Entry No. 27 — the Seattle file — filed under: outdoor-weird

Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve

A prairie southwest of Olympia is rippled with hundreds of grass-covered domes a few feet high, stretching across several hundred acres for no reason anyone can fully explain. More than thirty theories exist, from pocket gophers to ancient earthquakes to seismic vibration patterns, and none has been settled. A short paved loop leads to a small interpretive shelter shaped like the mounds and an observation deck where you can survey the strange undulating field.

The move: Walk the paved half-mile loop, climb the mound-shaped viewing platform, and argue over whose pet origin theory for the mounds is right.

📍 Before you go Open 7am to dusk daily; gate locks after hours. Requires a Discover Pass ($10/day or $30/year) to park, though there are a few free 15-minute spots. Spring brings prairie wildflowers.

• 📍 near Olympia (Littlerock), WA
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: Waddell Creek Rd SW, Olympia, WA 98512

Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4

last checked: 2026-06-24