Tacoma's Point Defiance Park

Enjoy miles of walking in Puget's Sounds largest urban park

Hike Length: 5 miles

Elevation Gain: minimal

Hike Difficulty: easy

Updated 9/22/2021

Point Defiance Park is the crown jewel of the Tacoma Park system. At 696 acres, it’s larger than any park in the city of Seattle; in fact, it is among the largest urban parks of any in the United State, encompassing a large natural forest, saltwater beaches, spectacular viewpoints, and miles of trails. And if that weren’t enough, the park also contains a number of man-made attractions, including two museums and a full scale zoo/aquarium complex.

The city of Tacoma, long overshadowed by its larger neighbor to the north, has in recent years enjoyed a bit of a revitalization of its downtown core. Many of the fine old buildings have been restored to their late 1800s elegance, and new museums, shops, and cafes have sprung up. Combining a visit to Point Defiance Park with sightseeing in downtown Tacoma is a fine way to spend a day. Fast Sound Transit buses from Seattle and a new state-of-the -art transit center near the Tacoma Dome make the long trip easier than ever.

Vista of Tacoma Narrows from Point Defiance Park (photo credit: Joe Mabel/Wikimedia Commons)

Getting There

From Seattle, ride the Sound Transit 590/594 express bus to downtown Tacoma, at Commerce Street and S 10th Place.

Here, transfer to Pierce Country Transit route 11 and ride it to the end of the line at the ferry dock at Point Defiance Park.

Use TOTAGO to get round-trip transit directions, plus offline trail maps if you download the app:

Point Defiance Park on Totago

The Hike

Point Defiance's many attractions, along with its dense network of trails, makes the park a great place to wander. The hike described below is a five mile loop roughly following the park’s perimeter, but don’t feel constrained to follow it if you feel like exploring. Here's a park map:

https://www.metroparkstacoma.org/five-mile-drive-trails-point-defiance/#

From the bus stop at the Vashon Ferry landing, head left (NW) along the water’s edge around the back side of a restaurant and marina complex. Beyond the marina, a seawall provides pleasant waterside walking and good views across Commencement Bay to Maury Island. The seawall ends at Owens Beach, where there are picnic areas and restrooms.

To continue the hike, walk south, away from the beach, heading through a parking lot and up the beach access road. In a quarter mile the road intersects with a major trail, marked with wordless signs featuring geometric shapes. These shapes (squares, circles, and triangles) mark different trails in the park. The “square” route follows the longest loop and is recommended here. Go right (west) and follow the trail (here the combined square, circle, and triangle route) into the heavily wooded interior of the park. The square trail shortly branches right at a junction. Near the Vashon Viewpoint, the trail crosses the 5-Mile scenic drive and reaches the edge of the bluffs that loom over much of the Point Defiance waterfront.

From here, the "Square" Trail winds along the bluffs all the way around the tip of Point Defiance; various viewpoints give changing perspectives on the intricate inlets and islands that form the Puget Sound. The 5-Mile Drive , never far away, is crossed at several points. At length, the trail arrives at the Fort Nisqually Historic Site, which is a replica of an actual Hudson Bay Company outpost that once existed farther south, in Dupont. Here the Square Trail heads away from the water, rounding the left side of the fort (look for the continuation of the trail in the adjacent picnic area). Near the zoo parking lot, the trail turns east, crossing back over to the east side of the Point Defiance peninsula and the Rhododendron Picnic Area.

At this point you've done most of the "Square" Trail loop. Go left on the trail and you end up back at the Owens Beach access road. You can also turn right, following roads and trails near the top of the bluff past some picnic areas to the Chinese Garden and Pagoda. Near the Pagoda is a path leading down to the waterfront near the ferry dock and bus stop.

Getting Back

From the Point Defiance Ferry dock, ride Pierce County route 11 to downtown Tacoma, at Commerce Street and S 10th Place. Transfer to the Sound Transit express bus 590/594 to get back to Seattle.

Camp Six Logging Museum, Point Defiance Park (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)