When this wildlife area was first listed as a POTA entity I’d swung by hoping for a very quick, in and out activation but found it would take a short hike and a little research before I could do an activation. This past week, armed with a bit of info from Eric KJ7XJ I returned and had a very fun time activating it.
The research issue was that the parking area listed on the WDFW web page for the wildlife area (https://wdfw.wa.gov/places-to-go/wildlife-areas/spencer-island-wildlife-area-unit) is deceptive, listing a parking area right next to the footbridge you’d use to access the island. In fact, that area is now marked with numerous “no parking” signs.
The only realistic parking option is at 47.99271° N, 122.17289° W, where you can park in a small lot, and then hoof it for 0.4 miles eastbound on 4th Street SW to the footbridge.
Once you’ve crossed the footbridge, you’ll find an informative sign that will explain that the northern portion of the island is the wildlife area, and that you’ll need to travel about 0.33 miles north on the obvious trail to reach the Wildlife Area proper. There’s a sign that will let you know that you’ve entered the wildlife area, and just a few yards north of the sign there’s a smallish level spot in the trail, which I found was just big enough for me to put up my Helinox chair, put up a 1/4λ vertical, and do my activation.
This time of year (late October) there was abundant bird life, and I spent a fair bit of time just birdwatching and enjoying the spot. If you’re a birdwatcher, you might want to pack binoculars as well as your radio kit, especially if you’re a fan of waterfowl. As we proceed into the winter rains, expect the trails on the island to become fairly muddy and boggy - the walk on the island isn’t long, so muck style boots might be a good option.