Monarch Sculpture Park
Trail Overview
Spoon Rating:
1
Distance:
varies
Elevation Change:
Less than 50 ft.
Surface:
Compact gravel, natural
Ameneties:
Wheelchair accessible
Monarch Sculpture Park is an outdoor public art project. The park is located on the Chehalis Western trail just south of Olympia, near Tenino. The park features over 100 sculptures, a hedge maze, a sound garden, and a bird and butterfly garden. There is a lovely creek that runs through the park, and many places to sit and enjoy the views of the surrounding prairie and hills.
There isn’t a trail exactly, more like multiple ways to wander through the gardens and view the sculptures. The entire park is 5 acres. The entrance to the park lies above the rest of the gardens, so you will have to walk down one of the paths or a set of steps. None of the paths are very steep and are accessible in a wheelchair, though they may require some assistance.
Once in the lower level of the gardens, the grounds are mostly grass with some gravel and a couple of moist areas. Wander your way through as you are able. To get to the maze and the sound garden, cross the level bridge over the creek.
Check out the huge lumber bells outside of the park, too.
The park is in a bit of a state of disrepair, and there are signs reminding visitors that the gardens are being restored. As it is, the sculptures are interesting, the creek is a lovely feature, and it is nice to have a place to be in the quiet of the area. It is a nice place to visit if you are on your way to other hikes in the area or if you are biking the Chehalis Western trail. There is a porta potty available, but it was not wheelchair accessible when I visited.