There’s a certain kind of hush that settles into the mossy trails around Kitsap after about 5 p.m. The sun leans low behind the firs, the last of the rain misting off cedar fronds, and if you’re lucky—or just persistent enough to lace up your boots after work—you can catch that golden, pine-scented quiet. I’ve come to crave it in the same way people crave a cold beer or silence after a Zoom call.
Living in Kitsap, I’m about 15 minutes from a dozen trailheads, which means my hiking boots live by the door, always muddy, always ready. After-work hikes have become my way to decompress—stretch out the day’s tension and swap fluorescent lights for forest shade. And trust me, these short hikes? They do wonders for the soul (and your over-sat office backside).
Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park — My Weekly Default
One of my go-tos is the Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park. It’s close, it’s huge, and I’ve been hiking it long enough to still somehow miss turns in the maze of loops—classic Rob. If you haven’t already, check out this local’s guide to navigating Port Gamble Trails; I revisit it more often than I want to admit.
For a quick loop after work, I usually enter at Stottlemeyer or the Ranger Station trailhead and do a mellow three or four miler on Ewok and Beaver Pond trails. The salal here crowd your knees, and when the fog’s hanging low you half expect an elf to step out from behind a stump.
There was one cloudy Tuesday where I forgot both my water bottle and bug spray—a rookie double-whammy. Around mile two, I was slapping mosquitoes with one hand while clutching my empty Hydro Flask like it might miraculously refill from the air. Lesson learned: keep that “after-work kit” packed and by the door. I started keeping mine organized thanks to some tips I picked up here, and now I never forget snacks…okay rarely.
Clear Creek Trail — The Underrated Weeknight Option
Another great weeknight trail? The Clear Creek Trail near Silverdale. It doesn’t get as much hiker cred because it’s flat and cuts through town in parts, but folks—it’s got wetlands teeming with birdsong and frogs tuning up for dusk concerts. And when time’s tight? Nothing beats being able to park at the Ridgetop Pavilion and jump right on trail within seconds of putting the car in park.
Banner Forest — Spring Aromatherapy
Sometimes I’ll head south toward Banner Forest too—especially in spring when everything is dripping with green. It smells like wet wood chips and fresh bark down there after rain, which is basically like aromatherapy for Northwest people. The trails don’t climb much (good for tired post-office legs), but they wind around bigleaf maples and sword ferns that make you feel far away—even though technically you’re just a few wrong turns from a horse rider or someone teaching their kid to ride a mountain bike.
Green Mountain Gold Creek Trail — The Steeper Option
Now once in a while, when traffic plays nice on Highway 3 (aka the unicorn scenario), I’ll sneak out to Green Mountain’s Gold Creek Trail for a brisk uphill burst before sunset. It’s steeper than most right-from-town hikes but short enough to knock out before dinner if you keep a good pace—or don’t stop every five minutes gawking at lowland views framed between hemlocks like I do.
Newberry Hill Heritage Park — The Peaceful Sleeper
Also—don’t ignore Newberry Hill Heritage Park near Seabeck. It’s often overlooked but makes for peaceful evening wanders. One memorable late May walk there, frogs were belting their little hearts out while mist hung heavy over Wildcat Lake Road. The place smelled like damp alder leaves and promise. No dramatic summit views here—but plenty of solitude, songbirds, and soft trail beneath your boots.
Why Evening Hikes Hit Different
I’ll say this too: don’t underestimate how calming an hour on trail can be, even if it doesn’t end in a vista or waterfall. That transition zone—the shift from desk brain to dirt under your fingernails—is real magic. Being out there even for 45 minutes helps me sleep better, breathe deeper, listen more.
Before heading anywhere though, I always check local weather through NOAA so I know if that drizzle is going to stay drizzle—or turn into “should’ve worn gaiters” levels of sogginess. And speaking of safety—I’m never embarrassed to re-read some basic hiking safety stuff. A dead headlamp battery caught me once near Peterson Pond with shadows deepening fast—not my proudest badge.
And if you’re someone who loves towering trees as much as pace-keeping steps, I’d point you toward some lovely old-growth pockets we’ve still got around here. Not all are accessible weekday evenings—but knowing they’re out there makes me appreciate even scrubby second-growth trails close to home.
Just Go
So yeah—if you’re local or nearby, don’t wait for weekends or perfect forecasts. The forest is just better at dusk somehow… quieter animals peeking out again, sunlight painting trunks sideways through foggy layers of fir.
Just pack light (but don’t forget the essentials), download your map while you’ve got service, and leave room to wander just slightly longer than you meant to.
I’ll probably bump into you out there… right after I realize I’m walking east instead of west again because I misread the sun angle—classic Rob move.
A quick walkthrough of some favorite evening trails in Kitsap.
— Rob Kinsley
North Kitsap Trails
