Nisqually State Park - Eatonville, Washington

Jay Rush

We took our toddlers to explore the new state park. It was very quiet, except the occasional plane overhead, a raven, and the song birds.
The parking lot has spaces for about 30 cars, and several horse trailers. There is a all gender restroom at the parking lot and some informational signs about the collaboration with the Nisqually nation to use the land.
The trail map isn’t very useful, but is also posted.
There are two unshaded picnic tables in a small grassy area in the parking lot.

We walked for an hour (at toddler speed) on the wide gravel path and saw a few wildflower varieties, one view of Rainier, and some puddles. We turned back without finding any river or lake.

The jogging stroller traveled easily on the path made of packed earth and light gravel.

Richard Moller

It was a beautiful area. There was a nice parking lot with areas for cars and trailers for horses. There was a network of trails for horses, for bikes and for people and their dogs. It is a day use only park with a fee collection box in the parking lot. We really enjoyed a beautiful and fairly short hike that made the trip there well worth it.

Stefanie Crow

Our first time here. Park is still under development. Great place to take dogs or bike. Trails are not marked so well but are flat and wide. Lots of people riding horses. Everyone was friendly and courteous.

Jesse James White

Easy to get to and good interpretive panels in the parking area. Discovery Pass or day pass required. Bathroom was in need of some deep cleaning. No garbage cans on site, so pack it out. Trails are shared with horses so you’re going to want to watch your step. Map was useful but the trails are largely unmarked so we ended up lost in the woods for a couple hours after what we thought was the trail dead ended near the river. Still getting used to WA State Parks.

Ron Clark

Nisqually State Park is a fantastic destination for nature enthusiasts seeking hikes under two hours. The park offers a well-maintained main accessible path that leads to various offshoot trails, providing a diverse range of options for exploration. Along the way, there are abundant opportunities for capturing breathtaking photos, thanks to the park's stunning natural beauty. Nature lovers will delight in the park's rich wildlife, as they can listen to the melodic sounds of diverse creatures. Whether you're a beginner hiker or an experienced adventurer, Nisqually State Park offers an unforgettable experience filled with scenic vistas, serene surroundings, and a connection to nature's wonders.

megan

Not very developed or well marked but the fall colors were nice and it was not crowded. There were way more horse trailers than cars without horse trailers, but we didn't run into any horses on the trail. The whole park seems pretty flat so it is good for a nice stroll.

There was a pit toilet but not picnic tables or other amenities.

Darlene Stewart

Took a nice hike down to the river. Love the bathroom and parking area addition. Saw some horses, lots of poo if your walking the trails. The park was clean, trails were nice and well kept. River was also nice to see. Down hill all the way to the river, be prepared coming back. About 6miles ish round trip to the parking lot.

Laura Richardson

This is a really fun place to walk. Seems like a lot of people ride horses cause there is horse poop everywhere. Would be a great place to ride bikes also. There is a nice gravel trail and lots of great side trails. There are lots of pretty wildflowers during the right time of year. The trees and plants and the walking paths that seem to go on forever are the main attractions here. Also usually this place doesn't have many visitors which is cool.
If you want to get to the river which is soo gorgeous it takes like 1-2 hours to get there walking from the main lot so about 2-3 hours round trip from my experience, follow the gravel path and take the right hand turn, keep following the path across the road and then you are there. We found crawfish and baby fishies and my dog loved playing the water. However a good tip is to pass the main parking lot and keep driving til you see a yellow gate to your right and park there instead, this will probably cut the walking time in half if not more. Also doing this means you dont need to worry about a discovery pass. Anyways I have walked here alone with my lil doggie many times and it has all gone well but its creepy esp because people see bears here so be careful!!