Kayaking in Olympia: Woodard Bay Conservation Area
See a bat nursery while enjoying a serene kayaking adventure in Thurston County
*Article by Kristina Lotz, originally published on ThurstonTalk.com June 19, 2024
Looking for places to kayak in Olympia? The Woodard Bay Conservation Area should be at the top of your list for an easy kayak trip all ages can enjoy. Experience wildlife on par with a safari in this tranquil part of South Puget Sound. You won’t be disappointed.
Kayak in Henderson Inlet to a Bat Nursery
Bat nursery? You read that right! One of the biggest points of interest on this kayaking trip in Olympia is the old abandoned pier that is now a nursery roost for little brown and Yuma myotis bats! Hundreds of bats call this pier home, and from May to August, females are raising their pups under its aged wooden beams. The area is a protected habitat and they ask that you stay back 50 feet from the pier with watercraft, so as not to disturb the bats. If you decide to take a late evening or early morning kayak trip, you may see the bats going out to hunt or returning from a night of feeding.
There is so much more to see at this great kayak destination! It truly is like taking a trip on a wildlife safari. See jellyfish in the shallows at the point of entry. Look for adorable seals popping their head up out of the water.
![An old wooden pier in Woodaard Bay in Olympia.](https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/Woodward-Bay-Kayaking-01.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=3c1a961b55c7b1dc12f52254e44dab6f 320w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/Woodward-Bay-Kayaking-01.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=bc915eea0c832bb9ebb6ef8ba6fae8ac 540w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/Woodward-Bay-Kayaking-01.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=a558aa21aa07ad9b2f6494f025456447 768w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/Woodward-Bay-Kayaking-01.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=5010d04258de3f2bd28b25b606cc0a5b 1024w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/Woodward-Bay-Kayaking-01.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=1e9b45226c744cc89383ad2b3dcffe88 1200w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/Woodward-Bay-Kayaking-01.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=b07105f1c54b081eece03c4c7a929317 1440w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/Woodward-Bay-Kayaking-01.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=f3371a09cd96a5c074a7559438f25445 1536w)
Birdwatching via Kayak at Woodward Bay
If you are a birdwatcher, Woodard Bay is not to be missed. You will love spotting great blue herons looking for their next meal: more than 100 nest here during the spring and summer months.
Experience something truly unique with the huge nesting grounds of over 1,500 double-crested cormorants. If you are lucky like we were, you will get to watch as the parents defend their eggs from nearby bald eagles. The sound they make as they raise the alarm is quite incredible – it sounds like a growl! Witness the bald eagle expertly avoid the cormorants, catch the breeze and then dive. The one we were tracking ended up on a very low branch above the water, giving us a view we never imagined!
While The Overlook Trail is closed for the spring and summer months each year to protect the birds’ nesting grounds, kayakers can see them up close.
![Birds nesting in tall evergreen trees around Woodard Bay in Olympia](https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/Woodward-Bay-Kayaking-02.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=c1ede0aa50126715a3ba6da6df2b9654 320w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/Woodward-Bay-Kayaking-02.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=4d3ae7bb3e5b3bcb555cb76ab99bb105 540w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/Woodward-Bay-Kayaking-02.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=eaf02710fc43bf78eaf33bf5dab37cfe 750w)
Kayaking at Woodard Bay Conservation Area
Check out the map below to find the Woodard Bay Conservation parking area. A Discover Pass is required, so be sure to pick one up before you go.
The other thing you want to do before you go is check the tide. It’s best to go when the tide is high, so you don’t have to trek through wet, sinking sand to launch your kayak.
If you want to see the bat pier and the cormorants’ nesting grounds, once in the Henderson inlet, head north (away from the Woodward Bay Road Northeast bridge). You will come across the cormorants first on your right. You cannot miss them! When you reach the mouth of the bay, take a left around the point to the pier. Across from the pier is a small beach with a couple of benches. It’s the perfect spot to stop for a snack or to take beautiful photos of the inlet and bay. You will also see a few replicas of old canoes. Continue up the path to find a large information sign about the bat roost. There is a covered area with information on the history of the area. Beyond that, there is a restroom.
Please remember to respect wildlife, adhere to all rules about nesting and roosting grounds, and leave no trace. No dogs are allowed at Woodard Bay Conservation Area, even on leash.
![A woman stands by two kayaks at the waterfront along Woodard Bay in Olympia](https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/Woodward-Bay-Kayaking-03.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=279454dfa3beb0880ba2b6a3c6bc65f9 320w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/Woodward-Bay-Kayaking-03.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=bc8526416656d4f93ac976a794dbe9ef 540w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/Woodward-Bay-Kayaking-03.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=6a12c78d7bf407ba1699aed1fe760fc4 768w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/Woodward-Bay-Kayaking-03.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=8d9e058404df6f31aa4be26056dd761f 1024w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/Woodward-Bay-Kayaking-03.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=5a55b8104c2b5e524c247ea743437bda 1200w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/Woodward-Bay-Kayaking-03.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=5e982617786c3dd081c42d2602f1e1e3 1440w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/Woodward-Bay-Kayaking-03.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=d1e33702a95fa77315bcaaa719d4d1d8 1536w)
Where to Rent Kayaks in Olympia
Looking for where to rent kayaks in Olympia? Boston Harbor Marina Rentals is the closest rental place to Henderson Inlet. They have single and tandem sit-on-top kayaks as well as single and double sit-inside kayaks.
Grab your camera, take a snack or a picnic lunch, and enjoy time on this serene kayaking trip in Olympia.
![A woman kayaking in Woodard Bay](https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/Woodward-Bay-Kayaking-leadin.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=320&q=80&w=320&s=a4c52fc583740bcd57ffe88f6552d743 320w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/Woodward-Bay-Kayaking-leadin.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=540&q=80&w=540&s=53d159f0d38e4658ae025b150eb7c943 540w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/Woodward-Bay-Kayaking-leadin.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=768&q=80&w=768&s=cbab7ff9235687830edfa16649400d21 600w)
Woodard Bay Conservation Area
More On-The-Water Adventures Await!
Related Content:
Woodard Bay Conservation Area
Woodard Bay Rd Olympia, Washington 98507
Boston Harbor Marina
312 73rd Ave NE Olympia, Washington 98506 (360) 357-5670