Parks in Tacoma & Beyond
MetroParks Tacoma
Point Defiance Park is one of twenty largest urban parks in the nation. You can bicycle on miles of roads, walk or jog on beaches or trails, picnic, or stroll through some of the most spectacular gardens on the West Coast in this 698-acre park. Five Mile Drive winds through old growth forest and has several pull-offs for spectacular views. The park is open daily. Hours and fees at facilities within the park vary.
Northwest Trek Wildlife Park
Take a trek to adventure at Northwest Trek, which offers an opportunity to view animals native to the northwest in their natural setting. Take a 50-minute naturalist guided tram tour through a 435-acre free-roaming area where elk, bison, deer, bighorn sheep, moose and much more wander freely. The core area hosts the predators including grizzly and black bear, cougar, wolf, a variety of wetlands animals and birds-of-prey. Northwest Trek is wheelchair accessible.
For admission fees and hours call (360) 832-6117 or (800) 433-TREK.
Pierce County Parks
State Parks
You can picnic, camp and enjoy beach combing, swimming, clam digging and boating at nearby Cutts Island, Dash Point, Eagle Island, Kopachuck and Penrose Point State Parks which offer a wide range of facilities and are located on salt water. Call (360) 902-8844 for additional Information. For campsite reservations, call (888) 226-7688.
National Parks
Mount Rainier
At 14,411 feet, Mount Rainier is the tallest volcano in the 48 contiguous states and is the highest mountain in Washington State. It dominates the horizon for hundreds of miles and boasts the largest single-peak glacial system outside Alaska. On its slopes lie spectacular meadows of sub-alpine flowers and a skirt of old-growth Douglas-fir forest found few other places. Accommodations include the National Park Inn at 27,000 feet. Paradise Inn, at 5,400 feet, operates mid-May through early October. The park has 26 major glaciers, 34 waterfalls, 62 lakes and 600-year old forests. For overnight reservations, call Mount Rainier Guest Services at (360) 569-2400, or park information, call the National Park Service at (360) 569-2211.