Tenino, Washington: History Lessons and a Beautiful Quarry Swimming Pool

Tenino, Washington is oddly famous for two things. First, the United States Army has used a geographical map of Tenino as a standard in map reading/training since the mid-1970s (due to the variety of different symbols used on the map). Second, when the local bank closed during the Great Depression, the Tenino Chamber of Commerce temporarily issued wooden money as standard legal tender in the form of credit. Most of the money was never redeemed, however, and the town persevered despite hard times.

Shallow End

Tenino has been on my summer travel bucket list for quite some time, not because of it’s Atlas Obscura notoriety, but because of the picturesque Quarry Swimming Pool. Once a working sandstone quarry, the pit filled with water when a quarryman supposedly struck a freshwater spring with his machinery.

Deep End and Diving Area

Visiting the small town located just south of Olympia on a unseasonably cool Sunday in August, water temperatures in the quarry were a brisk fifty seven degrees (due to the depth of the pit, which ranges from three or four feet in the shallow end and slopes downward from fifteen to over one hundred feet deep in the roped-off diving areas). While only a handful of shivering children were making the most of their outing during our visit, the admission attendant told us the quarry pool can reach capacity in typical hot summer weather (I’m sure a plunge still feels brisk, but way more refreshing on a sweltering day.).

Bath House

Life guards monitor two sections of the pool; a fenced “shallow” area and a roped “deep end”. Abandoned mining equipment rests at the bottom of the quarry. Don’t be concerned about diving head first into anything; when divers explored the depths of the dark waters, nothing metal was encountered even at ninety feet deep.

Showers, toilets, and a changing room are available for guests to use. Daily admission ranges from $3 to $5, with season passes and punch passes available to frequent swimmers (check the pool website for hours and other important details).

Train Depot Museum

A nice counterbalance to an afternoon at the quarry pool is the opportunity to learn about the town’s history at the Train Depot Museum, now located in what was once the city’s active train depot. Exhibits range from mining to the railroad, logging, pioneer farming, baseball, military history, and the famous wooden script.

Reading Old Newspaper Headlines

Admission to the museum is free (donations accepted). Opposite the museum is a nice playground and ball fields with plenty of room for picnics and even a neat place to scramble on giant blocks of sansdtone pulled from the quarry (and overlook the swimming area – keep an eye on your kids here, though, as there’s room to slip through the cracks).

Happy Trails!

About the Author

Julie Henning
Julie Henning is a freelance writer and journalist based out of Eugene, Oregon. She is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers and owner of the family-travel website RoadTripsForFamilies.com. She is a recent past member of the Midwest Travel Writers Association and the Association for Great Lakes Outdoor Writers. In March 2018 Julie Henning published the book "100 Things to Do in Eugene Before You Die" (Reedy Press). She is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers and recent past member of the Midwest Travel Writers Association and the Association for Great Lakes Outdoor Writers. She has been published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Wisconsin State Journal, Travel Wisconsin, Travel Oregon, Hometown News Group, The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Illinois), the Rochester Post Bulletin, Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine (DNR publication), Experience Michigan Magazine, the Official Oregon Wine Touring Guide, Metro Parent Milwaukee Magazine, Eugene Cascades & Coast Official Visitors Guide, Trivago, Intercom Magazine, Roadtrippers.com, Amtrak.com, Eugene Magazine, and FTF Geocacher Magazine. Julie has appeared on Wisconsin Public Radio, Ohio Public Radio, and KCBX FM Central Coast Radio. She has produced episodes for Journey of Discovery with Tom Wilmer, a National Public Radio travel podcast. Julie has also produced travel apps with Sutro Media and Bindu Media. She works full time in marketing. Julie has appeared on Wisconsin Public Radio, Ohio Public Radio, and KCBX FM Central Coast Radio and is an affiliate producer with the Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer, a National Public Radio travel podcast. She has blogged for TravelWisconsin.com, Travel Oregon, and VISIT Milwaukee. Julie travels with her three kids and black lab as much as possible and lives by the motto, "Not all who wander are lost." Check out some of her best work at www.juliehenning.com.