Tumwater Falls Park

I have enjoyed this park since I was a child. The park keeps unfolding its gifts of wonders from the clean well kept parking lot and restrooms through-​out the bridges, waterfalls and trails. I have always enjoyed all of the bountiful animals especially the salmon during the salmon run season. (Here is where I learned that the fish actually DO have ladders and they use them to rest from their long difficult trek up the pounding downward flow of the never ending water).
The park used to be associated to what used to be the Olympia Brewery. When the brewery closed its doors, the park, thankfully, remained open. It is a gem and has remained well kept and wonderfully taken care of all of these years. The restaurant above has some seating of the park grounds and the falls below. The falls run from the Deschutes River above and flows into Capital Lake later empting into Puget Sound and becoming salt water. (I should know more but that’s about the extent of my knowledge on this topic). During the salmon run, in particular, the seals can be found looking for a free bite to eat and a salmon to catch!
Come to the park most any time and enjoy a picnic and a day hike/​walk thru the trails. They have so much to offer! Good for the whole family. Hold your little ones hand on the trails as they are along the water at times.

Great trail! Nice little loop, short and relaxing. The sound of water crashing with the three waterfalls sort of adds on to the whole relaxing theme. Perfect for the little ones!

Nice little walk. Very beautiful and I loved the sound of the waters. Beautiful mini waterfalls.

This is one of my favorite spots in the Olympia area. It is simply amazing. I have been multiple times. The last time we went they were actually harvesting the salmon. The staff was super friendly and knowledgeable. They took the time to explain the harvesting process. The grounds are kept immaculate. The walking path is family friendly and an easy stroll. The falls are just majestic. I love all the historic information that is provided telling you all about Tumwater and the brewery. Anytime family and friends come visit this is the go to place to show them the beauty of Washington.

This park is exceedingly beautiful. The running trails are exquisite, plenty of photoops which I definitely took advantage of, and it’s kind of a romantic date location. If you head further down past the bridge, there’s a secluded area with a bench where lovers have scrawled their names. Cute

My favorite go-​to place when I want to walk and be around nature, but i don’t want to drive very far. It’s always beautiful, clean and relaxing. The walk is short enough that I can go all the way around when I’m short on time, but it’s pretty enough that I don’t mind going around more than once. On really hot days the bottom part of the falls can be somewhat refreshing with the spray.

Gorgeous park with rich history of Olympia beer. There is a super easy circle walk down one side of river to both sets of falls and up the other. Make sure to walk all the way down to bottom falls. Great place for picnics.

This is one of the greatest gems in the Oly/​Tumwater area. It is always perfectly manicured and you never see litter along he trails. The staff do a great job keeping up the trail and grounds. We’ve been here several times but certainly appreciate the park most when the salmon are running. It is so much fun to watch the excitement and amazement on a small child’s face when they see a salmon leaping up the falls!
The trail loops around and can be a bit steep in some places or even a bit slick in wet weather. My favorite spot is at the bottom of the falls where you can get totally sprayed by the falls. If you’ve been to Niagra Falls you know what I mean… Just on a smaller scale!
Highly recommended for adults and even the smallest of children. Such a great find in the middle of our little city!

Sweet place to walk and chill with your family. …and it’s FREE! There are so many things to do there. It also has a restaurant that overlooks the falls. I recommend this place to anyone

I don’t know why I never went here before! The food was great, the restaurant and view is beautiful and the staff was friendly. A great place to grab a bite and enjoy gazing at the falls!

A beautiful walking path full of waterfalls and running Salmon in certain months. Dogs must be leashed for their safety.

This is a gorgeous park! If you come here during the spring or in the winter you will see waterfalls every where and at their best! This park is simply splendid to walk through! You can go on a loop all aound the park and you can really get some amazing views and picture opportunities!
The place is tranquil and peaceful, despite it having quite a few people there also sharing in it’s splendor!
The park even has an office that you can go to to get more information about the place!
This is kind of a hidden secret in the town of Olympia if you ask me and it is worth going back to! Time and time again!

Such a pretty park. Sometimes there are waterfalls along the walking path. If you go at the right time of year you can see the salmon running. Nice place to picnic. The play area for the kids is lacking… but plenty of space for them to run around.

This is my favorite park in the Olympia area. I can’t think of a thing I don’t like about it. It is easy to find and has plenty of parking. Clean restrooms and the trail is kept up perfectly! Lots of flowers and it seems something blooming almost any time of the year. I’ve met the security guy a few times while walking around and he is just as friendly as could be, so the staff is also 5 stars! Be sure to bring your camera when you visit.

If you are in the area you HAVE to stop here! It’s such a pretty scene, my husband and I were working about a mile away when the manager mention this park, so we figured we’d take a look. I am so happy we did! The waterfalls are amazing! So many postcard pictures you can take! Definitely stop by if you’re in the area !

Pictures are sometimes better than words!
the paths are beautiful :
the bridge structures are amazing! :
the trees are surreal :
the falls are… refreshing :) :
and salmon ladder is pretty cool too! :
so what is the salmon ladder? Our host tried to explain…
many of you know already, to breed, salmon swim up-​stream.
in nature, they have rocks, fallen trees, etc. to rest on while swimming up stream.
b/​c the falls are surrounded by man-​made structures, the «ladder» was created to assist the salmon while swimming up-​stream. if you look at the picture, there is a zig-​zag type structure in the water — this is where the salmon take breaks while swimming.
the falls and all the surrounding nature are simply amazing. it is an easy hike, and really great to go during salmon season, which is around September — October. if you’re in the area, take a hike here!

I was here again recently for the Duck Dash and was impressed with the improvements. They have pulled a lot of the ivy and other non-​native invasive species and have instead plants lots of native plants that are just lovely and give you the sense that you are walking through a magical forest. They have also done some stone work, making beautifully crafted retaining walls and a couple flagstone paths without any mortar, just the natural stone. Of course the rush water is such a soothing sound, and a sight to behold. Walking down to the bottom of the falls is actually a pretty short walk. Beautiful retreat in the middle of Olympia.

Beautiful ! Its a FREE attraction so that makes it even more awesome!
You can take a nice little trail and walk throughout the waterfalls and greenery! The trail is nicely paved and very easy to access. The views are breathtaking and the sound of the waterfalls is very relaxing. There are plenty of places to stop and take great pictures.
Definitely a must-​see if you are passing through this area!

Absolutely fantastic. Stopped here for a lunch break on the way back to Portland from a weekend in the Seattle. This location is very convenient to I-​5 making it a great place to stretch your legs, read some Olympia history, and see some gorgeous scenery. You could make more of a day of it (fun little walk around the river) or use it as a quick stop for a break. You wont be disappointed!

I can’t believe this little park is nestled next to the hustle and bustle of I-​5. The sounds of the busy highway are drowned out by the power of the falls.
Tumwater Falls Park is a very nice place. There is a bit open field if you just want to lay in the grass in the sun or sit in the grass or on a bench in the shade. The trail around the falls is about a half a mile but there is a lot of variation in the trail so you really get a work out. There are public restrooms and ample parking. I like how at the beginning of the trail you can walk over the water on top of grates so you can see the power of bature below you. If this isn’t your bag, then take the pebble trail right next to it. The park may seem small but there are upper, middle, and lower falls, high trails, and low trails. It’s dog friendly with doo bags stations all over the place. It is somewhat handicap accessible I didn’t see any handicap spots but it doesn’t mean they aren’t there. And if you’re in a wheelchair it might be strenuous, but it’s duable. I like that they provide spots that detail the history of the falls and it’s many purposes (hydroelectric plant, beer manufacturing, and a salmon hatchery.
Hopefully I can make it back in September to the fish ladder to see the salmon or maybe go see the releasing of the little yellow ducks.
This really is a hidden away gem in Tumwater/​Olympia.