Chambers Creek Regional Park

One of the best paved walking paths in the Puget Sound region is located just south of Tacoma in the quiet city of University Place. The trail is a loop that circles around Chambers Bay Golf Course with views out over Puget Sound nearly the entire time. Along the way, there are many park amenities including a few very unique ones. In particular, the relics of the old cement plant. This entire area in the recent past was a 650 acre commercial gravel pit. It was a massive eye sore right on the shores of Puget Sound. Today it is a golf course and public park. Park designers decided to keep parts of the old cement plant, similar to how relic structures were left in Seattle's Gasworks Park. The concrete columns are reminiscent of the Greek columns you might find in Europe. Another park feature is a short side trip on a pedestrian bridge over the railroad tracks to the beach where additional roaming can be found. The loop trip is officially two trails. The Grandview Trail is the flat 1 1/4 mile trail along the rim, while the Soundview Trail connects both ends of the Grandview Trail forming the loop. Both ends of the trail drop down to Puget Sound so the loop requires one hill climb no matter which way you walk. The total loop trip is 3.25 miles with around 200 feet of gain. There are restrooms and water fountains at the north and central meadow areas. Most of the trail is un-shaded so consider the temperature, the sun warms on clear chilly days but scorches on hot days. The off-leash dog area is located by the Central Meadow and another on the beach south of the access stairs. Up on the hill, at the south end of the Grandview Trail is the Environmental Services Building that can be reserved for weddings and receptions.

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