Tacoma’s Point Defiance Park

Hike Length: 5 miles
Elevation Gain: minimal
Hike Difficulty: easy
Map: none recommended
hike overview map


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 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 everywhere. Combining a visit to Point Defiance Park with sightseeing in downtown Tacoma is a fine way to spend a day. Fast Sound Transit busses from Seattle and a new state-of-the -art transit center near the Tacoma Dome make the long trip easier than ever.

Getting There

From downtown Seattle (3rd and Union) , catch the ST 594 bus, which leaves every half hour, and ride it to the Tacoma Dome Transit Center. Alternatively, take the Sounder Commuter Train to the same location.

Transfer to PT Bus 11 and ride it to the end of the line at the Vashon Ferry dock at Point Defiance [GPS N 47 deg 18 min 20 sec, W 122 deg 30 min 50 sec].

This long, winding bus ride gives a good overview of Tacoma, as well as its rich stock of historic buildings and houses in the downtown and adjacent neighborhoods.

If you expect a long wait for the next bus at the Tacoma Dome transit center, it’s worthwhile to walk around to the east side of the parking garage and explore the shops and eateries in the Freighthouse Square building.

There is Saturday and Sunday bus service, at reduced departure frequencies.

The Hike:

Point Defiance’s many attractions, along with its dense network of trails, makes the park a great place to wander. The hike descibed 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.

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 cryptic wordless signs featuring geometric shapes. These shapes (squares, circles, and triangles) mark different loop options. 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.

The 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 a complex of buildings: Never-NeverLand ( a mini-amusement park) and the Fort Nisqually Historic Site. Here the SquareTrail heads away from the water and squeezes between these two attractions. Near the zoo parking lot the trail turns north, and eventually ends at the edge of 5-Mile Drive.

From here, you have several options to get back to the bus stop. You can turn right (SE) and walk on the road, or on nearby trails, past the zoo and various park features such as the Pagoda, and on down to the waterfront by the Vashon Ferry. Or turn left( NW) and follow roads to Owens Beach, returning to the PT 11 bus stop via the seawall.

Getting back

At the Vashon Ferry Dock, catch the PT 11 bus back to Tacoma Dome Transit Center, transfer to ST 594, and ride it to back to downtown Seattle.

Rev 02.07.06