At first glance, when you drive through this park on Highway 101, you might be tempted to say this park is for the birds. I wouldn’t blame you: from the highway, you see campsites and a parking lot full of geese. But if you stopped there, you would be missing a lot.

This park offers a lot more.

At a second glance, there is a long and peaceful marshy shoreline only a few steps from the highway:

The real treasure awaits those who have a couple of hours to spend on Dosewallip’s hiking trails. I hiked a loop of the Steam Donkey and Maple Valley trails.

A delightful mossy landscape was there for me:

Who could miss the waterfall at Phantom Creek?

For more information:

• State Parks web site