At Parkwood’s western edge, South Kitsap Regional Park spans 209 acres; locally, it is also known as “Jackson Park.” The park offers two distinct points of reference for planning recreation: the Forest Explorer Trail and a scale-model outdoor railroad. This provides a way to orient yourself to Parkwood through its residential streets and a named park and recreation area.

Trails and Railroad at South Kitsap Regional Park

The Forest Explorer Trail is 1/3 mile long, semicircular and equipped with activity stations. The stated length refers to this trail, while the 209 acres describe the size of the entire park. This lets you distinguish between the specific trail route and the larger park grounds when planning. The short length, semicircular shape and activity stations offer different points of reference to help you decide whether this trail suits your interests.

Also at South Kitsap Regional Park, Kitsap Live Steamers operates a scale-model outdoor railroad. This means the park offers both a trail with activity stations and a railroad as distinct recreational options. If you’re especially interested in railroads, you can note the railroad as a separate point of reference for planning; for the trail, the specific features are its length, shape and stations.

Sports, Golf and Swimming

Near Parkwood is the 12-acre Bill Bloomquist Rotary Park. It is designated for baseball, softball, soccer and multipurpose unstructured play on a first-come, first-served basis. The different uses range from named ball sports to open-ended multipurpose play. If you’re planning one of these activities, also keep the stated use policy in mind. The parking lot is at the entrance on Madrona Drive.

Village Greens Golf Course is in Parkwood. The swimming pool is another recreational option, but use is restricted to members of the Parkwood Community Club. Keep this requirement in mind when planning if swimming is important to you. Together with the parks and trail, these options offer a mix of ball sports, golf, swimming and a short trail with activity stations; they differ both in type and location.

Getting Around and Finding a Place to Stay

Madrona Drive forms a loop in the northern half of Parkwood and connects various residential neighborhoods and parks. The road is also a specific point of reference for Bill Bloomquist Rotary Park: its parking lot is at the entrance on Madrona Drive. When planning, it’s helpful to consider the road layout and the location of each recreational destination separately rather than infer a specific route from a name.

Kitsap Transit stops are located along Madrona Drive, Southeast Mile Hill Drive and Jackson Avenue Southeast. Jackson Avenue Southeast is also the main north-south connection. If you’re planning to use the bus, check the Kitsap Transit schedules for your travel day.

Explore more destinations: Silverdale, Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island, Port Orchard, Bremerton

Go to the main travel overview: Kitsap.