HANSVILLE GREENWAY UPDATE
Not long ago a newcomer to Hansville told me he just had a short walk through the Greeway for the first time and was very impressed. In fact, he said it was fantastic and couldn’t wait to walk some of the other trails. If you haven’t been on the Greenway trail system, here is a short walk that will take you to a couple of the most popular places in the Hansville Greenway.
From the Buck Lake parking lot walk across the grass field to the Native Plant Garden. Walk through the garden to the South and the entrance to the Greenway. Go west just a short distance to an open space known as Otter Meadow. You will see the Greenway kiosk where you will find a trail map and sign posts #1 and #2. As you follow the trail South from sign post #2 out of Otter Meadow you curve around to the right past the north end of Upper Hawks Pond. Follow the trail to sign post #4.
Here turn left onto the trail and head South. This portion of the trail is straight and broad. During the 1920′ s this was part of an extensive network of narrow gauge railroad tracks. Logging trains hauled cut logs to the mill at Port Gamble Bay. You can still see traces of logging efforts on the large cedar stumps.
At sign post #5 turn left again to reach the view platform on the west shore of the 17-acre Upper Hawks Pond. If you approach quietly you may see wood ducks, bald eagles, ospreys or otters. Hawks Hole Creek flows from this pond to Hood Canal. Return the way you came for a fairly short and delightful walk through the Greenway. Once you have been there you will want to see what the other trails have to offer.
If you would like to become involved as a volunteer or just learn more about the Greenway, please come to the next Greenway Association meeting at 7:00 pm on August 4th. Check us out at hansvillegreeway.org where you will find the full trail system map as well as photos and other interesting information.