In April 2020, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission completed a Predesign Report for three phase of development at Nisqually State Park. The Predesign Report was approved by the State Office of Financial Management. The three phases of development are:
- Design and permit of all project elements and construction of trail improvements
- Construction of a park entrance, managed access to the Nisqually River, an administration building, and staff housing
- Construction of a 52-unit campground, an overlook of the Mashel River valley, a welcome center, and a park maintenance complex
Work on Phase 1 will begin in 2020, and all three phases are planned for completion by 2025.
The foundation for the overall project was established when the original vision was described in the park master plan (2010). The plan states how Nisqually State Park is wonderfully positioned to provide outdoor recreation and environmental education to meet the demands of visitors from an expanding regional, statewide, national and even international population. The master plan resulted in development of a modest parking lot, informational kiosk, and vault toilet in 2016.
Additional development including the park’s primary day-use area is planned for future phases.