Capitol State Forest
Encyclopedia
The Capitol State Forest is a 91650 acres (370.9 km²) state forest
in Thurston and Grays Harbor
counties of the U.S. state
of Washington. It includes part of the unusual Mima Mounds
geologic feature.
The Capitol State Forest is managed by Washington Department of Natural Resources
. It is a multi-use forest with active logging
operations and is open for off-road motorcycles, mountain biking
, horseback riding, and hiking
. It is approximately bounded by U.S. Route 12 to the southwest, Interstate 5 to the east and State Route 8 to the north. It roughly contains the Black Hills
. Topographical Relief - 600 ft (182.9 m) - 2,659ft -- 575 Miles of Gravel Road
Cities and towns near its borders include Olympia
, Tumwater
, Littlerock
, Oakville
, and McCleary
.
State forest
A state forest is a forest that is administered or protected by some agency of a sovereign state.The precise application of the term varies by jurisdiction...
in Thurston and Grays Harbor
Grays Harbor County, Washington
Grays Harbor County is a county in the state of Washington, in the United States of America. As of 2010, the population was 72,797. The county seat is at Montesano, and its largest city is Aberdeen. The county is named after a large estuarine bay near its southwestern corner...
counties of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Washington. It includes part of the unusual Mima Mounds
Mima Mounds
Mima mounds is a term used for low, flattened, circular to oval, domelike, natural mounds found in the northwestern United States, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, that are composed of loose, unstratified, often gravelly sediment that is an overthickened A Horizon...
geologic feature.
The Capitol State Forest is managed by Washington Department of Natural Resources
Washington Department of Natural Resources
The Washington Department of Natural Resources manage over of forest, range, agricultural, and commercial lands for the people of Washington State. DNR also manages of aquatic areas which include shorelines, tidelands, lands under Puget Sound and the coast, and navigable lakes and rivers...
. It is a multi-use forest with active logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
operations and is open for off-road motorcycles, mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
, horseback riding, and hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
. It is approximately bounded by U.S. Route 12 to the southwest, Interstate 5 to the east and State Route 8 to the north. It roughly contains the Black Hills
Black Hills (Washington)
The Black Hills are a small range of hills in Thurston and Grays Harbor counties of Washington. They are a subset of the Willapa Hills. Capitol Peak is the highest peak in the range....
. Topographical Relief - 600 ft (182.9 m) - 2,659ft -- 575 Miles of Gravel Road
Cities and towns near its borders include Olympia
Olympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
, Tumwater
Tumwater, Washington
Tumwater is a city in Thurston County, Washington, United States. It lies near where the Deschutes River enters Budd Inlet, the southernmost point of Puget Sound. The population was 17,371 at the 2010 census...
, Littlerock
Littlerock, Washington
Littlerock is an unincorporated community in Thurston County, Washington, United States. Littlerock is southwest of Olympia. Littlerock has a post office with ZIP code 98556....
, Oakville
Oakville, Washington
Oakville is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States. The population was 684 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Oakville is located at ....
, and McCleary
McCleary, Washington
McCleary is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,653 on April 1, 2010.-History:Henry McCleary came to the land in 1897, building two sawmills and a door manufacturing company. He sold the land and the companies to Simpson Logging Company. On January 9,...
.