Local Running Routes

New to town, new to running, or visiting? Here are some of the best running routes in the Puget Sound. 

Tacoma:

• Ruston Way → Point Defiance Park: A paved path along Commencement Bay with constant water views and Mt. Rainier on clear days. You can extend it into Point Defiance for forested hills and extra mileage.
• Thea Foss Waterway + downtown loop: A shorter but really nice urban run through the marina area and Wright Park. Great for easy recovery days or tempo work.
• Chambers Bay Regional Park: Open, windy, and scenic with a paved 5K loop plus trails that climb into grassy hills and waterfront overlooks.
• Scott Pierson Trail: Multi-use paved trail that connects Tacoma westward and even runs toward the Narrows Bridge area. Great for steady long runs.

Olympia:

• Watershed Park: Features a popular 1.4-mile, shaded, soft-surface loop through a forested ravine with moderate, quick hills.
• Capitol Lake Loop (via Heritage Park): A popular, flat, 1.6-mile paved loop through downtown with views of the State Capitol building.
• Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls: Known for scenic, short, and well-maintained riverside trails with waterfall views.
• Squaxin Park (formerly Priest Point Park): Classic Olympia trail network: rolling forest paths, shoreline views, and enough variety to build anything from 2 to 8 miles. Often used for local trail races.
• Chehalis Western Trail: Flat, paved, and long enough to build marathon training blocks. One of the most reliable “no-stoplight” running corridors in the region.

Puyallup:

• Puyallup Riverwalk Trail: Flat, paved, and straightforward along the river. Great for recovery runs, beginner training, or steady tempo work without interruption.
• Bradley Lake Park: Small loop around the lake with a simple 1-mile circuit. Popular for quick workouts, speed intervals, and casual group runs.
• Foothills Trail: This is the big one. A paved, mostly flat trail that runs roughly 20+ miles through the South Sound corridor toward Orting and Buckley. Perfect for marathon training and long steady efforts, with open views and occasional Mt. Rainier sightings.
• Clark’s Creek Park: Probably the most popular trail system in Puyallup proper. You’ll get wooded singletrack, creekside paths, and some real hill work. Great for strength training and breaking up road miles.
• Wildwood Park: More rugged with steeper climbs and narrower forest trails, good if you want a more “PNW trail run” feel.

Bonney Lake: 

• Lake Tapps (Allan Yorke Park area): Flat, wide sidewalks and shoreline views with Mt. Rainier on clear days. Great for easy miles, recovery runs, or stroller-friendly routes. Very low stress running.
• Foothills Trail: The backbone of running in Bonney Lake. It runs for 20+ miles through the South Sound corridor toward Puyallup and Buckley.
• Tehaleh trail system: One of the best local hidden gems. Neighborhood trails with rolling hills, gravel paths, and forest connectors.
• Fennel Creek Trail: Short paved trail with a steady climb. Works well for hill repeats or tempo efforts when you don’t want to drive anywhere.

Locations

Tacoma

3812 N 26th St Unit A
Tacoma, WA 98407

(253) 272-8890

M-F: 10am - 7pm
S: 10am - 6pm
Su: 12pm - 5pm

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Bonney Lake

19685 State Route 410
Bonney Lake, WA 98391

(253) 862-8890

M-F: 10am - 7pm
S: 10am - 6pm
Su: 12pm - 5pm

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Olympia

3405 Capitol Blvd
Olympia, WA 98501

360-705-2580

M-F: 10am - 7pm
S: 10am - 6pm
Su: 12pm - 5pm

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Puyallup

115 S Meridian
Puyallup, WA 98371

(253) 268-0016

M-F: 10am - 7pm
S: 10am - 6pm
Su: 12pm - 5pm

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