Best Outdoor Adventures Along the Thurston Bountiful Byway
Here, natural beauty abounds and you have permission to slow down and go at your own pace.
The Thurston Bountiful Byway holds hidden treasures along its 60-mile route, including many natural wonders and even an old railroad reclaimed for hiking and biking. Escape the crowds, rejuvenate and get inspired in nature!
The Thurston Bountiful Byway is a 60-mile loop tour covering rural Thurston County, promoting the agricultural aspects of our region including farms, farmers markets selling product produced locally and businesses sourcing from local farms. The route starts in the Nisqually Valley, stretches south to the city of Yelm and west to the Capital Forest before ending at the intersection of Mud Bay Road and Delphi Road SW. Along the way you can explore dozens of special stops and activities including creameries, nurseries, wineries, sculpture gardens, and historic sites. There are more than 20 suggested agricultural, ecological and cultural stops along the Bountiful Byway. Pick a day and stop at as many attractions as time allows.
![](https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/coffeebeans.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=240&q=80&w=320&s=776ba134f9d9aa8fa4fe27ed8edfa9e8 320w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/coffeebeans.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=405&q=80&w=540&s=ffa1ecad6282a759958eb5b2681a13bf 540w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/coffeebeans.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=576&q=80&w=768&s=c35c7262a28b8ea6651c1ad45f522ec4 711w)
Morning Cup of Coffee
Start your day with a shot of award-winning Big Truck Espresso at Olympia Coffee Roasters. Originally hidden away on a side street with a simple goal of brewing every cup of coffee to order, Olympia Coffee Roasters now takes pride in its partnerships with farmers around the world, shaping the flavors of each coffee bean through science.
![](https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/Lacey_City_Page_Nav.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=240&q=80&w=320&s=f545f0f98d501423ad012a5d97f67563 320w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/Lacey_City_Page_Nav.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=405&q=80&w=540&s=d88c579a43159a00547aa4ef5c6d6af1 540w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/Lacey_City_Page_Nav.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=576&q=80&w=768&s=9a1daad63fea80fd2934abb75a70431f 711w)
Hike or Bird Watch at Famous Estuary
Drive a bit farther north to Lacey, WA and spend a couple of hours exploring the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, one of the best examples of a coastal salt marsh system remaining in the Pacific Northwest. The refuge is famous for the more than 275 migratory bird species that use it for migration, wintering or breeding. The refuge provides rearing and migration habitat for steelhead trout and several salmon species and habitat for a variety of threatened and endangered species. Be sure to hike the boardwalk for the best views!
![a family skateboards along a paved trail through the woods on a sunny day](https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/hero-images/Family-Outdoors.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=240&q=80&w=320&s=eef54186ff2a839d1b4d209b70221405 320w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/hero-images/Family-Outdoors.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=405&q=80&w=540&s=6a5b7013eaed5c654d61cb57bba244be 540w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/hero-images/Family-Outdoors.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=576&q=80&w=768&s=0e2716be395ee22ed6baf2060ef7eef8 768w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/hero-images/Family-Outdoors.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=768&q=80&w=1024&s=cdc75a477a2cea20988200321fc8e6cb 800w)
Grab Lunch and Visit a Geographic Mystery
From Lacey, WA head south to Pellegrino’s Italian Kitchen and pick up some sandwiches for a picnic lunch and hike at the Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve. Allow a couple of hours here. Are these ancient Native American burial grounds or glacial formations? Scientists are still debating. In 1966, the National Park Service designated Mima Mounds a National Natural Landmark for its representation of our nation’s natural landscape. The site is one of only 17 landmarks found in Washington State, supporting a variety of prairie-dependent butterflies, birds and a forest of Douglas Fir trees.
![](https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/biking.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=240&q=80&w=320&s=dd42f03ae41c856051aae71dea7a2a2b 320w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/biking.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=405&q=80&w=540&s=6475758171980a4d985c75702bf9361d 540w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/biking.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=576&q=80&w=768&s=56ea9d239e0809d8bb0576f5981f3231 711w)
Afternoon Biking
Spend a couple of hours winding down your day with a bike ride on the Yelm-Tenino Trail. If you have time, make the short trip into Rainier, WA for a late afternoon treat at Glenda's Espresso. Stock up on caffeine, sweet treats, sandwiches and burritos, and don’t forget biscuits & gravy on weekends!
![](https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/outdoorpizzadinner.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=240&q=80&w=320&s=25de033a92045d2999bb60856076147f 320w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/outdoorpizzadinner.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=405&q=80&w=540&s=d6892c836202206d62a7c58c45e35972 540w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/outdoorpizzadinner.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=576&q=80&w=768&s=2c5fef02fc045669baf39cf7772fdd72 711w)
Outdoor Pizza Dinner
If you are looking for a dinner spot, continue on to Yelm, WA and enjoy an Italian wood-fired pizza and beverages on the open-air patio at Pizzeria La Gitana. Just a short ride off the Yelm-Tenino Bike Trail, it's the perfect slice of outdoor dining that'll leave you full and fulfilled after a long day exploring.
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