Adventures in Nature: Nolte State Park.

I am on a quest this spring with my eight-year-old son Malachi to visit every Washington State Park in our three-county region on the Puget Sound.

Sixteen parks in total across King, Pierce, and Thurston counties in western Washington State.

Today, we hit our FOURTH park: Nolte State Park, located just outside of the city of Enumclaw, Washington, in King County.

The most notable feature of the park is also its biggest draw: Deep Lake -- a 76-foot-deep, cool-water, picturesque lake that draws crowds for swimming, kayaking, and lounging during the warmer months. The lake is fed by Deep Creek from its headwaters starting at 3,000 feet elevation in the Cascade Mountains.

The area that includes Nolte State Park was ceded to the U.S. Federal Government by local tribes in the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliot. Through U.S. approval of the Northern Pacific Railroad Land Grant, most of the land then passed into private (White colonizer/settler) ownership.

In 1889, a local mining engineer and developer, named Frederick Nolte, purchased land parcels around Deep Lake. Following his death, two of his children, in succession, developed and operated Deep Lake Resort (built 1913).

Frederick Nolte's daughter Minnie Nolte died in July 1971. Her estate bequeathed Deep Lake Resort to the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission "for the benefit of the public and especially, if possible, for children and young people."

Nolte State Park was officially accepted into the Washington State Park system later that same year. [Find more park history HERE]

As for us: We took advantage of an unseasonably warm afternoon in early February to complete the 1.5 mile loop around Deep Lake.

The trail is wide and mostly accessible with hard-packed ground surface. It extends the full length around Deep Lake in a nice loop and is well-maintained. It was an easy, enjoyable walk.

Visit parks.wa.gov/find-parks/state-parks/nolte-state-park for more information about Nolte State Park.

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State Park Visit 1:

Flaming Geyser State Park -- King County, near the city of Auburn, Washington, on January 9th, 2026. Read more about our visit HERE.

State Park Visit 2:

Federation Forest State Park -- King County, outside of Enumclaw, Washington, on January 14th, 2026. Read more about our visit HERE.

State Park Visit 3:

Dash Point State Park -- King County, in Federal Way, Washington, on January 26th, 2026. Read more about our visit HERE.