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Unique Places to Visit in Kitsap County
In every corner of Kitsap County, there are beautiful places, and some go unnoticed, especially if you’re visiting or aren’t originally from here. Sometimes, there might even be places you often pass but never stop to check out. Here’s a list of ideas to help you uncover some local gems that are a bit off the beaten path.
Three Places to Relax in Nature
Tucked between North Kitsap High School and highway 305 in Poulsbo, this urban trail is a tiny oasis. It follows a stream and small waterfalls down the terrain. A one-mile out and back trail, this is a great spot for a brief moment in nature. One of many Poulsbo parks, you can combine this hike with a visit to others nearby to complete the extended park-to-park loop.
Halls Hill Labyrinth – Bainbridge Island
If you haven’t been to Halls Hill Lookout & Labyrinth yet, consider this your sign. In this meditative space, you will find a 36’ labyrinth with 11 circuits. It’s based on the 13th Century French Chartres Cathedral labyrinth. It features a natural stone mosaic and overlooks Blakely Harbor. There is also a swing to sit and listen to the birds in the trees and watch the water in the harbor. Be sure to check out the beautiful prayer wheel. When spun nine times, the prayer wheel activates a 300-pound cast bronze bell. It was recently restored, thanks to the Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network (BARN). The Lookout, on Halls Hill Road, was donated to the Bainbridge Island Parks & Trails Foundation by IslandWood founders Debbi and Paul Brainerd to honor Noel Burke, a beloved employee of IslandWood who died in 2005.
Dickerson Creek Waterfall – Bremerton
A highly-rated but perhaps under-utilized local waterfall hike, the Dickerson Creek trail is on the Ueland Tree Farm property. Dickerson Falls is the easiest hike of an approximately 2-mile, round-trip hike on Dickerson Trail from the Lebers Lane Trailhead. The elevation gain is about 150 feet. In 2017, two dozen volunteers from the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance installed a bridge and viewing area above the falls. This multi-use trail welcomes hiking, biking, horses, and leashed pets.
Interesting Parks
Buck Lake County Park – Hansville
Spanning 155 acres, this park is a haven for recreation and outdoor enthusiasts. It features a playground, ball field, basketball court, volleyball court, and a lake for swimming and non-motorized boating and fishing. The reservable picnic area is the perfect spot for an outdoor gathering. Adjacent to the park is the Hansville Greenway Wildlife Corridor (view PDF). That’s where you’ll find multi-use equestrian, hiking and biking trails through wetlands, meadows, and forests. A vital habitat for various wildlife species, this park is wonderful for birdwatching and nature photography.
Kitsap Memorial State Park – Poulsbo
Located between Poulsbo and the Hood Canal Bridge, Kitsap Memorial State Park has so many amenities to enjoy. From camping to beach combing, events to recreation, this place is a must-see destination. A Discover Pass is required to visit, but you can enjoy fee-free days periodically. The Log Hall Heritage Area can be used as a wedding venue with beautiful views of the Hood Canal. You can camp here year round. Many sites include full hookups, and there are also four cabins.
Manchester State Park – Port Orchard
Located on Rich Passage just across from Bainbridge Island, Manchester State Park is a 128-acre park with wooded hiking trails and over 3,400 feet of saltwater shoreline. The park has an interesting military history. It was originally established to defend Puget Sound in 1899. The former Torpedo Warehouse now serves as a unique picnic shelter. Year-round camping is offered at the park, with 50 different campsites and one group site. A Discover Pass is required for entry.
A Few of Kitsap County’s Unique Treasures
100+ year-old Camperdown Elm Tree – Kingston
Nestled beside the Village Green Community Center in Kingston, you’ll find a beautiful, old Camperdown Elm Tree. According to a Kitsap Daily News article, it is one of three historic Camperdown Elms in Kitsap County. It’s said to be over 100 years old. These trees are cultivars that cannot reproduce from seed. Their DNA is essentially the same as the original tree found at the Camperdown House in Dundee, Scotland. You’ll find another one in nearby Port Gamble. Part of what makes the Camperdown Elm beside the Village Green so special is that you can carefully duck under its umbrella-like branches to marvel at it. You may even want to pop into the library, which is tucked inside the Village Green, to grab a good book and then sit near the tree.
An iconic landmark of the island, Frog Rock has been a local favorite since 1971. But if you aren’t originally from here, you may know nothing about it. As the story goes, the rock was originally dynamite blasted in the 1940s to make room for a dairy barn. One early morning in 1971, two high school students painted it to become the beloved creature you see today. You’ll find it as well as a newer ladybug friend at the three-way intersection of Phelps, Spargur, and Madison.
A true trash-to-treasure story, the Elandan Gardens was created in the early 1990s on the site of a former landfill. It’s tucked away on the side of highway 16 between Port Orchard and Bremerton. This garden overlooks Sinclair Inlet and it’s home to about 350 bonsai trees. The oldest one is about 2,300 years old. You won’t want to miss this Kitsap County gem, and you can check out their Facebook page to learn more.
Wherever you decide to explore, we hope you enjoy learning more about Kitsap County and all it offers. If you’re curious about our local communities and want to learn more, check out our Guide to Kitsap.
Port Gamble: Outdoor Adventures & Fascinating History
With thousands of acres of forest and miles of coastline, Port Gamble is a recreational paradise. Originally inhabited by the Nux Sklai Yem or Strong People, these descendants of the Salish people are now known as the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe. Today, Port Gamble is a charming, quaint town in North Kitsap, but for over 100 years, it was a company town with a busting sawmill. In fact, during WWII, 90% of the mill’s lumber went to the armed forces, with 60% used to build housing on several Washington Naval bases.
Step Back in Time
No matter where you go in Port Gamble, history surrounds you. The New England-style homes have been lovingly maintained to showcase their charm, and you’ll find plaques on fences outside many buildings highlighting their original owners and purposes. If you want to dive deeper, the Port Gamble Museum is full of memorabilia and artifacts, including a land-purchase document signed by President Lincoln and a replica of an Indigenous home. Many Native people were employed at the mill throughout the years, and the museum also showcases some of their history. You will also learn the mill’s history, which operated from 1853 to 1995 and shipped lumber as far as Brazil and Puerto Rico.
Museum Hours: May to September, Thursday to Sunday, 12:00 – 5:00 PM. Also available to rent.
The Bay
Port Gamble Bay played an integral part in the mill’s operations during its time but now serves as home to some of the most nutrient-rich waters of Puget Sound. This secluded area of water is the perfect location for viewing bioluminescence during the summer months. Olympic Outdoor Center offers guided nighttime tours from May to September, as well as daytime wildlife kayak tours as well. You can also rent kayaks to explore year-round (weather permitting). Additionally, Port Gamble Bay is a stop on the Kitsap Peninsula Water Trails system, which has over 100 public access points throughout the peninsula.
The Trails
Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park has dozens of multi-use trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. The mountain biking trails alone total 49 miles. Also known as Stottlemeyer, this trail system is a club favorite of the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance and has a few annual mountain biking events. You’ll see folks of all ages on these trails in all weather. Don’t have a bike of your own? Not to worry; you can rent from the Olympic Outdoor Center.
Learn more about a great organization that helps maintain these trails.
Out of This World
The Walker Ames House is the perfect backdrop for the annual Port Gamble Ghost Conference in early November. It’s known as the most haunted house in Washington. Port Gamble hosts Ghost Walks many evenings from October to April and has a unique summer schedule. These walks are a great way to learn about Port Gamble’s history from town manager Pete Obera, also known as Paranormal Pete.
In March 2024, Pete Obera gave us a private tour of Port Gamble with our friends at Visit Kitsap Peninsula. We learned so much and used the book Pope Resources, Rooted in the Past, Growing for the Future for further research. It is available at the Sylvan Way branch of Kitsap Regional Library and the Port Gamble Historic Museum.
Crossroads Rotary of Kitsap: Improving Our Parks and Trails
If you have enjoyed a walk in a local park lately, chances are you have a volunteer to thank for making the experience more enjoyable. With tens of thousands of acres of parks and trails in Kitsap County, volunteer groups and “adopt a trail” programs are what make maintaining them all possible. Crossroads Rotary of Kitsap is one of the local groups stepping up.
Port Gamble Trail Project
Port Gamble’s “Bluff Trail” was previously managed by the North Kitsap Trails Association, but was adopted by the Crossroads and Silverdale Rotary clubs. They have assisted Kitsap County Parks in installing three new benches and expanding the parking lot. The Bluff Trail winds along the shoreline of Port Gamble Bay, just south of town. It is the former location of one of the oldest roads in Kitsap County. In fact, you can see remnants of the old road along the path. The Bluff Trail is part of the Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park, a large preserve with just shy of 3,500 acres of multi-use trails, including a haven for mountain bikers. The Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance – West Sound Chapter is another integral organization for trail conservation. Near the Bluff Trail at the water’s edge, you’ll find an access point to the Kitsap Peninsula National Water Trails system.
Want to help with this trail project? Crossroads’ next work party at the Bluff Trail is Saturday, September 23rd from 9:00 AM to noon. All are welcome.
Other Park Projects
Crossroads members also volunteer at Raab Park and Fish Park, which are managed by Poulsbo Parks & Recreation. At Raab Park, Crossroads has done work parties to clear invasive plants from the dog park area and clean up the sports courts. Additionally, plans are in the works for a new trail. It will connect two existing trails on the west side of the park. This trail “intersection” will be appropriately named the “Crossroads Trail” and will complete a loop around the park.
At Poulsbo’s Fish Park, Crossroads Rotary helps out with the general cleanup of invasive weeds and trail maintenance. More substantially, they have been replacing worn-out, non-slip treads along the boardwalks through the woods. Thanks to them, more of us can safely enjoy the trails regardless of the weather.
More about Crossroads
Crossroads is part of Rotary International which has 1.4 million members with 46,000+ clubs around the globe. One of the main missions of the organization is “Service above self”. This is echoed in the selfless work that is done in and for our communities. Founded in 2019, Crossroads Rotary’s name points to the club’s location and the geography of its founding members. It is “located at the crossroads to Kingston, Bainbridge Island, Silverdale, and Poulsbo”.
Get Involved
While many Rotary clubs meet in the morning or during lunchtime hours, which can be hard with work schedules and/or children, Crossroads meets at 6:00 PM every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month. You’ll find members in the back room of Western Red Brewing in Poulsbo. If you are interested in learning more about the Crossroads Rotary Club of Kitsap, you can visit their Facebook page or attend a meeting as a guest.
Looking for other ways to get involved in our community? Check out other wonderful nonprofit organizations like the Poulsbo Historical Society, Kitsap Community Foundation, and Fishline Food Bank. There are so many rewarding ways to get connected and give back.
