Gorgeous hidden gem. Not a long hike but definitely steep. Your quads will feel it. It's on a…read morehillside so you're going mostly up or mostly down depending on where you start, and it has a few turns you can take to mix it up. Kids and dogs will love it. Great workout and SO beautiful. Huge ferns and maple trees, moss, mushrooms, snails, etc. Thank you to the first reviewer (Chris) for your description, this is a perfect little workout, and easy access from west Olympia.

Local walking trails on the southwest portion of Tumwater Hill. Access from the north or "top" of…read moreTumwater Hill Elementary School or from Ridgeview Loop in between some of the homes; enter from the south or "bottom" of the hill from Vista Loop SW, just off Crosby Blvd, near 2 lone homes. Open all year long, it's a step into the wilderness amidst this suburban community. It's kid & dog friendly too. I've spied rabbits, deer, salamanders, mushrooms & toads along the trails at different parts of the year. Ferns, evergreens & big leaf Maple trees line the well defined walking trails.

This park is one of my favorites! I discovered this years ago and try to go whenever I can…read more Beautiful and serene.

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.

Well this trail is cute. I had avoided going on the trail because usually I am in the area at night…read moreand there aren't any lights down on the trail at night so it's kind of spooky because you don't know what's lurking down below. I parked at the West Bay park and walked up and over to the trail. I did like that the trail has direct access to water. The land next to the water wasn't too muddy or loose where your shoes might get stuck either, so that was nice. As there is nothing preventing your from walking up to the stream, watch your kids to make sure they don't fall in. The trail is just wide enough for a stroller, but it's uneven in sections and has steps and bridges so be aware of that. I think the stream is feed by water that runs off the streets as there are large black plastic tubes running down the hillsides carrying street water to disperse into the stream. I guess that's why it's important to watch what you throw into the gutters and streams. Even though this trail is short there are no shortage of inclines, stairs, bridges, and declines. It's a lot of variety in a short stretch. Although the sign says no running there were several people running or with their dogs. At the end of the trail furthest away for West Bay there are steps that lead up to a bus station just in case you're trying to catch the bus. Overall, it's a cute & short trail which may be just enough to get your heart pumping.

This is a super short trail, less than a mile round trip, but a nice way to escape the heat of the…read moreday and enjoy the peace and quiet of nature. I parked for free at West Bay Park and crossed the main road at the pedestrian walkway to find the trailhead. There is a bench at both ends of the trail as well as one other at the halfway point. Signs at both ends clearly indicate the rules of the park including leashed dogs allowed; but no jogging is permitted. Seriously? I'm not sure why that last one is an issue. There were very few people, mostly women of all ages, that I saw on the trail, but perhaps the no jogging rule was implemented because the path is narrow and could be slippery when wet. I met two leashed dogs on trail with their responsible owners. The trail winds down from the road at both ends and follows a creek bed. There are bridges, retaining walls, wood planks, steps and dirt path that make it easy to follow this trail from start to finish. You will be surrounded by large trees throughout that provide a canopy blocking out the sun and heat of the day. At a few points, you can see water trickling through the brook below. I imagine that it is more powerful during and after a few days of rain. I could hear the stream and birds squawk. This easy trail basically offers a nice, short stroll through the woods to breakup the monotony of the day.

Such a beautiful trail! I have lived in the area forever and never knew about this gem of a trail!…read moreIt's a great place to walk and ride bikes because it's paved. We take our baby there for some afternoon strolls. Its nice be cause some parts are shaded and others are bright and sunny. The trail is located on the way to Evergreen College right off of the main road. I have driven by this trail a thousand times and I'm so sad I never knew about it. I love reading all the plaques explaining the different parts of the trail and when the trees were planted. If you're in the Olympia area it's a great place to go for a walk with your family.

Jacob's Point is a small preserve on Anderson Island with a 3 mile walking path that illustrates…read moreboth the beauty and the history of the island. There are many stops along the path, mostly to see the Puget Sound and Mount Rainer in the background. I'm always impressed with Mount Rainer because it seems to poke out of the skyline from nowhere. There are certainly Cascade Mountains that border Mount Rainer, but they are not nearly as high and nor are they visible unless you head towards the mountains. There is one stop showing the remnants of one of the first homesteads on the island. The only thing left is the brick chimney. Apparently, it was a hay farm for a few years before the family moved off the island to find work elsewhere. I can't imagine how hard it would've been to have a hay farm on the island. You would essentially have to provide all the food for yourself and figure out how to transport your hay to market. The most interesting part of the trail was the old brickyard. The mud in the area provided good brickmaking material and the cove on the Puget Sound enabled the brickmaker to ship the heavy bricks to buyers elsewhere. Initially, it didn't make sense to me to have a heavy brickmaking facility on a hard to reach island but if your mode of transport is feet away from the facility, it makes more sense. The boats would float into the cove during high tide before settling on to supports at low tide. At that time, they could fill the boat with bricks. The boat would raise off the supports at high tide and head to market. For someone like myself who grew up in the Midwest, it was interesting to see how businesses could use the tides to their advantage. Unfortunately for this particular brickmaking company, the brick market collapsed a few years after they started operation and were forced to shut down.

Although you can map the GPS coordinates, there is no precise address for the park entrance. From…read morethe ferry dock, take Yoman Road south, then when it turns into Eckenstam - Johnson Road (keep left at the Y-intersection) continue south. It's about 2.7-3.2 miles from the dock, depending on how you map it, with the trailhead and small parking lot with signage on the left. Anderson Island is worth a trip just to visit this pretty little trail. It begins by winding through a marsh on a boardwalk, then proceeds through open woods to the chimney and the site of the Jacob family pioneer family. From there, the trail leads to a clean, waterless composting pit toilet. and to some cutbanks overlooking the south side of Oro Bay. At low tide you can explore the kelp-y, pebbly beaches. I heard tell of a sea cave (also mentioned on park websites), but I did not see it for myself. I did however see the sea. The website also warns of being trapped by "sucking mud" and the tides. Certainly, when the tides are coming it, be sure to know where you got down to the beach and keep it in sight, as the banks are steep all around and access points are limited. Even if the tide is in, the end of the point features a stunning view of Mt. Rainier, shining bright, or reflecting brightly, rather. The trail is mostly level with a few bumps, well maintained, and easy to follow.

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 !

Was on a drive from Portland to Tacoma, and I need to stop and stretch my legs so I found this…read moreshort hike right off the freeway and it is wonderful for a nice break. You can hear the traffic on the five freeway, but you are in the woods And you are able to get off and take a short hike without getting too far from your trip. I'd recommend this stop to anyone that needs to get out and enjoy the woods. Trail is very well-maintained and I haven't seen a soul. Old growth forest, all surrounding me. And while you're here, go see the state capital of Olympia.

It's a short, paved trail that has bikers, pedestrians, and pups making their way around. Beautiful…read morescenery, especially when there's snow. If you squint you can see some of the homeless camps in the distance and sometimes you'll see a bag of abandoned clothes or a transient sitting near the entrance or a broke down car with a homeless couple sitting in it so it can be a little sketch and you don't want to go alone. In spite of that, the place is lovely.

Good walk, but not what I'd call a "hike." There are some small lakes, a few modest waterfalls, and…read moresome second+ growth trees. There is a small parking lot. Trails might be the most clearly marked I've ever seen, but again, this is a minor trail, which you couldn't get lost on if you tried.