Candid priority · #226 of 439
Why this sits where it does.
Remote-feeling nature without leaving the regional fan-out. manageable nearby logistics, strong shared-experience fit, weather-safe; limited visual proof.
Low planning friction; the main question is simply whether its mood fits the two of you.
Why it could work for the two of you
Remote-feeling nature without leaving the regional fan-out.
Choose among three miles of interconnected forest, wetland and creek trails in a 224-acre preserve.
high
medium
Choose the least-traveled loop, walk slowly and bring a thermos.
Distance, night return, and tender reality
Treat this as a daylight car or carefully planned e-bike outing, not casual harbor wandering.
Do not bike rural Key Peninsula roads after dark and do not return to the upland park after closing.
Penrose Point State Park dock and mooring buoys: Good scenic overnight base or daytime shore visit. It does not solve late-night upland access because the park closes at dusk.
The park has a transient dock and mooring buoys. A dinghy may be used to reach the dock from a moored boat, but leaving a dinghy does not reserve dock space and all posted rules apply.
Hours / return constraint: Park hours 8:00 AM-dusk. Overnight vessel moorage is available, but upland recreational use remains subject to park hours; this is not a late-night restaurant landing.
- DO NOT ASSUME a dinghy left at the dock reserves moorage.
- DO NOT ASSUME the upland park is open after dusk because boats may remain overnight.
- DO NOT ASSUME pumpout is available; the park page states it is no longer in service.
Daylight/early-evening only. Prearrange both legs; the upland park closes at dusk and app-driver supply is uncertain.
Taxi backup: Tacoma Yellow Cab may serve Pierce County; confirm Lakebay pickup by phone before relying on it.
The prominent crow-flight mileage is a geographic comparison from Jerisich Dock, not a route distance. Road, marine, time, and fare figures here are planning ranges, not live quotes. The named dock panel uses verified landing information where available; otherwise it explicitly tells you to confirm before relying on it.
What you actually do
- Choose among three miles of interconnected forest, wetland and creek trails in a 224-acre preserve.
- Address: 1400 Crews Rd NW, Lakebay, WA 98349
Review synthesis
The appeal is solitude and intact second-growth forest; official planning documents warn of rough, steep, poorly surfaced sections and occasional trailhead vandalism.
Useful cautions and little wins
- Good in dry/light rain; rough sections worsen when wet.