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.

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

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!!!!

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!

We came by on a Saturday afternoon on July 24th. It's easy to find following Google Map directions…read more I found out about this as it was part of a Challenge Ride location of the Bike Group. The mima mounds were formed some time after ice age glaciers began receding 16,500 years ago. It's origins have baffled many. You do need a Discover Pass but we always carry a pass on our bikes so it wasn't an issue. The day we came by, the mounds were covered with brown dried grass and weeds. Bummer! Some areas are ADA accessible. It's more of a nature walk but be forewarned, it is the least bit peaceful as it's near a gun range -- pew pew pew is all you hear. There are bathrooms on site but there are signs that states it's not maintained daily so use with caution. We rode around to the road leading to the Falls after to take a photo with my bike and the mounds behind me. It was quite uneventful but we enjoyed the ride on the roads to and from the area.

A peaceful, slightly mysterious and thought-provoking place. The perfect place for a contemplative…read morenature stroll.

One of the many features to Point Defiance Park. Fuve Mile Drive is a five mile loop that takes you…read morefurther back into the park and where you can get views of the Narrows Bridge and Puget Sound. As you stroll through you will encounter raccoons and deer in which they aren't afraid of you in the slightest. The raccoons look like you should give them a snack which you should not. Even though they may not run from you they are still wild animals and should not be pet or fed human food. When I first moved to the area you could drive Five Mile Drive every time you went to the park practically but in recent times the road is often closed and walking it is encouraged instead.

Point Defiance is a very large park and the Five Mile Drive is used to move you through the various…read moreattractions. It's set up in 2 parts -inner and outer loop. The inner loop gets you to the beach, zoo, Fort Nisqually, marina, Owen Beach, rose/NW gardens, the Pagoda, and the dog park. Near by parking lots are available. The outer loop will allow you to go out to the peninsula but is closed to vehicles and you must go by foot. Beautiful views and it's protected from traffic so it's an awesome place to walk. Looking for a place to park and the lots are full? General rule of thumb: if ya fits ya sits along the sides. Don't be "that guy" about it though and make sure your vehicle realistically fits! The Drive is paved and easy to follow with great signage. There are many, many trails throughout the peninsula so you can choose your own adventure if you're walking. Pay attention to which trail you're on!! It's a pretty small peninsula so you're not going to get full on lost in the forest or anything, but it could be a long, long way back!

Beautiful park on the water. Small parking area has one permitted spot and a concrete, switchback…read morepath leads past the lighthouse keepers cottage, lighthouse and boathouse. Informational signs along the path give a bit of history. At low tide the beach was quite wide. Pebbly pathside and rocky/slimy closer to the waterline. A few benches and picnic tables dot the pathway in full sun. Lovely gardens surround the house and crew quarters. The lightkeeps house can be rented on a nightly basis. Parking lot has a porta-potty.

I almost don't want to write about this hidden gem! Small but beautiful. Perfect place to find some…read morepeace. Clean and scenic. Last time I was there I had the pleasure of seeing a sea lion bobbing in and out of the water! Perfect place to bring a book and a snack and take it all in!

This place is soooo awesome!! The owner opened up the art exhibit for us & was happy to explain…read moreeverything. Then we headed out along the trail of sculptures on the property. This place is so cool and so family friendly. They had cornhole, badminton, ring toss and other along the way. There are peacocks that live there and also a maze that wasn't open when we're there. If you're in the area you have to check it out!

Such a delightful and HIGHLY recommended stop for folks that, like my mama and me, made the drive…read morefrom seattle to portland. Amidst a scenic drive, this oasis of a stop was so fun to check out. Started by a couple - the guy was a judge, the gal an artist - the surprisingly large outdoor space is filled with artistic surprises that would be great for adults and kids. No food available for purchase so I'd recommend bringing snacks, water, and a hat if it's a warmer day.

Great spot to visit. We didn't get the opportunity to check out the camp sites, but I look forward…read moreto doing that next visit. We had some time to burn so came to check out Scenic Beach State Park. It was not too crowded on an early Friday morning, so parking was abundant. We wandered around the day use area and down by the water. The view is spectacular! Surrounded by tall trees and forest it really feels like you are far from everything and is very serene. The restrooms were clean as was the park itself. There are plenty of picnic tables and a well-appointed playground for the littles.

This is one of my favorite state parks. They have the Sehmel house. You can rent that for $500 for…read morethe day. It has a bathroom changing rooms other room, rooms, kitchen a full set up for a baby shower, which is where I had my daughter's baby shower. I was actually married here. The camping is literally some of the best camping with awesome sites. It's a stunning location.

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 :)