Visiting Valley View Forest

A hiker enjoying the loop trail at Valley View Forest.

What You’ll See

Valley View Forest is a mix of bigleaf maple trees, Western redcedar, and Douglas fir. Three trails provide easy- to moderate-intensity hiking opportunities through the forest, along a stream, and to a covered community pavilion built using wood harvested from this working forest. Valley View is managed as a community forest, to provide ecological, economic, and social benefits. This special place will eventually become the gateway to the much larger Chimacum Ridge Community Forest (estimated opening 2025).

Visitor Information

Activities

hiking, binocular, and dog-walking icons to indicate that these activities are allowed

Allowed: Hiking, wildlife viewing, and nature studies group use by pre-arrangement. Dogs are allowed and must be kept on a leash at all times for the safety of other visitors and wildlife. Please remain on the trails except in the signed nature studies area to avoid damaging sensitive habitat.

Group or special use: to request permission to visit this preserve with your group of 8 or more people, or to propose a special use not listed above, please complete this use request information form and a staff member will get back to you about the proposed group/special use.

A set of icons each showing an activity with a red circle and line through it to indicate that these activities are not allowed.

Not allowed: Biking, horseback riding, motorized vehicle use, hunting, fires, camping.

Trails

Nature Studies Trail: A 0.1-mile (5-minute) gravel trail that leads from the parking area across a year-round creek to the community pavilion and nature studies area. The trail is 4-5-feet wide. The gradient is generally below 5%, although an approximately 20-foot long section approaches 12% as visitors climb above a small creek. The trail is made of compacted 1/4-inch minus gravel to provide a stable, level, hard, non-degrading, and non-slick surface for long-term durability and a comfortable visitor experience.
Maple Grove Spur Trail: A 3-minute spur trail through a scenic maple grove accessible from the Nature Studies Trail. The spur trail has a dirt-surface, is 2 feet wide, and requires navigating some roots and seasonally muddy areas. The trail is approximately 5-15% grade.
Loop Trail: A 0.5-mile (13-minute) trail of mixed gradients can be visited in different segments, or as a complete loop. Trail leads from the parking area up above a year-round creek and along a forested slope before returning to a relatively level forest paralleling Center Road with views into Center Valley.
- Upper Loop Segment: An 8-minute trail climbs to the left from the parking area up a slope with views into a creek drainage and the surrounding forested ridge. This dirt-surface path is 2-3 feet wide, with occasional roots to navigate. This trail segment is moderately to steeply sloped, and approaches a 20% grade as it climbs up above the creek and down again to the Lower Loop trail segment.
- Lower Loop Segment: A 0.1-mile (5-minute) trail that leads from the parking area to the Valley View Overlook spur trail and Upper Loop Trail junctions. The Lower Loop segment is 4-5 feet wide, with a dirt surface. The gradient ranges from 5-12%.
- Valley View Overlook Spur Trail: A 2-minute spur trail leads from the Lower Loop segment to a scenic overlook of Center Valley, with a rustic bench for resting. The trail is 2-feet wide, with a dirt surface, and has a moderate slope and some roots to navigate.

TRAIL MAP: Here’s a trail map and field guide to assist with your exploration: print quality | screen quality

Amenities

There’s a wheelchair-accessible sanican at the parking area.
There are benches for resting and quiet contemplation located at the end of the Maple Grove Trail and the Valley View Overlook Trail.
A covered community pavilion provides a gathering place for organized educational and other activities.

Getting There

Operating Hours/Seasons: Open year-round, from dusk to dawn; subject to temporary partial or full closures due to forest management activities. Day use only.

Address: 1717 Center Road, Chimacum

Directions: From Chimacum Corner, travel 1.7 miles south on Center Road to the gravel driveway on the left. This leads to Valley View Forest’s public parking area and trailhead.

Parking: The parking lot has space for up to 12 cars, including 1 designated van-accessible spot. Please do not park in the driveway or in neighboring driveways or use neighboring driveways as turnarounds.

#RecreateResponsibly. Avoid crowds: If the parking lot is full, please make plans to return another day.