A Family Hike on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge

I love a good mountain stomp as much as the next girl — I grew up hiking on Mount Rainier.

But sometimes we need to find a family adventure a little closer to home. A runner friend and fellow mom suggested walking across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.

Can you walk across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge?

Yes! A path for pedestrians and bikes crosses the bridge, and my friend had run the route. The distance seemed doable for a hike with kids, about 2 miles round trip, and the potential for breathtaking views proved irresistible.

So we strapped on our walking shoes, rounded up a few friends and set off for a morning bridge walk — after fueling up on doughnuts at Pao’s, of course, our favorite local spot.

Where to start

Turns out, runners and bikers traverse the Tacoma Narrows Bridge every day — the popular path was created with pedestrians in mind — but many would-be bridge walkers don’t know where to begin the hike, since you can’t park on busy Jackson Avenue.

The best place to access the bridge path is via War Memorial Park, a wedge-shaped stretch of grass at Sixth and Jackson Streets in Tacoma that looks out over the bridge. After walking through the park, we ambled onto the bridge path, the kids stopping to point out wild rose bushes and Queen Anne’s lace along the way.

Room and a view

The walk from Tacoma to Gig Harbor and back was breezy, relaxed and downright enjoyable. Thanks to the bridge’s extremely wide pedestrian path (I estimated about 10 feet, though I didn’t have a tape measure handy), we had a cushy berth separating us from traffic, along with a thick cement barrier, so the walk felt safer than one on a suburban sidewalk. The guardrails are taller and sturdier than those on Washington state ferries.

On our hike, we shared the bridge with about a half-dozen bikers, runners and a few folks out for a stroll — clearly, this is a pedestrian path that lives up to its purpose.

Our vantage point offered a spectacular view of Fox and Anderson Islands. When we weren’t gaping at island vistas, we were watching jellyfish float by in the water below.

Like so many other things in life, it’s about the journey, not the destination: After touching down on the Gig Harbor side, we turned around and walked back, since there’s no easy pathway to a park or beach.

All in all, we nabbed some great photos, an awesome calf workout, an ample dose of vitamin D and a new family tradition. I can’t wait to take our kids back as they get older, and my kids can’t wait to spill a new adventure story to their friends. How many kids can say they’ve walked across an iconic landmark spanning two cities? And we’ve got the pictures to prove it.

Tips for families

• This is an outing that kids of all ages will enjoy, from the stroller crowd to teens, who will surely treat friends to loads of spectacular bridge selfies.
• Keep in mind that with traffic nearby, the walk is very noisy. It can also be very windy. If these conditions sound unpleasant, this may not be the walk for you.
• If you’re accessing the bridge via War Memorial Park, park in the spacious lot on North Skyline Drive directly across from Swasey Library, and walk down through the small, narrow park to the crosswalk that will put you on the bridge path.
• The bridge walk is about a mile each way, but starting and finishing at War Memorial Park (your best option) puts the total distance closer to 3 miles.
• There is no bathroom and very little shade on the bridge, so plan accordingly. Bring water and possibly a snack for very young kids. The entire walk took us about an hour and a half.
• Plan to walk over and back on the same side, as there is no place to cross over.
• We walked in the morning, though a sunset walk could be spectacular, too. But the bridge gets strong side winds in stormy weather, so I don’t recommend walking in the rain.
• A thick cement barrier forms a wide pedestrian path. But use common sense about safety. Babies and young toddlers should be worn in a carrier or put in a stroller, and preschoolers should have a hand to hold. Older children should be instructed about safety.
• Plan to encounter plenty of bikers and runners — instruct kids to keep right on the path and heed calls of “Biker up!”
• For an extra-special treat, start with a pre-hike carbo load, as we did, at Pao’s Donut and Coffee Shop (6919 Sixth Ave.), a family-owned shop that’s a beloved local favorite and just a minute or two on foot from the park. (Bring cash, as credit and debit cards are not accepted.)
• After you’ve completed the hike, tell your kids all about Galloping Gertie and watch the video from 1940.

Editor’s note: This article was first published back in 2014 but the hike is just as awesome in 2023.