This trail begins at the northwest end of the Recreation Area’s bayside picnic loop. The 1 ½ mile-long Mosquito Cove loop trail sneaks along the shore of Starrigavan Bay just inside the forest edge. Large, old western hemlock and Sitka spruce trees form an impressive canopy over most of the trail. Understory vegetation generally consists of blueberries, red huckleberries, and rusty Menziesia. In most places, the forest floor is carpeted with mosses and liverworts, punctuated by lady fern, shield fern, and deer fern. There are several places near the beginning of the trail offering access to gravelly beaches. From these beaches, one can see Sitka alder, beach rye grass, sea beach sandwort and other shoreline plants. There are quite a few wet rock faces along the trail, especially approaching Mosquito Cove. These are excellent places to see plants such as the beech fern, maidenhair fern, deer fern, and the strange-looking fir clubmoss.
