A watershed is an area of land in which all the rain that falls to the surface flows to a common body of water. The West Hylebos Wetlands are within the Hylebos Creek Watershed. Hylebos Creek begins beneath Federal Way’s Commons Mall, flows alongside I-5 through Fife and
into Puget Sound’s Commencement Bay.

Historically, Hylebos Creek was one of Puget Sound’s most productive small salmon streams, hosting annual runs of Chinook, coho and chum salmon, along with steelhead and cutthroat trout.

The West Hylebos Wetlands play a key role in protecting the water quality and water quantity in Hylebos Creek, enabling wild salmon to survive here despite intensive upstream development.

The wetlands filter out pollutants and sediment from upstream and provide rearing habitat for juvenile salmon and trout. During winter and spring floods, the wetlands store high waters, slowing downstream flows and reducing the damages caused by flooding.

While you may not see any salmon on your hike, remember you are walking through essential salmon habitat!