Last time I visited was in the summer when the water had really receded. It was lovely, but dry…read more This current visit was in the winter so the tide was high. We walked down to the beach and my niece had a fun time scooping up sea life from the sand and she found things like baby crab legs and shellfish so we got to talk about what was in the water. People were kinda standing around or taking pictures since Mt. Rainier is in the distance, since there's nowhere to sit to relax. There are lots of signs telling you to respect private property, so I imagine the residents get frustrated when people wander over the line, but that's what you get if your property is right next to a state park. The path over was nice, with netting on slippery spots and there are a couple of Pokemon Gyms and Pokestops so its a pretty good place to play. Just be mindful that they require you to carry your trash out of the park with you, so there's nowhere to leave your dog poop bags if your pup does his business. We obediently took our stuff with us, but I wonder how many people don't honor the request.

Belted Kingfisher, Heron, Belted Kingfisher, Belted Kingfisher, Belted Kingfisher! And so my…read morebirding went when I visited Tolmie State Park the morning of the 25th of June 2020. I arrived in the 9:00 a.m. hour and parked at the upper parking lot by the entrance to the park. There is a second parking lot further down the road once inside the park that is closer to the beach. By the upper parking lot there is a restroom building, covered picnic area, and abundant picnic tables with grills interspersed in the woods. There is also an area with benches facing the water in an amphitheater-esque seating style. In my exploring this area I found some cool plants including foxglove plants with cusped blossoms. A Goldfinch flitted across my path and made a getaway before I could get a picture of it. Fun to see the state bird in a state park! Making my way down the trail to the beach was quiet, and I was pleased to see that it was high tide when I arrived at the waterfront. Walking along the waterfront I notice what looked like a Kingfisher so I decided to approach and see if it was. Indeed it was! Slowly I waded out in the water along a muddy part and realized the mud was teeming with crabs. I was careful to watch where I stepped so as not to smoosh any of them. Once I reached the Kingfisher (a Belted Kingfisher specifically) it flew off across the spit of land I came across to get to it. I watched where it landed on a tree branch and then followed the Belted Kingfisher. The Belted Kingfisher was along the creek that flows to the Puget Sound at high tide, at low tide the creek dissipates. Another Belted Kingfisher arrived and they both started diving in the water for fish and other food. Turning my head left I noticed a Heron in the water and waded back out in the water to join it. After wading around with the Heron for a while I made my way back towards where the first Belted Kingfisher had perched to watch for food in the water. The tide was going out as I was wading with the Heron and making my way to the perch. The crabs were not happy about this. The ground glistened with movement, not sunlight, and there were 100s to 1000s of tiny crabs running to take shelter under the seaweed, in the mud, and yes trying to pinch my feet and legs. As I neared some crabs they would burrow backwards into the mud, put their pinchers up, and open them... I was careful not to step there. Eventually I made it back to the Belted Kingfisher perch and what did I find?! Not one, but two Belted Kingfishers watching the water!! So very cool. After admiring them for a little bit I started making my way back to my car. The beach and the parking lot by the beach were starting to get busy, so it was my time to go. A perfect morning adventure in the Puget Sound area.

This is the biggest national forest I've ever visited! There are many ways to get in, but one thing…read moreis for sure..do not follow this Yelp address. It will only take you to the headquarters. The forest is an hour away from this building. You can type in the name into any map and choose one of the entrances. The way we went was through a back road passing several homes in the flat valley that's surrounded by mountains and woods. It will lead you to the welcome sign, then you'll pass a camp ground. There are less people going this way, so the hikes might only have 1/2 a dozen people on it. You will see many trails options, and they will all be gorgeous! The Skokomish Lower South Fork Trail is a great one. It has a very small gravel parking area, and it is a 6 mile hike in total. You'll go in 3 miles to Brown Creek, and then back 3 miles. I would say it's a semi strenuous hike. There's some down hill, and uphill, but mostly its level. Bring plenty of water, SPF, and snacks. Also stop at the restroom just before heading up the gravel road to the beginning of the trail. You'll pass a few little ice cold babbling brooks that will be very easy to walk across without getting your feet wet.

went here with Brandon and it was so nice with the clean air coming in at any elevation. There are…read moreshort and long hikes, so up to you what you want to do. There are levels to the hiking trails if you want steepness or not. Just do your research beforehand where it is you want to go and what it is you want because there is no signal here at times. this is a reeaaalllly big park, so a lot to do, but also a lot where you could get lost. there are winding roads to drive through and it gets a bit scary if you going during nighttime because the downhills make u go fast...especially with the snow ;-; watch urself and have gps on!!!!

I drive into this park on a whim last weekend and think I've found a gem hidden in Olympia,…read moreliterally minutes from downtown. Straddling Boston Harbor Road, the park has a bridge that connects both sides of the sprawling property. On the East side of the park, you immediately feel like you've driven into a forest. Big and old trees line the park roadway. Several picnic areas are available, I assume by reservation, at least for the covered areas. I found a restroom building and took advantage. This place is well maintained. More picnic areas. Nd two more restroom buildings are on the West side of the park, and so is the Sound. Lots more parking, and a kids playground. Squaxin has something for everyone. Lots of hiking paths on both sides of the park that are now on my to do list. Squaxin is an oasis in Olympia!

Squaxin Park is a wonderful place to spend the day at and there is plenty of things to do! I have…read morelived in this area for many years, have heard of and seen this park as we've been around town, but never actually visited. I can confidently say that after being there yesterday that my boys and I will be back! I decided on taking the kids there because I was looking for a new playground space. We had usually gone to other parks/playgrounds and we were all getting a wee bit tired of the same old, same old. I showed the pictures of the playground to the kids and they thought it looked fun too. We went there and were pleasantly surprised at what all else they had to do. The playground itself has a big toy that's shaped like a large ship, which they had fun playing on. However, it was the walking trails and beach access that they enjoyed the most. The trails are partly paved and partly unpaved (so do remember to wear your boots). They lead you through the woods, along and close to various benches and covered pavilions, and down the hills to the beach. The trail hills are not that steep, so it's doable and not extremely strenuous (my 6 year old made it around easily - and the 3 year old mostly was good ... just got tired near the end, after a couple of hours of walking and playing). The best part of the walk was getting down to the beach! It's a beautiful view and very easy to walk around. Hard-packed sand, shells, and flat made for a nice walk. Because of all the recent rain, it was a wee bit sloppy; but fun. My kids had a wonderful time walking/running around and watching the water, looking for shells, and just being kids! We felt very safe there and I never felt like I needed to be "on guard" like at some parks. Overall, the park is large enough to spend a couple of hours there, and yet small enough to not get lost of feel overwhelmed with the number and length of the trails. I asked the kids if they had fun and would want to come back again. They both immediately said yes to both questions. There you have it. We'll be back!!

An easy, enjoyable area to walk around the historic waterfalls. The scenery is lovely and the…read moreinformation was interesting.

We were at the lower park playground it was nice and clean…read moreWords words all ljgdssdgjlkgfds

If you walk across the street from the parking lot to Karen Fraser Woodland Trail, turn left and to…read morethe right of you is a trail. Go down that trail and you'll be heading down a path that at first overlooks the freeway, but then veers left and is a woodland wonderland. Took the pups here and I keep them on leash because I'm always worried about coyotes or my dog getting triggered by a squirrel and running off path where I can't get to him. As you walk you'll see gorgeous change of colors in the fall, sparse trees in the winter, and beautiful green in the summer. I hate hiking, but for these views, I can forego that hate. The trail is a two mile loop either way which I haven't done yet, but can't wait to try when the weather gets better.

Wow! This is such a gorgeous park. It looks like a rainforest because it IS a rainforest...a…read moretemperate rain forest, complete with moss, mushrooms, and VERY big trees! From the various trailheads to and around the loop it's about 1.5 miles give or take. The main parking area is on Henderson. Really nice place for a daily walk/hike. Kids and dogs love it, and so do adults. The trail is mostly dirt and rock, with various boardwalk bridges along the way over the stream. It gets muddy in parts in the winter. It's not a difficult trail but if you have stability issues the uneven terrain could be challenging. If you have bad knees bring poles and/or a buddy to assist you, since there are quite a few sets of stairs. Most are only 2-3 steps and a few with maybe 6 steps, but also one with 15-20 steps.

This is a very easily walkable 1.1 mile trail that leads to a spawning ground for wild chum salmon…read more The trail is very well marked and level. I visited during mid December, so there were still a handful of salmon making their way upstream and spawning in the gravel beds. There's a little footbridge spanning over the stream and so you can get a good look at the fish swimming without being tempted to wade into the water itself (which is highly, highly discouraged since it's very easy to crush fish eggs and disrupt the migration). I would describe this as a multisensory experience as you can see the fish, hear them splashing in the water...and smell the dead fish. I wouldn't advise going if you have a sensitive nose! This was a cool experience otherwise.

What a gem in our back yard! Easy, flat well maintained…read moretrails, good for the whole family. No bikes allowed so safe for the little ones. A bird watcher's paradise any time of the year. Presently, lots of ducklings swimming amongst the water lillies that are in bloom. Lots of old timber and vegetation to walk through In the fall, spawning salmon in the creeks that have look-out platforms for your viewing Swimming in the main pond are beaver and other aquatic animals. A couple of modern outhouses that are fairly well maintained too. And for the price of a Discover Pass ($35 annually that covers 2 cars) you can visit 7 days a week. You can also buy a day pass on line. The penalty for no pass is quite expensive - $99 !

We recently visited for one night. We stayed in one of the few open spots, right near the front of…read morethe campground. The only sections open for winter were the small section we stayed in and the open field area. Unfortunately for us, the sections closed for the season were the prettiest...much more treed and private feeling there. We enjoyed one hike, the boardwalk-old growth-orchard sections and back to the campground. Apparently there is some damage to parts of the trail system here, but those we took were in good shape, just a bit muddy. Although we didn't get around to the lake, it looked gorgeous when we passed by driving in. Aside from the site across from ours after the teens left that morning, the grounds were all very clean. Pretty area and park...although I probably would only return if I could stay in the closed sections. :)

I moved up from SoCal where I have access to beaches and pools and easy access to the airport so I…read morecan be somewhere tropical in the winters when I want. Moving to Olympia, I was near none of that. So how cool was it to discover we lived almost around the corner from a nice park that has access to a lake where you can rent kayaks and duck boats or swim in the lake. Yes, after a couple months of summer, the water is a little gross from all the lie bottom being stirred up and mixing with the sunscreen and people soup, but if you want to get a cool dip on a hot day, it's nice (just don't dip your head into the water). Lots of picnic tables, but they do run out on weekends, so when we want to go we bring our own tables and can park it underneath the forest shade). On the first lake side parking lot when you come in, you're close to a place that serves beer and pizza. Halfway down in the next parking lot, you're near the place that sells nachos and ice cream. The parking is limited to the point that on the busiest summer days, they have to refuse entry and tell you to come back in the afternoon. For all the problems, it's a good park and one of our favorite places to hang out with our dogs.

The Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is incredible! The best $3 (cash deposit) I…read morehave ever spent! Over 3 hrs of birdwatching, deer sighting, eagle watching, heron mating dances, moss, frogs, snakes, and more. The brackish water and estuary allow for diverse life cycles across fresh to salty habitats. The boardwalk is well maintained, gravel moving into wooden slits. Incredible! Highly recommend. Big parking lot, fairly busy on a Monday in March.

Always a great solitude hike to clear my head and solve my problems. Frankly, I like to talk with…read moreGod out here. Somehow, I feel closer to him when surrounded by the beautiful Nisqually nature trails. Only $3 to gain access (honor system drop box), there are miles of gravel trails and boardwalks to enjoy. No biking, no jogging, and no pets allowed, but plenty of bird enthusiasts taking pics with long lens cameras. It's a quiet place to be in your thoughts. Occasionally, you see deer, rabbits, seals, coyote, lots of birds, and awesome eagles! Makes it so worth it? I highly recommend coming out here for a low effort hike, the quiet, and all things beautiful in nature!

Great park with trails through second-growth woods, a tiny bit of elevation change, picnic…read moreshelters, a flower garden, a beach, and most importantly, toilets. Love going here with the family for a bit of fresh air and some rock hunting.

A beautiful park and a must see in the Olympia area. I've come here since childhood. Excellent…read moretrails and views of the Puget Sound.

Visited this lake for the first time in the 9 years that I have lived in Lacey. Very clean and well…read moretaken care of. People out fishing were friendly including some friendly pets out and about walking the trails. Gorgeous lake.

Come here almost everyday with my little brother during break. Great place for kids during the…read moresummer and lots of fun with floats, sand, and lots of new friends!! Very beautiful trails that lead to different sand areas, waste cans, and friendly environment towards pets and people :)