Saltar’s Point Beach in Tacoma, WA
Saltar’s Point Beach is a beautiful beach that offers stunning views of the Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. Located in Tacoma, WA, this shoreline area is a marine sanctuary with an abundance of natural features on display. As you walk out onto the sand for your day at Saltar’s Point Beach, you will be greeted by giant dunes and driftwood scattered across the shoreline. This leads to one side being covered in tall grasses while the other has been beaten down from years of wind exposure.
Saltar’s Point Beach is the perfect place to visit if you want something different. This beach area consists of driftwood, rocks, and dunes, making it a unique position to explore. It has been described as ‘the most incredible stretch of shoreline’ by many who have visited this location with its scenic views throughout Puget Sound. A trip here will allow you to enjoy all that nature has offered us while experiencing an adventure like no other. Whether you’re interested in hiking or just simply taking photos, there is always something new each time that can be enjoyed year after year!
About the Saltar’s Point Beach
Saltar’s Point Beach is a beautiful stretch of beach with dunes and driftwood. This Tacoma, WA beach has something for everyone: the sound, the sand, and even some places to explore! The shoreline at Saltar’s Point Beach varies slightly from year to year. Still, it typically extends beyond the surf line onto dry sand, where you’ll find several exciting trails that wind through the area back towards Titlow Park. In addition, there are many large sections of driftwood scattered throughout this part of Puget Sound, which add an element of beauty along these paths when walking or exploring here in Washington State during your vacation. There is also a section near Titlow park that includes rock outcroppings in front of mudflats. These areas provide excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing during your visit to Saltar’s Point Beach in Tacoma, WA.
One of the most striking features about Saltar’s Point Beach in Tacoma, WA, is its miles and miles of pristine coastline. Located at the end of Delin Street, this beach gives visitors a delightfully wild experience as they explore along shoreline dunes that often host interesting driftwood specimens to be found among the seagrasses. The views are stunning too! You can see across Puget Sound toward Mount Rainier or look west towards Seattle on clear days. Visitors will find many tide pools around various rocky points where small crabs scurry between tidal pools filled with starfish, barnacles, and other intertidal creatures. When visiting this nature walk, there are several trails through surrounding forested areas for hikers to take advantage of an up-close and personal nature experience.
Saltar’s Point Beach in Tacoma, WA, is a unique park that has not always been today’s destination. Before becoming an official state park, this piece of land was home to many people and activities for decades before its transformation into what we see today. There are still remnants of buildings from times past, including foundations, concrete steps leading down to the beach, and even parts of old roads which can be seen when walking along the trails at Saltar’s Point Park or simply visiting with your family on one of our daily guided tours. We believe these stories should be shared, so future generations know about all who came before them here at Saltar’s Point State Park! While there have been some significant changes over time, Saltar’s Point Park remains a beautiful place to explore even today.
History of Saltar’s Point Beach
Saltar’s Point Park was once a Camp Harmony and a temporary relocation center opened during World War II by the US government for citizens of Japanese descent. In 1942, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, which required that all people who were solely or partly from Japan be relocated from their homes along the Pacific coast into concentration camps called “War Relocation Centers.”
There were ten such centers across seven states where over 120,000 people displaced as part of this order lived until 1945. The community built on what today is known as Saltar’s Point State Park had more than two hundred buildings, including housing units that served families with young children, a community center where people gathered for dances and other events, medical facilities such as surgery rooms and doctors’ offices. In addition to the medical facility, a post office was serving this area from 1942 until 1945, when it closed. Today Saltar’s Point Beach in Tacoma, WA, is one of Washington State Parks’ most beautiful locations with nearly three miles of trails!
Saltar’s Point Park had had many names over time, including Camp Harmony, Pinedale Assembly Center (during WWII), The Tacoma Buddhist Temple (1955-1968) before it finally became what we know today as Saltar’s Point State Park, located on 14 acres along Puget Sound near Brownsville in Tacoma, WA. During World War II, the area was used as a relocation center for people of Japanese descent.
In 1942, President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, which required all citizens who were partly or solely from Japan to be relocated to concentration camps called “War Relocation Centers,” one such camp being Pinedale Assembly Center located at Saltar’s Point Park, where over two hundred buildings including housing units that served families with young children and medical facilities were built into what today is known as this beautiful state park. Today you can still find concrete steps leading down towards the beach, foundations from old structures along trails within the park, and remnants of roads throughout!
Facts About the Saltar’s Point Beach
Saltar’s Point Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Tacoma, WA. With its large size, long stretches of sand, and access to Narrows Bridge trails, it offers hours’ worth of entertainment for visitors, young and old alike.
The beach provides many great activities, including swimming, surfing, kite flying & paragliding, bird watching, etc. Visitors are also allowed to bring dogs on leashes but must clean up after them!
One notable feature about this beach that makes it unique among other Washington State beaches is that depending upon the time of year; visitors may be able to see migrating gray whales along with their calves right offshore or even sometimes within 50 yards from shore! This gives you an idea of how large the beach is!
Activities in Saltar’s Point Beach
There are many activities that one can engage in while visiting Saltar’s Point Beach. One popular activity is to go sea kayaking, which you can do at this park from April through October. In addition to being an excellent way for people of all ages and abilities to have fun on the water, it also helps keep Puget Sound clean by removing pollutants from the waters.
Other outdoor activities include bird-watching or having picnics with a view. Still, if visitors prefer indoor recreation, they can visit Tacoma Art Museum’s Henry Gallery inside the parking facility itself. This art gallery features changing exhibits, including modern photography pieces and works created by local artists who live in Washington state today. There is something special about spending time at a park, whether you prefer an indoor or outdoor activity.
Once you reach the beach, it is a wide-open expanse of sand and driftwood. This beach has no public restrooms or trash cans, so make sure to bring everything you need to the park with you for your day! Bring some things to explore while you’re down there, like binoculars, buckets & shovels, frisbees. Be careful not to throw anything into other people’s areas as this could hurt someone too close by!
There are also lots of logs and rocks along the shoreline where people love to wade to find all kinds of fantastic creatures hiding under them, such as hermit crabs, sea stars, and anemones! It’s a great place to spend the day with your loved ones by exploring together.
Reminders before going to Saltar’s Point Beach
– The currents can sometimes get very strong here, especially during high tide or when stormy winds are coming in from offshore! It’s also vital that you do not venture out into the water if you’re unable to swim, as drowning occasionally occurs.
– Please note that dogs are allowed on the beach; however, they must be kept on a leash. Be aware of dog waste bags near the parking lot and have an extra bag or two if you plan to go for a walk with your furry friend!
– If you plan to visit this beach when it’s low tide, please be aware that there are some deep sand pockets. If your dog ends up falling into one, it’s best to leave them there until the next high tide rolls in.
– Although this beach is located near a neighborhood, there are not many amenities in the area. There is no food or drink to be found here, so make sure you bring some snacks and water with you!
– It’s also possible to camp at this site, but you will need a permit from the city first. Tourists do not want heavy traffic in this area, so it’s a great place to get away from the noise of downtown Tacoma.
– There are many trails that you can follow along the bluffs. Just make sure to always keep an eye out for dangerous drop-offs and never venture too far out.
– For those interested in geology, the rocks here date back to both before and after Pangea. There are also fossils that you can find when exploring the bluffs.
– Another thing to keep in mind when coming here is that it can be very windy at times, especially during spring and autumn months, so dress accordingly, or you may end up with some pretty bad sunburn!
– Lastly, make sure you tethered well because Saltar’s Point Beach has unfortunately seen its share of drownings over the years despite numerous signs posted warning people about dangerous rip tides and large swells created by passing ships entering & leaving port along Commencement Bay which lies just adjacent to Tacoma WA itself. People have drowned trying to retrieve personal items such as cell phones dropped into the water while high waves crashed in.
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