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.

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!!

Returned to this location and lots of updates to share. The trail, larger porta-potty and new…read moreoverlook of falls. They also put in a old style designed cabin. So cute and loved it. Two different areas to view Falls. Both muddy. Still bring your rubber boots or old shoes. Several benches, tables and doggie bags. Many visitors bringing their pups for this walk. East hike but prepare for muddy areas and slippery rocks. The view of the falls is divided left and right side. Right side is not as muddy as the left.

One of my favorite waterfalls. There's a new viewing deck in place since the last time I visited…read more It's not a far walk, but could be considered somewhat challenging to those who have any kind of mobility concerns. There are no stairs, decline can be steep. But for those who can, it's beautiful to see, and an adventure. Make sure to wear good shoes, or take water shoes for wading or swimming. The trail is easy, but getting to the river and views (in all areas) can be difficult due to the rocks.

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.

We wanted to explore more of our city. I've never been to this park even though I grew up in the…read moreOly/Lacey area. This is a great 1-mile loop trail. Easy to walk/hike because there are no large hills to maneuver. A majority of the trail is shaded with trees so if you need a nice walk/hike on a warm day check-out this park. A few things to note: there is limited parking here, only about 4-5 cars can fit in the parking area (free parking), no dogs are allowed, and also the trail is not paved and I feel is not suitable for wheelchairs or strollers. Some of the trail is pretty narrow. My son is three and he was able to hike the trail with ease. There are better parks in the Oly/Lacey area (in my opinion), but nonetheless this is a nice park, especially on a warm day when you want to get outside and stay cool.

Great hidden park, actually pretty big but unassuming from the outside. Not much open space and no…read moreamenities, but you feel like you're in the middle of the woods and end up doing dome bushwhacking if you take some of the trails. Olympia's hidden gem!

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.

I love this place! I go every year when the salmon are running! It's gorgeous! The falls, the…read morebeautiful scenery and the trail is just perfect! The bridges and the stairs have plenty of photo opportunities. The parking area is plentiful. Every one brings their dogs. It's a perfect place to have a picnic. Bring your lunch if you work near by and enjoy the view. It's one of my favorite parks in Tumwater!

Definitely a must visit when in the area. I've visited…read moreBrewery Park two times now while visiting my sister who lives in Washington - once in the summer and the second in fall time. Both times were amazing. This park has lots of history to learn about with informational signs posted all throughout the park and loop trail. The sights are amazing - the river, falls, foliage, and surrounding nature really make for a great scenic walk. The loop trail is fairly easy at about 1 mile and also great for dogs on leash - my parent's chihuahua loved the walk. The hatchery on site is also a highlight of the park. During salmon run season in late August to October, you can watch the salmon migrate up the river to the hatchery - jumping the falls along the way. Definitely a peak time to visit! When we visited in late October, we were still able to spot some salmon in the river and at the hatchery. A must do. The park is wonderful. Ample parking available and lots of picnic benches and seating to rest and have a snack or eat lunch. Restrooms are also easily accessible on site.

I didn't even knowthis park existed but they do free Shakespeare in the Park here with the Animal…read moreFire Theater. Am I shilling for them? Yes, because my friend is in this troupe and because of him I've seen Henry V and Midsumer Night's Dream. Doyou know how fun it is to watch Shakespeare as the dark slowly creeps, eating a subway sandwich, with your pups as they look longingly at the bunnies in the distance. You need to do this. Parking is easy and soemthing like 30 feet away from the meadow, there are big trees to give you shade in the heat where the plays are held, so you have no excuses.

Had my kiddo's birthday there. The kids had a blast blowing bubbles and just being kids. Clean…read morebathrooms, clean trails, all good.