Oak Tree Park (116 Good Days in Tacoma)

End of Summer berry update: Tacoma's parks are still full of blackberries, although they are just starting to turn too mushy. Get them now before they all go to waste, even the birds can't seem to keep up with them. Blueberry Park still has great pickings, as well.

Yesterday the formidable Charlotte Valbert of Blueberry Park Volunteers led us to Oak Tree Park, another lesser known gem in the South End. This "undeveloped" park has a well-maintained trail, currently bursting with blackberries (cut back away from hikers, but easy to get just to the side) and populated by the somewhat rare "Garry Oak," which houses its own unique ecosystem.

We hiked a small portion of the trail, which was wide, mostly flat, and paved with gravel. This will become part of the larger network known as the "Water Ditch Trail," which will run all the way to downtown when it is completed. As we entered, there was a slightly more challenging path that leads up a hill. At the trailhead, there's a pumphouse where you can fill up your own containers with unfluoridated city water. There's also a playground near the entrance of the park, which looks to be older but in decent shape. It's scheduled for improvements in the next few years.

Oak Tree Park
7623 S Montgomery St. (S 76th St. and Pine) Tacoma