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Wapato Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 3,499 Google reviews · Running trail in Tacoma, Washington · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Mixed
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Wapato 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.
Urban park featuring a woodland area, a lake, walking trail & dog park, plus a historic pergola.
What runners say about Wapato Park
“The park is well taken care of, clean, and has plenty of amenities for a variety of activities to fit the needs of any individual or family.”
“Scenery is lovely and the main walking path gives a great view of the lake all the way around.”
“The marsh has catwalks over it with good birdwatching spots, and there are other trails through the woods by the dog parks, including a fenced off-leash dog walking forest trail.”
Such a beautiful park 🏞 on a beautiful sunny day ☀. Went there for a walk 🚶with the husband. Very even level walking path for joggers, 🏃, families, and dogs 🐶. Beautiful views of the water 💦 to watch the ducks 🦆,big playground for the kids 🧒, and a perfect path to ride to your ride your bike 🚲. Go out and have fun.
A little gem of a park. The lake is lovely and takes about fifteen minutes to walk around. It's really close to a lot of stores, so I like to go there and take a nice break outside between errands. There's also a playground and picnic areas, and lots of benches in nooks.
What a cute park! A fun walk around the lake, plus a dog park with separate big and small dog areas. There’s a playground by the water for kids and the area is well-maintained. Just maybe try not to use the bathrooms (they aren’t the nicest and there were some odd items in there when I visited).
The park is well taken care of, clean, and has plenty of amenities for a variety of activities to fit the needs of any individual or family. There are both paved and gravel walkways and even an off-leash dog run, but my favorite feature are the many benches tucked in close to the pond surrounded by the beautiful trees…
Trail conditions & character
“The marsh has catwalks over it with good birdwatching spots, and there are other trails through the woods by the dog parks, including a fenced off-leash dog walking forest trail.”
“Scenery is lovely and the main walking path gives a great view of the lake all the way around.”
“Just maybe try not to use the bathrooms (they aren’t the nicest and there were some odd items in there when I visited).”
“This is such a pretty park with a paved walkway with plenty of shade and lots of grass which is great for my old lady who struggles on pavement or gravel.”
“This is such a pretty park with a paved walkway with plenty of shade and lots of grass which is great for my old lady who struggles on pavement or gravel.”
“Nicely cleaned up location, good parking, can be really nice in good weather for a stroll.”
“The walk around the lake is paved and even, very accessible, but don't miss the smaller extra trails through the woods and the marsh.”
“Visit the trails through the wetlands at the back of the park that includes a secluded, narrow elevated boardwalk.”
Plan your run at Wapato 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.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms, water — 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.
- Trail mapOfficial trail map
- Websiteparkstacoma.gov
- Phone+1 253-305-1000
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 5:30 am–9 pm |
| Tuesday | 5:30 am–9 pm |
| Wednesday | 5:30 am–9 pm |
| Thursday | 5:30 am–9 pm |
| Friday | 5:30 am–9 pm |
| Saturday | 5:30 am–9 pm |
| Sunday | 5:30 am–9 pm |
Running trails near Tacoma
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Wapato Hills Park
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Swan Creek Park
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Seeley Lake Park
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McKinley Park
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Green space with 26+ acres sporting tree-lined trails, a 7-acre dog park, 2 playgrounds & a pond.