Walking along the short half-mile trail, hikers weave through moss-clad ancient trees and fern-blanketed underground. Peat, loamy soil give away under the feet slightly, a hallmark of the perpetual drizzle that blankets the Seattle area. High above overhead, Pacific yews, pole pines, and oaks loom tall, their branches reaching out to knit together and form a lush, green canopy. The trail leads to a rocky beach with 1,875 feet of saltwater frontage that looks out on Port Orchard Bay. Halfway down the beach, a long wooden dock, worn grey by the saltwater and storms, teeters out over the dark green water. Beneath the dark, mysterious green water, shellfish and crabs scurry about at a languid pace, searching for their next meal. In a clearing by the beach, a small picnic area and playground, complete with a baseball diamond, volleyball court, and a horseshoe pits, wait for the next match. At a glance, the parking lots look like oddly shaped open groves, covered with rough pebbles and a sheet of moss. The parking lots, though diminutive, are a little longer than average to accommodate a travel trailer rental. In the summertime, when the chilly bay warms a few degrees to tolerable levels, scuba divers jump off the dock or boats into the dark depths of the Port Orchard Bay in search of long-forgotten wrecks. Across the Port Orchard Bay, boats sail by all day long, some powered by engines, others by wind. Though not visible from the Illahee Beach, hikers can follow the gentle curve of the coast and watch the ferries make their hourly transits.