Urban Adventure - LBA Park and Woods

If you are looking for a day hike that doesn't take all day, you can do this one in the time it takes for a long lunch.  The pace should suit you if you are rehabbing an injury, trying to get back in shape, or just doing some low intensity conditioning or maintenance workouts.

This park has smooth-surfaced paths in partially wooded surroundings. There are a few ups and downs, but not a lot of elevation gain. This park has some trails designated for off-leash dogs. We will try to avoid those trails, but there are no guarantees about avoiding unleashed dogs.

The Olympia Parks, Arts and Recreation site says the following about this park:

Many Olympians might not realize that LBA is an abbreviation for Little Baseball Association. The Little Baseball Association is Olympia's counterpart to youth Little League. In 1974, the park was developed in a cooperative arrangement with the City of Olympia and LBA. The Little Baseball Association donated the land and the City built the facilities. This arrangement continues today as LBA is given priority for field scheduling for their activities and programs. In 2017, the City of Olympia purchased the neighboring LBA Woods properties with the help of grants from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office.

For more information on park features, history and a link to a map, see the Olympia Parks, Arts and Recreation site: www.olympiawa.gov/services/parks___recreation/parks___trails/lba_park_and_woods.php

We'll try for a social pace, slow enough to talk. Hiking time one to one and a half hours.  We'll hike rain or shine.

East end of parking lot at the end of Amhurst St., near restrooms and playground with zip line, 11:30 a.m. Thursday.   Turn into the parking lot from Morse-Merryman, and drive south to the end near the baseball fields, and turn left in parking lot.    No parking pass or fee required.

 Getting There: Take Exit 107 off of I-5 to Pacific Ave SE. Turn right (east) onto Pacific Ave towards Lacey. In ~0.1 mile, turn right onto Fones Rd SE and drive ~0.5 mile. Take the first exit at the traffic circle onto 18th Ave SE. In ~0.1 mile, reach another traffic circle, and take the third exit onto Hoffman Rd SE, and in ~1 mile, turn right onto Morse-Merryman Rd SE. At ~0.3 mile, drive past big "LBA Park"  sign on the left.  In another 1/8th mile, take second left at the little "LBA Park" sign at Amhurst St. Drive to end and into parking lot. Turn left.