Newly reopened Owen Beach is a great place for a sunset stroll. Here are some others
The refurbished park at Tacoma’s Owen Beach, which has been in the news recently, is a fabulous place for a walk any time of day, including at sunset when the alpenglow is upon Mount Rainier.
But it is not the only spot in the Tacoma area to enjoy sunsets.
Here are five other places in or around the City of Destiny to watch the sun go down:
Sunnyside Beach Park - Steilacoom
This beach was tops in the Travel Tacoma Mt. Rainier Tourism and Sports list of sunset spots.
“With 1,400 feet of shoreline, you’ll see the sun drop behind McNeil and Anderson Islands, slowly creating a silhouette below, and if there’s even a hint of sun-catching clouds, you’ll see them blow up in purples and blues before the sun fades,” according to the Travel Tacoma webpage.
Titlow Beach - Tacoma
“The extensive beach frontage and estuary lagoon serve as the focal point to park visitors,” according to the Metro Parks Tacoma webpage.
That frontage offers expansive views of the Tacoma Narrows, Fox Island, Point Fosdick and the Narrows bridges, and its western location offers direct view of the setting sun. Bonuses include watching airplanes take off and land at Narrows Airport across the way, the possibility of seeing marine mammals like sea lions and orcas traversing the Narrows, and, at low tide, chances to see sea creatures exposed by receding waters.
Chambers Creek Regional Park - University Place
“One of the best places for a walk or jog is also one of the best places to watch the sunset. Chambers Bay is large so you can choose your own viewing adventure,” according to South Sound Talk’s list of sunset spots.
“At the ‘top’ of the park (many of the trails dip down into the basin of the former rock quarry), you’ll find benches where you can sit and enjoy a view over the park, the Puget Sound and the sunset with a wide-open view. These benches are near the parking lot so you don’t have to go far. If you don’t mind a bit of a walk, you can venture to the bottom of the trails to the pedestrian ‘bridge’ at the water’s edge. This bridge ends in mid-air, which means you can get right up to the edge and watch the sunset with nothing between you and the water.”
Dash Point State Park - Federal Way
“Hidden in plain sight between Seattle and Tacoma, this park offers miles of forested hiking and biking trails, but its main draw is the beach,” according to the Washington State Parks webpage.
Indeed. The vast sandy beach at low tide offers views of Maury and Vashon islands to the north and the Olympics beyond, all of which stand out in a stark silhouette as the sun descends to the west.
Also a great place for photographers to capture reflection images in the pools and shimmering sand left behind at low tide.
Discover Pass required for parking.
Ruston Way - Tacoma
You might not think of this walk along the western edge of Commencement Bay as prime sunset-watching territory, but it offers some of the best colors in the region as the sun dips below Point Defiance.
As you walk to the north, the Olympics catch the sun’s last rays and glow in warm oranges and reds. To the southeast, alpenglow turns Mount Rainier into a cotton-candy dream.
And there’s always great people-watching along one of Tacoma’s favorite trails.
This story was originally published July 20, 2022 at 12:47 PM.
