Run, walk or stroll at Capital Lake.
Capital Lake sits in the shadow of the state capital building. Actually the Deschutes River and dammed to form a prettier foreground to the majestic capital campus, than the tidal mud flats that preceded it. The dam sits as part of the 5th Avenue bridge and includes a fish ladder to aid the salmon run in September each year.
It does not seem to matter what time of year you visit the lake, there will be lots of people walking, running or strolling around the lake’s trail. Dogs being walked, couples on a first date, families burning off energy, even the occasional kite flyer.
There are restrooms at both Heritage Park and Marathon Park. The latter is named after Olympia hosted the inaugural trails for the women’s Olympic Marathon.
For those wanting a longer path you can head up towards Tumwater and see where the trail passes under I5 and links in to Tumwater Park. There is a great map to give you some perspective here.