Mount Rainier is the pinnacle of hiking in the South Puget Sound, and while it’s well worth the time, effort and money to go there, there are alternatives for a family-friendly walk with stunning views and beautiful trails without leaving the cities behind. With springtime just around the corner, these hidden (and not-so-hidden) gems of trails in the communities of DuPont, Lakewood and University Place let you enjoy a forest, beach or lake experience:
Sequalitchew Creek Trail (DuPont)
This relatively easy trail has a unique and beautiful payoff at the end. The 1.6-mile (one-way) out-and-back trail meanders from the parking area, down to the Sequalitchew Creek and then along the creek. Placards with information about DuPont’s explosive history dot the trail before it sends visitors through an abandoned railroad tunnel (don’t worry – it’s a short one, with plenty of light coming in from both sides) with trains regularly passing just 10 feet overhead. On the other side of the tunnel, the trail opens up to a beach with views of Anderson Island across the water.
Fort Steilacoom Park/Waughop Lake Loop (Lakewood)

Chambers Bay Loop (University Place)

Seeley Lake Park (Lakewood)
A one-mile woods-and-wetland loop around the outer edge of a 48-acre park, Seeley Lake in Lakewood is a nature-lover’s dream. The water levels fluctuate throughout the year, offering a unique experience each time you visit, but the squirrels, ducks and marsh birds are your constant companions, and the oak-dominated forest provides their home and the backdrop for your hike.
Bresemann Forest Trail (Spanaway)
The more adventurous sort will notice The Spire, a man-made climbing rock built by the Army Corps of Engineers, at the entrance to the trail. The rest of us will appreciate the easy-yet-scenic 1.7-mile Bresemann Forest Trail loop trail in Spanaway that includes bridges across streams, forested pathways, and sections that take visitors alongside Spanaway Creek as it makes its way to Spanaway Lake. It’s a trail that feels miles from civilization, but is just minutes from shopping, restaurants, hotels and entertainment.
Why choose just one? Stay overnight in DuPont or Lakewood, and work your way down the list, enjoying more than 11 miles of forest, beaches, lakes and views of islands and mountains.
The Holiday Inn Express & Suites Tacoma South - Lakewood is the newest Holiday Inn Express in the Tacoma area.
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