Two Dash Points: How Dash Point Park and Dash Point State Park Differ
Top photo: Low tide at Dash Point State Park. Photo: Victoria Walraven.
Ask a neighbor to meet you “at Dash Point” and you may end up at two different places. The names are almost the same, and the parks are only a short drive apart, but they are run by different agencies, sit in different cities, and offer different days out.
Dash Point Park (Parks Tacoma)
Dash Point Park is a neighborhood beach park at 1500 Beach Dr NE, Tacoma, WA 98422. It is part of Tacoma and is run by Parks Tacoma. Parks Tacoma describes it as giving access to about 700 feet of sandy saltwater beach, with a playground, a picnic area and a basketball/tennis court.
It is also home to the Dash Point Pier, which has been closed since July 2021 over structural safety concerns. Parks Tacoma says the closure covers the deck and the area underneath it, including access by watercraft or beachgoers. (See our separate story on where the pier project stands.) Other parts of the beach remain open.
Dash Point State Park (Washington State Parks)
Dash Point State Park is at 5700 SW Dash Point Rd, Federal Way, WA 98023, just beyond the 98422 line. It is run by Washington State Parks. The park covers 461 acres with 3,301 feet of saltwater shoreline: a sandy beach, forested hiking and mountain-biking trails, and a campground.
Because it is a state park, a Discover Pass is required for vehicles. The magazine research this month listed it as open 8 a.m. to dusk, with dogs on leash. Check parks.wa.gov for current hours, camping reservations and any alerts.
Which one is for today?
If you want a quick walk on the sand, a playground stop with kids, or a picnic close to home, Dash Point Park is the neighborhood option. If you want trails in the trees, a longer beach walk at low tide, or a night of camping, head to the state park and bring your Discover Pass.
At either park, check the tide before you go. The flats change a lot between high and low water, and wildlife such as herons is best left where you find it.
Sources
- Parks Tacoma, Dash Point Park & Pier project page (re-checked Oct. 22, 2026): https://www.parkstacoma.gov/project/dash-point-park-pier/
- Washington State Parks, Dash Point State Park: https://parks.wa.gov/find-parks/state-parks/dash-point-state-park
- Discover Pass: https://www.discoverpass.wa.gov/