May 9, 2014

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Welcome to Lewis County!

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Welcome to Lewis County Washington!

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For my next few blogs I thought I’d write about the area for those who are unfamiliar and looking to move here, as well as those who have lived here their whole life and like to brag about the area!

This is the first in a series of future blogs and it will encompass the entire area known as Lewis County as well as areas that are close to the county border.

See all homes for sale in Lewis County, Washington

LOCATION

As you can see on the map below, Lewis County is centrally located to just about anything you could want! Hop on the freeway either direction and you are 1.5 hours from a major city with international airports (Seattle, Portland). Want to go to the ocean? That’s about 1.25 hours depending on where you go and where you’re coming from! Want to go skiing in the mountains? That’s only an hour away! Want to get away to a completely different climate? It’s only 2.5 hours to drive over the mountains to Yakima! Another perk is that you’re only a 35 minute drive to the capital city of Olympia. In real estate, it’s all about location, location, location and Lewis County has no shortage of that!

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GEOGRAPHY

Lewis County is very diverse geographically. The western half of the county is rolling hills and valleys and is home to most of the population. The eastern half climbs into the mountains and forests. You can go from “city life” to “county life” no matter where you are at in the county in less than a 10 minute drive. There are numerous rivers, like the Chehalis and Skookumchuck, and tributaries, as well as large recreational lakes. Not enough? You want a volcano and underground caves? You are within an hour drive to Mt. St. Helens and the “Ape Caves” (extinct lava tubes, no simians)!

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RECREATION

 Lewis County is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise! Don’t get me wrong, indoor enthusiasts will also be happy! If they can’t find what they are looking for here, it is only a short drive! For the outdoor enthusiasts though, it’s all here. Hiking, biking, climbing, kayaking, hunting, fishing, off-roading, or just plain escaping! You name it, we have it!

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This is one of our favorite spots to kayak to. You can only reach it by boat or swimming a really long way! You start at Ike Kinswa State Park at Mayfield Lake near Mossyrock and head up the Tilton River. On top of Mt. St. Helens! You can actually “climb” to the top MSH with no accessories! It’s about an 8-12 hour hike so prepare accordingly. From Climber’s Bivouac, it is about a 4000 foot elevation increase. Part way up you will have some giant boulders to maneuver over, just make sure you follow the flags or you’ll lose your bearing! Near the top is the ash layer and the hardest portion. You are so close but it is two steps forward and one step back! You can see Mt. Adams towards the south!
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The view overlooking the beautiful Boistfort Valley. This is actually on an older logging road so it doesn’t take too long to walk or bike up this far. The view is worth it! An unnamed stream discovered while hiking through the forest near Packwood. Fed by winter snow melt in the mountains.
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 Hiking the trails overlooking Riffe Lake. These trails are professionally maintained by the City of Tacoma. Why? Because they run and maintain the dams in the area. They purchased this land and made it accessible for the public. These trails are also maintained for horses. I got to do this for a job one summer!

 

PLACES TO LIVE

These are just my own personal pictures while out and about with my family. When you come to the area, you can see the beauty first hand and take your own pictures while making your own memories.

Lewis County is made up of a bunch of really neat cities and towns that have all the amenities you could want while maintaining that small town feel. The following is a list of these areas that I will be blogging about in the coming weeks:

WEST LEWIS COUNTY: Centralia, Chehalis, Napavine, Onalaska, Pe Ell, Rochester, Toledo

EAST LEWIS COUNTY: Glenoma, Morton, Mossyrock, Packwood, Randle

For more information regarding activities and amenities in Lewis County:

Tour Lewis County

Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce

Lewis County Government and Services


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