It is approximately 22 miles (35 km) in length[a] and begins at the Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area and runs mostly south to southeast towards its terminus at the intersection of the Yelm-Rainier-Tenino Trail.

[4] The Chehalis Western Trail passes through a variety of landscapes, including prairies, farm and ranch lands, ponds, and dense forests of cedar, fir, and maple.

[4] The Woodard Bay conservation area is home to a large heron colony and visitors can spot bald eagles, a diverse array of songbirds, various bat species, and several types of aquatic animals such as otters and seals.

[4][2] In May 2023, a bench on the trail was dedicated to Bronka Sundstrom (Czyzyk), a survivor of the Holocaust who became the oldest person, at age 77 in 2002, to climb Mt.

Given the moniker "The Lady of the Mountain" for her history at Mount Rainier National Park, she was an avid hiker of the Chehalis Western after she had retired to a nearby community.