At the top of Chambers street in Steilacoom, lies 62 acres of hidden paradise with a 15-acre pond…read morecalled Farrell's Marsh. This treasured wetland and park is home to a diverse biosphere of native plants, birds, mammals, and amphibians. The main trail of the park is a vestige of the historic road between Fort Steilacoom and Fort Nisqually constructed in the 1830s by the Hudson Bay Company. A pre 1917 Assessors Map shows the marsh, then known as Light's Swamp, as a continuous swamp of approximately 40 acres. Around 1917 the marsh was drained to create a pasture for livestock. In 1930 Fort Lewis bisected the land with a road off Union Avenue. By the 1960s pastoral farming ended to urbanization as Steilacoom expanded. The new developments increased street drainage and outflow, partially reviving the marsh. In 1975 it was purchased by the town with a State grant to be preserved as a protected wetland. Kill Trap Wetlands are ideal for beaver, natures ecosystem engineers, and provide habitat for many endangered species. The algae and plants in the pond improve water quality by absorbing dissolved nutrients, processing organic wastes, and detoxifying toxic street runoff (e.g. heavy metals, pesticides and fertilizers). Through the years beaver have inhabited the marsh and in December 2019 returned, strengthening the derelict dam at the 1917 man made outflow. During the wet months of January, the dam held fast with heavy rains exceeding 5.5 inches in just 5 days, while still allowing a continuous flow of water. The park has recently become a local controversy over how the town plans to mitigate the beavers and the dam. The concern is the potential to downstream flooding, should the dam break. Past flooding has occurred largely due to undersized, substandard and blocked culverts along Union Avenue. Kill Trap Mayor Ron Lucas confirmed he hired a trapper to trap and kill the beaver after a park visitor discovered a lethal "Conibear" kill trap and surveillance camera near one of the trails. There was an immediate concern for public safety since no warning signage was posted and these dangerous traps which could easily kill a large dog or injure a child. The traps, according to the mayor, have been removed with the plans on hold, but as of 29 May, the trail camera remains. COVID-19 has restricted wildlife management from dispatching specialists to the field. However, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) advised council woman Nancy Henderson that the impact of the beaver should be objectively assessed prior to implementing any further plans. Pursuant to RCW 77.55 a Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA) permit must be issued by the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) to remove or modify a beaver dam on a natural or modified watercourse. Trail Surveilance Camera Dees and Associates 1998 Farrell's Marsh Basin Study advised to effectively achieve flood control a 2.25-foot-wide outlet should be installed. Driveway culverts should be up sized to between 36-42 inches. None of the recommendations were implemented. WDFW stated beaver trapping is both costly and temporary, as beaver will return. Other mitigating more effective measures are available such as a flexible pond leveler or a beaver deceiver. So where are we today? Before further public monies are expended on trapping, subject matter experts must conduct a risk assessment of the current ineffective culvert drainage system on Union Avenue. WDRW Region 6 habitat biologists should be consulted regarding all recommended interventions. Decisions on the long-term impact of this wetland park should be discussed in public forum, including the elected members of the city council; not the unilateral decision of one person. Let's learn to live with them, not without them. Those who wish to remain current on this issue can join the Facebook Group, "Citizens for the Protection and Preservation of the Farrell Marsh."

This is a tiny hidey-hole of a portal in a forgotten corner of Steilacoom. Enter this dark forest…read moreand you will immediately be surrounded by a sense of enigma...and foreboding... Tiny paths digress from the main trails and dead end at the moor's edge. Tangles of ivy and prickly things will grasp your arms and legs whilst curiosity leads you forward like a coy, evil faery with a casual giggle and a curled-finger. Onward, ever onward, you seek to know what lies just beyond the next bend in the dense hedges until you find yourself stepping into a circle of giant mushrooms, onto a muddy clearing that seems just slightly out of place. What looks like a path beckons from the other side, you take a step, then another. Your nervous bae fidgets behind you like a colt that smells a faint trace of blood spilled by some predatory feline. "Can we go back now?" she says, trying to mask the fear, the adrenaline that closes around her throat like icy fingers. "Let me just take a peek around this shrubbery. I see something weird...these roots...what?" "Bae?" "I'm sinking! My feet! Oh my god..." "BAE!!!!" "The blue lights, I see the blue lights. Run, J-Bae! Run!" "AHHHHHHH!" MEOW! A portal opens. The faery laughs and laughs. Your curiosity is sated...forever...

Really nice little hike. Parking is directly across the street at a fire department facility. There…read moreis a porta-potty at the park entrance. There are several little trails to explore. There was a light rain falling but the forest canopy kept us from getting soaked. The dirt trail was not slippery because of the canopy debris that has fallen on the trail. Highly recommend this hike.

Great bunch of trails in the park. Some areas are steep, but for the most part it's pretty flat…read more It's not paved, dirt path for the walkway. Prepare yourself with good shoes that have traction, if you go in winter months it's a bit muddy and can be slippery. The highway way only noticeable once you get to the outer edge where you can see it on part of the path, but it didn't bother so much. It makes for a nice nature walk or mini hike.

Cute park! It's…read morealbeit small, but well maintained with bathrooms and a walking path along the creek, under the bridge, and along the harbor. Apparently, you can see salmon swimming upstream here in November. Guess that means I gotta come back at that time. But when I went, I followed a duck who was swimming along the creek. It was cute hehe. I also got to snack on some wild blackberries along the way! Parking is easy along N Harborview Drive, but I will warn you that it is parallel parking.

This is the kind of park that I image coming to life from movies. Lush grass surrounded by…read morebeautiful trees and flowers. There's not much more than that, but if you want a pretty picnic spot, this will do. Parking is free and limited to what you can find on the street, so come early before the restaurants start to get busy and those parking spots fill up.

Nice park, small-ish, a circle gravel path, small pond, gazebo-type building in the front, some…read moreinteresting rock formations, and as it says, lots of native plants. Looks like there is a small trickly water feature going into the pond (wasn't very high on this day so it was hard to get an idea of the full effect). Well maintained, somewhat busy when we were there on a weekend but not so much that you couldn't take your time and enjoy a short walk around the park.

Great little garden off the drive through Point Defiance Park. Has all Northwest plants, flowers,…read moreand trees. The waterfall and pond are a nice feature. Does have hills, so be careful as that may not be super handicap friendly.

They recently thinned some of the trees and underbrush along the running path, the park is in great…read moreshape and a beautiful spot for a walk or jog. The trail is only about .6 miles from End to end, .4 from the road to the stairs leading up to proctor st. Its always fun incorporating this trail into morning runs when the weather is nice.

I was interested in a new place to get some walking in and this place was suggested. The trail…read moreitself it quite short, about a mile, but it easily links up with the waterfront so you can extend your walk by a little or a lot. The trail in the natural area are very well maintained and pleasant to walk on. This area is apparently salmon bearing, but I'm really questioning how they get though as some of the areas I saw looked completely blocked with debris from a fishy standpoint. I suppose time will tell? If the salmon do come through this area, it's definitely a great place to get a close look! Trail had some muddy areas, but overall it wasn't too bad.

I live close by and come here often. It's a small park that's beautifully maintained. The animals…read morecarved into trees and stumps throughout the park are a real unique feature. It's a quiet and peaceful place. Plenty of parking, restrooms, place to get water for your dogs if you brought them. I feel safe walking around by myself and that's always a plus!

Want to go for a walk in the woods? This lovely, quiet little park off of Grandview has a…read morebark-covered walking path and drinking fountains for people and their dogs. Good for bird-watching, too.

This is a small park that has a playfield and paved & unpaved trails…read more When I went I noticed there's probably a few camps closer to the Fred Meyers, but I didn't see any active problems and the people I came across were also just there to walk. Not a destination, but if you're in the area looking to mix up your walking trail it's not a bad choice.

This was a pretty good park…read more I started my run from this park. There is a paved path here that circles the grassy area, and there is also a trail that leads to the nearby Fred Meyer store. Everyone I encountered here, people up early walking, were friendly and this park is kept very clean!!

The name of "Paradise Pond" is a little bit misleading as there really isn't much of a pond to look…read moreat here. I saw something that vaguely looked like one through some plant growth and growth on the water but that's all I could find as far as ponds go here. But on the positive side this relatively unmanicured park is good for family pic nics and to exercise yourself and your dogs. Lots of paths to enjoy despite no distinctive features to the park to make it stand out.

This is a cute little spot with some trails to walk the dogs on. It's kind of small but the pups…read morelove it. There's a new housing area being built behind it now so you can hear construction. There are benches and picnic tables scattered throughout the trails. Depending on the season you can see a pond. There's a wetland area too, the water is dried up this time of year but the plants are lush and green and beautiful. I gave it four stars because it's pack out what you bring it...so if you have dogs be prepared to scoop their poop and pack it up with yah