Point Defiance - Boathouse and Marina
About
Point Defiance - Boathouse and Marina is a public ocean beach in Point Defiance Park, Washington, about 0.7 miles from the town of Ruston. It's a simple, low-key stop with restrooms and accessible access, and swimming is allowed. There is no fee to visit. Summer is the most comfortable time to come. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July and August highs around 76°F with only four or five wet days a month, while winter months bring highs in the mid-40s and rain on 20 or more days. Climbers can find Wilson Way Bridge Boulder about 0.4 miles away and the Point Defiance Park climbing area about half a mile off. For a walk, the Puget Canyon Trail is about 2.6 miles away and the Lost Lake Trail about 3.2 miles away.
Beach Details
Swimming
Allowed
Parking
Available
Fee
Free
Restrooms
Yes
Accessible access
Yes
As published by the managing agency. Lifeguards, fees and dog rules are often seasonal, so check posted signs before you swim.
Location
Point Defiance - Boathouse and Marina
Washington
Data: Washington State Department of Ecology, Coastal Atlas public beach access. Source metadata
Facts about this place
When to go
Best time to go: May–Sep. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 64–76°F and lows of 47–54°F.
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Tacoma Narrows Ap, WA weather station, 3.9 mi away. High / low in °F.
- Jan46° high36° low
- Feb48° high37° low
- Mar53° high39° low
- Apr57° high41° low
- May64° high47° low
- Jun70° high51° low
- Jul76° high54° low
- Aug76° high54° low
- Sep70° high51° low
- Oct59° high46° low
- Nov50° high40° low
- Dec46° high36° low
Where it is
- Point Defiance Park · Public land
- Nearest town
- Ruston, Washington · 0.7 mi
Source: NIFC Jurisdictional Units; USGS GNIS populated places
Nearby
- Wilson Way Bridge BoulderRock climbing0.4 mi
- Point Defiance ParkRock climbing0.5 mi
Puget Canyon TrailHikingPhoto: Steven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)2.6 mi- Lost Lake TrailHiking3.2 mi
- Adam Tallman Nature Park TrailHiking3.7 mi
- Garfield Gulch TrailHiking3.8 mi
- Central-West Cascades & SeattleRock climbing4.8 mi
- TacomaRock climbing6.5 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Best time to visit Point Defiance - Boathouse and Marina
Best months: May–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
46° / 36°
21 wet
Feb
48° / 37°
18 wet
Mar
53° / 39°
19 wet
Apr
57° / 41°
15 wet
May
64° / 47°
12 wet
Jun
70° / 51°
9 wet
Jul
76° / 54°
4 wet
Aug
76° / 54°
5 wet
Sep
70° / 51°
9 wet
Oct
59° / 46°
16 wet
Nov
50° / 40°
19 wet
Dec
46° / 36°
21 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Tacoma Narrows Ap, WA, 3.9 mi away at 292 ft. We don't have this place's elevation, so higher spots nearby can run cooler. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
