Schafer State Park is large & spread out, meandering along the Satsop River. The main entrance gate was closed on 11/8/23, so we continued on this road a short distance, & parked in a medium-size parking lot, on our right, just shy of a bridge spanning the Satsop River. We paid the Day Use Fee, $10, in an envelope provided here. You may also display your Discover Pass, should you possess 1. There are several decent fishing spots along the river here, although much of the shoreline is unfishable, from the bank. Campsites are available, within the park, though only in the warmer months.
What we saw this day, was incredibly beautiful Fall scenery, with orange & tan-colored leaves blanketing the forest floor, beneath countless tall, moss-covered & leafless Maple trees. Lush ferns lined the pathways through the forest in many places.
I saw a woodpecker, quite a few small squirrels, chattering and racing up & down the tree trunks here, a medium-sized tan bird, that was quite comfortable diving & swimming in the river, time & again, before flying to one of its favorite spots, a sand bar & log, stuck on it, midway out in the river. Flying through the air, along the Satsop River, were many inch-long, red-tinged moths. I noticed most were ascending, into the tree branches, & lit up beautifully in the bright sun.
Walking beneath the leafless trees, bright beams of sunlight crazily lit spots below, on the tranquil forest floor. The park was so pretty around 11am, with beautiful light glinting off the Satsop River, & also brightly illuminating the profuse & neon green patches of moss, which almost completely covered some trees, on our walk through Schafer State Park. Blue skies, mixed with cotton-ball clouds at the periphery, completed our scenery panorama today.