaks of the Olympic Range. Some Garry oaks (which have become rare in Western Washington) grow in the park (more are being planted).

Facilities: Vault toilet at Lagoon Beach; portable toilet at north parking lot.

Restrictions: Leash and scoop laws in effect (dogs love swimming in the lagoon).

Directions: Heading west on Highway 104 from the Hood Canal Bridge, drive 6.5 miles and turn right on Highway 19/Chimacum-Beaver Valley Road toward Port Townsend. Go nine miles to Chimacum, take a right at the four-way stop on Chimacum-Center Road, and continue 1.5 miles to Port Hadlock. Turn right on Oak Bay Road, and in just under a mile, turn left on Flagler Road/Highway 116 East. Just after crossing the Portage Canal Bridge, turn into the main (north) parking lot on the right. A half-mile farther south on the right is the access road to the lower beach. There's another pullout near the south end of the Lagoon Trail, then one before you cross over to Marrowstone Island near Isthmus Beach, with views of the salt marshes between the two islands (no beach access).

More information: Call 360-385-9129 or see www.myrecdept.com/wa/porttownsend (print out the trail map on the Web site before you go).