Mima Mounds Trail is a 2.6 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Olympia, Washington that features beautiful wild flowers and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for walking, trail running, nature trips, and birding and is accessible year-round.
kid friendly
birding
nature trips
trail running
walking
views
wild flowers
wildlife
no dogs
A Discover Pass is required to enter the Capitol State Forest. Mima Mounds are a natural prairie land of puzzling mounds that have baffled scientist and geologists for years. They are definitely worth a look see if you're in the Capitol State Forest area. The mounds are the major attraction with a couple of kiosks that explain the possible reasons for their existence. There are a couple of loop trails to take you through the area that are paved. There are also side trails (unpaved) where you can walk around the mounds and experience them, as well as the wildflowers, up close and personal.
Jordan W.
Drove almost an hour to get there, it wasn't worth it. Very boring, and an extremely easy paved walk. Not to mention you can't bring pets, and the park is next to a shooting range. The entire time you walk you hear gunshots. I will not be back again. I don't recommend it for people wanting good views or a good workout. However, it would be a nice visit for families with children.
Very boring. We drove 40 minutes to get here and it definitely wasn’t worth it. I don’t recommend it.
Fun, interesting outing with my two boys. Nice family outing!
nice flat, has an ADA loop that os easy on my wife since she had knee replacement. The other two loops are easy and was a great work out for ankles after a major surgery.
The booming of the guns at the sportsman center after a bit is easily tuned out and we were entertained by model aircraft flying nearby.
Lots of early spring blooms for wild flowers as well as a number of scatt markings from several animals.
A fun hour get away.
Great trail....can't wait to go again when the flowers are blooming!
Nice stroll. Wildflowers are just starting to come out. Still sparse but lots of songbirds, woodpeckers & deer around as well. Will come back in a couple of weeks to see if more flowers are out.
There is nothing challenging about this trail, but it is very interesting. I love running on it because the ground is very soft. I like coming here to see the sunset. It is rarely ever crowded when I go.
such great weather. nice family walk
Love this place! Easy for kids to come along as well. Beautiful flowers and scenery in spring and summer! Neat history too!! What a fun place!
Such a pretty little area. Not hard to get to at all, and gives some pretty good photo opportunities. Been here a couple times and would still go again. ❤️
it's a basic outdoor walk. easy for families or an afternoon stroll. interesting landscape with a cool exhibit about the history and some speculation about how the mounds were formed.
Was nice and sunny, not a bad walk. Great for beginners or out of shape folks like myself.
Neat site. Nice flowers. Well maintained.
Very easy 3-mile walk with options for a shorter walk if needed. Fascinating information center.
Interesting history... State Discover pass required. No Pets allowed. Watch out for scat on the trail and be aware of Private property along the park.
It's fine. There didn't ever seem to be anybody else there the few times I've been... that's a good thing!
I came to the Mima Mounds all the time as a kid. I love it here.
The trail is very, very easy. Almost no elevation gain, fairly short.
The scenery...depends on who you ask. For some, the Mounds are a great mystery, and the musings of 'why' or 'how were these formed?' will keep you company as you stroll through the prairie. For others, you're just walking through a field of small mini-hills. The sounds of the Evergreen Sportsmen Club can be heard in full course here. The thundering blasts of their gunshots can be heard through the wall of evergreen trees that line the Mima field, potentially turning a peaceful stroll into a bothered one. Rest easy, though: there's a policy at the gun range that requires all shots be fired away from the Mima Mounds area.
The Mima Mounds is a nice little surprise in the Capitol State Forest. I was in the area actually visiting Mima Falls and noticed this signed from the road and decided to check it out. I was glad I did! The prairie and the interesting mounds apparently is the stuff of legend. Scientists and geologists are still baffled as to the exact reasons for their existence. The mounds aren't for everyone, I mean if you go in expecting this amazing experience, you'll be greatly let down. They really just are a bunch of mounds in a prairie. You have to go beyond and become interested in the uniqueness of them, or check out the wildflowers if that is your thing, or enjoy the different strolls you can take. For me personally, it was a pleasant surprise and I am glad I stopped by but I wouldn't be mass advertising this to everyone unless I knew they were into geology or wildflowers. I am a photographer, so the landscape was exciting for me photographically. For the casual hiker, with an open mind you may enjoy the experience, but at first glance, a lot of people would probably be like "really?"
A lovely walk to see and experience all sorts of beautiful wildflowers and birds.
Nice paved short trail with wonderful nature views. Diverse areas of local flora and chances to observe wildlife.