Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls Trail
Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls is a ~15 acre well-maintained park in Olympia, WA. The park offers a 0.5 mile easy walking trail by Deschutes river with views of three small waterfalls along the way.
Our favorite time to visit Tumwater Falls trail is in September because the salmon jumping over the cascades and viewing them in the fish hatchery and fish ladder is a sight to behold. Our 3.5 year old thoroughly enjoyed it.
Coming from Seattle, getting to Tumwater Falls is ~60 miles /1-1.5 hour drive, depending on traffic. So we have made a day trip out of it. In this article you find a detailed guide on Tumwter Falls trail and ideas to plan a daytrip from Seattle to Olympia.
Tumwater Falls Trail – Step by step Guide
The guide is broken down into 4 steps – 1) Salmon hatchery, 2) Upper Falls, 3) Trail to Middle Falls and Lower Falls, and 4) Kids Activities.
1. Tumwater Falls Hatchery [15 mins]
As you enter the park, you will first come across the salmon hatchery where you can see the returning salmon.
September is the peak month to visit the hatchery teeming with jumping salmon.
The viewing area is convenient and well maintained. The interpretive boards will fill you in on the salmon’s life cycle. Our kid loved seeing salmon jumping out of the water.
2. Tumwater Upper Falls [15 mins]
As you pass the hatchery, you will find yourself at the beginning of the 0.5 mile trail around Deschutes river. This is a gentle loop lined with native trees and plants and with views of three modest waterfalls.
You will first encounter the upper falls (20 ft drop), where you can enjoy the sight of salmon jumping over the smaller cascades, if visiting around September.
3. Tumwater Trail to Middle and Lower Falls [20-30 mins]
Middle falls (15 ft) are less obviously visible as you continue your walk on the trail (see yellow highlight in the map pic above). It is a small cascade over the boulders.
There are also two small pool like formations along the trail that kept our kid busy splashing for a while.
The last stop is lower falls (25 ft) with a viewing area. We aslo saw a river otter hanging around the lower falls.
After the lower falls, we crossed the footbridge to turn back and complete the loop.
This trail is great for toddlers and also stroller friendly with a few places that would require maneuvering. We did the loop counter clockwise but you can go in either direction. Going at kid speed, we took ~20 to 30 minutes to complete the trail.
4. Kids Activities [30 mins]
There is a Washington Salish Native Plant Garden near the upper falls, which houses over 50 indigenous plant species. The interpretive boards help identify and understand the origin of these plants. You can stop here for a few mins after completing the loop.
Near the parking area, there is a grassy lawn, picnic tables and a sand pit for kids to play in.
Tumwater Falls Directions and Parking
- The park is located close to Exit 103 off I-5 near Olympia. Olympia is the capital of Washington and situated ~60 miles south of Seattle. The peak traffic on I-5 near Tacoma turns this 1 hour drive from Seattle into 1.5 hours on most days. Getting an early start is recommended.
- There is ample parking available and parking is free.
Tips For Visiting Tumwater Falls
- Estimated Activity Time – With all the activities outlined above with a toddler, we spent betwee 1 to 2 hours at Tumwater Falls.
- Best time to visit – September, summer, fall, and spring.
- Restrooms – Available at the park.
- Cellular network – Available.
- Food – There aren’t any food options within walking distance. For the most variety of food options, it would be best to head to Olympia downtown or near Percival landing, which is ~3 miles or 10 mins drive from Brewery park. Or you can picnic under the grove of trees at the park.
Kid And Family Trip Report
- Infants (upto 1 year) – Brewery Park trail is flat and easy. Most of the trail is very stroller friendly except for the part where there are some stairs. And easy enough for parents to carry their infants in a carrier too.
- Toddlers (1-3 years) and above – These trails are great for early walkers to get out in the nature in a safe environment. Parents too can enjoy without having to stress out too much.
- Pre-school (3-5 years) and above – Can do this trail independently.
- Families – The trails and the location is great for families with older parents or varied age groups and mobility. It is this perfect family outing that pleases everyone.
Tumwater Falls Trip Planning
- Daytrip itinerary – Tumwater falls are a great destination for a daytrip from Seattle. We combined it with a visit to the Washington State Capitol building and Percival landing. On another day trip to Olympia, we visited Hands-On Children’s Museum and Priest Point Park.
- Pit-stop on a longer road trip – If you are on a longer road trip from Seattle to southwestern part of Washington, then Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls is a convenient leg-stretcher to break the drive. It is a 2 min detour from I-5.
Final Thoughts
Something to know about the park – The park is owned by a nonprofit called Olympia Tumwater Foundation. It is called the Brewery Park in acknowledgment of the Olympia Brewing Company which which was located above the east bank of the property and donated the land for the park.
Something to learn about the falls and river – Deschutes river is a 50-mile long river in Washington that originates in Gifford Pinchot National Forest and empties in the Bud Inlet of Puget Sound via Capitol Lake near Olympia. Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls is situated in the final stretch of Deschutes river, just before it meets the Capitol Lake.
If you like easy hikes to waterfalls for your family, then you will like
- Little Mashel Falls in south sound. The hike is a bit long at 5 miles but has 3 beautiful waterfalls.
- Whatcom Falls in Bellingham for a day trip up north.
- Easy hiking at Murhut Falls and a swimming hole at Rocky Brook Falls in Hood Canal are fun.
- 10+ easy hikes under 1 mile that are great for families with kids.
