The park contains over 30 different varieties of highbush blueberries, each ripening at slightly different times throughout the summer.
It is managed as a sustainable community resource where no commercial sales are permitted.
The property was saved from becoming a housing subdivision by a local grassroots movement in the late 1990s.
There are no fences surrounding the blueberry patches, allowing the park to remain integrated into the neighborhood landscape.
The site is a popular foraging destination that attracts local wildlife, including various bird species that feed on the fruit.
Charlotte's Blueberry Park is a public agricultural park in Tacoma featuring approximately 3,300 blueberry bushes. The site offers free, public harvesting of several blueberry varieties during the peak summer ripening season. Originally a private farm, it was preserved through a community effort to prevent residential development and now operates under Metro Parks Tacoma. The park encompasses 20 acres of land, including both the blueberry patches and a designated meadow area. Visitors are permitted to pick berries for personal consumption provided they follow community harvesting guidelines. The park does not use pesticides on the bushes, making the fruit suitable for organic-minded harvesting. The landscape includes maintained walking paths that provide access between the various rows of berry bushes.
The elevated central path that provides a view across the symmetrical rows of blueberry bushes.
Bring your own lightweight containers for harvesting as the park does not provide them.
Check the official Metro Parks Tacoma website for ripening updates before arrival to ensure berries are ready for picking.
Wear clothing that can get stained, as blueberry juice is difficult to remove from fabric.
Do not arrive expecting professional farm-style amenities or scales; avoid visiting during mid-day heat, as there is limited shade in the fields.
Harvesting is strictly seasonal, typically occurring between July and August depending on the annual weather conditions.
Pick only what you intend to eat; do not strip bushes of green or unripe berries; keep the area clean and pack out all trash.
