Editing Thurston County, Washington (section)

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|774|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|722|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|52|sqmi}} (6.7%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_53.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 16, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref>

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Pierce County, Washington|Pierce County]] – northeast
* [[Lewis County, Washington|Lewis County]] – south
* [[Grays Harbor County, Washington|Grays Harbor County]] – west
* [[Mason County, Washington|Mason County]] – north/northwest

===Major highways===
* [[File:I-5.svg|20px]] [[Interstate 5 in Washington|Interstate 5]]
* [[File:US 12.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 12 in Washington|U.S. 12]]
* [[File:US 101.svg|23px]] [[U.S. Route 101 in Washington|U.S. 101]]
* [[File:WA-8.svg|23px]] [[Washington State Route 8|SR 8]]
* [[File:WA-507.svg|23px]] [[Washington State Route 507|SR 507]]
* [[File:WA-510.svg|23px]] [[Washington State Route 510|SR 510]]

===Geographic features===
Major watersheds: Black River, Budd/Deschutes, [[Chehalis River (Washington)|Chehalis River]], Eld Inlet, [[Henderson Inlet]], [[Nisqually River]], [[Skookumchuck River]], Totten Inlet and West Capitol Forest.

{{div col|colwidth=12em}}
* [[Alder Lake (Washington)|Alder Lake]]
* [[Bald Hill Lake]]
* [[Barnes Lake (Washington)|Barnes Lake]]
* [[Bass Lake (Thurston County, Washington)|Bass Lake]]
* [[Bigelow Lake]]
* [[Black Lake (Washington)|Black Lake]]
* [[Black River (Chehalis River)|Black River]]
* [[Budd Inlet]]
* [[Capitol Lake]]
* [[Capitol Peak (Thurston County)|Capitol Peak]]
* [[Capitol State Forest]]
* [[Chambers Lake (Thurston County, Washington)|Chambers Lake]]
* [[Chehalis River (Washington)|Chehalis River]]
* [[Clear Lake (Thurston County, Washington)|Clear Lake]]
* [[Millersylvania State Park|Deep Lake]]
* [[Deschutes River (Washington)|Deschutes River]]
* [[Elbow Lake (Thurston County, Washington)|Elbow Lake]]
* [[Eld Inlet]]
* [[Fifteen Lake]]
* [[Gehrke Lake]]
* [[Grass Lake (Thurston County, Washington)|Grass Lake]]
* [[Henderson Inlet]]
* [[Hewitt Lake (Washington)|Hewitt Lake]]
* [[Hicks Lake]]
* [[Lake Lawrence]]
* [[Libby Creek (Washington)|Libby Creek]]
* [[Lois Lake]]
* [[Long Lake (Thurston County, Washington)|Long Lake]]
* [[McIntosh Lake]]
* [[Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve|Mima Mounds]]
* [[Munn Lake]]
* [[Nisqually River]]
* [[Offut Lake]]
* [[Patterson Lake (Thurston County, Washington)|Patterson Lake]]
* [[Puget Sound]]
* [[Reichel Lake]]
* [[Rocky Prairie]]
* [[Saint Clair Lake (Washington)|Saint Clair Lake]]
* [[Scott Lake (Washington)|Scott Lake]]
* [[Simmons Lake (Washington)|Simmons Lake]]
* [[Skookumchuck River]]
* [[Smith Lake (Thurston County, Washington)|Smith Lake]]
* [[Southwick Lake]]
* [[Springer Lake]]
* [[Summit Lake (Thurston County, Washington)|Summit Lake]]
* [[Susan Lake]]
* [[Totten Inlet]]
* [[Trails End Lake]]
* [[Trosper Lake]]
* [[Ward Lake (Washington)|Ward Lake]]
{{div col end}}

===National protected areas===
* [[Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge]]

===Ecology and environment===
The habitat for the [[Castilleja levisecta|Golden Paintbrush]] (Castilleja levisecta) runs through the county. The plant was placed on the [[Endangered Species Act of 1973|Endangered Species]] list in 1997 but due to conservation efforts the {{convert|12|in|cm|adj=on|abbr=on}} tall prairie flower was delisted in 2023.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sailor |first=Craig |date=July 22, 2023 |title=Rare South Sound blossom makes comeback |url=https://www.theolympian.com/news/state/washington/article277513923.html |work=The Olympian |access-date=September 1, 2023}}</ref>

Wildlife and land preserves in South Thurston County include the Black River Habitat Management Area, the Glacial Heritage Preserve,<ref>{{cite news |last=Browne Grivas |first=Erica |date=May 9, 2023 |title=Why conservation groups are trying to restore native prairies in WA |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/life/outdoors/why-conservation-groups-are-trying-to-restore-native-prairies-in-wa/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=September 1, 2023}}</ref> and the [[Scatter Creek Unit|Scatter Creek Wildlife Area]].