Auburn unveiled Lewis Lake Park in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The park, named after former mayor Peter B. Lewis, covers 9.25 acres of land, including a 2-acre lake and about 7 acres of forest, according to the Auburn Parks website.

Nestled in the West Hill neighborhood of Auburn between South 318th Street and W Street Northwest, the park has a small gravel parking lot next to the entrance to the park trail.

The quarter-mile gravel trail, which loops around the small lake, is perfect for a quick walk or a weekend picnic and is suitable for the whole family. The shade offered by the large evergreen trees that populate the park make it a pleasant retreat from the summer heat.

A footbridge that crosses over a wetland section of the trail was constructed by the Auburn Noon Lions Club.

Part of the construction of the park included a picnic table at the southwest corner of the trail and a swinging bench. Several offshoots from the trail lead to viewpoints on the shore of the lake, where visitors can cast a line and fish, or wade into the lake.

“There are some fish in there, so if you enjoy fishing, this pond is a great opportunity to do that,” parks director Daryl Faber said during a town hall meeting on June 10.

Lewis Lake Nature Park trail on June 24, 2021. Photo by Henry Stewart-Wood/Auburn Reporter