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China Lake Park
4.3 ★★★★☆ 348 Google reviews · Running trail in Tacoma, Washington · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Mixed
- Loop distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Tree cover
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from China Lake Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
This tract of wildland surrounding a lake offers trails & nature viewing opportunities.
What runners say about China Lake Park
“Small parking area, leads from open meadow grassy area, to well maintained walking trails around the small lake.”
“This is a very beautiful park.”
“Lots of shade but might not have good breeze at times.”
“Love this place and I highly highly recommend dog friendly as long as you have a leash and poop bags and kid friendly”
China Lake Park is made up of 11 acres of largely undeveloped land, so no bathrooms or picnic tables are to be found. You'll find the lake and 0.8 mile lightly trafficked loop trail that is primarily used for hiking, walking, trail running, and nature trips.
China Lake Park in Tacoma, WA, has a history that dates back to the early 20th century. The park is named after a small lake, originally called "Lake Tacoma" before locals began referring to it as "China Lake" due to its proximity to a Chinese community that settled in the area.
Excellent little gem of a local park. I had the place to myself, except for a friendly (If unleashed) dog and its owner. There's some debris from parties in the wooded area, but overall a really nice little park that's really easy to access.
Nice park to walk, I wouldn't walk alone just because it's not a lot of people around. Nice scenery and easy to walk.
Trail conditions & character
“Be aware: late morning, early afternoon many people walking their dogs, some are on leash and well- behaved, but some dogs are not either of those things.”
“Small parking area, leads from open meadow grassy area, to well maintained walking trails around the small lake.”
“There are a couple of small lakes that are the main highlight, and you can easily stop nearby and enjoy the views.”
“There's some debris from parties in the wooded area, but overall a really nice little park that's really easy to access.”
“China Lake Park is made up of 11 acres of largely undeveloped land, so no bathrooms or picnic tables are to be found.”
“8 mile lightly trafficked loop trail that is primarily used for hiking, walking, trail running, and nature trips.”
“Great walk with lots of flat ground minus the main entrance.”
“The area is mostly natural with lots of greenery, but very few paved roads, so it’s not suitable for road bikes or anything that doesn’t handle gravel well.”
“Mostly flat walking but a bit muddy.”
Plan your run at China Lake Park
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.
- Websitemetroparkstacoma.org
- Phone(253) 305-1000
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 6:30 AM–9 PM |
| Tuesday | 6:30 AM–9 PM |
| Wednesday | 6:30 AM–9 PM |
| Thursday | 6:30 AM–9 PM |
| Friday | 6:30 AM–9 PM |
| Saturday | 6:30 AM–9 PM |
| Sunday | 6:30 AM–9 PM |
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