I loved this little park. It was large, had decently clean restrooms, and I loved it's ambience. The little dam-like river next to it was gorgeous and the ducks were surprisingly friendly! Fun place to spend a relaxing day.
While there are no major activities like some big parks, there is a great playground, clean restrooms, a sandy volleyball area, bbq grills and tons of paved as well as unpaved hiking trails, many along Mill Creek and going up to Bennington Lake. Nature surrounds you at this park. Its not overly crowded and has tons of shady trees to keep cool.
We recently rented out the shelter at rooks park for our rehearsal dinner for our wedding so we could have a BBQ. To rent the shelter is $50, but just visiting the park is free. There's a play structure for kids, a sand volleyball pit, lots of picnic tables and secluded areas, and hiking/biking paths. Just a short walk away is Bennington Lake, which is ok. Last time I saw it, it was really low, however. The park is well cared for and very peaceful! I love going there!
Rooks Park is a good place to picnic with the family and friends. Very relaxing and lots of trees for shade.
good chance to get out in the hills and work off the great wine and food that Walla Walla has to offer.
Just on the edge of town. This is a great area to picnic and hike. There is an off-leash dog park area too. There is a small lake (reservoir) with a boat launch, but often it is quite low.
large area to picnic, walk, bird watch. Bike path, Creek side.one covered picnic area. Trails that lead off go around Bennington Lake. Hike, Bike and horseback around Bennington lake.
This was a pretty spot for a ride, long trails next to the water on either side. Blue mountains as the backdrop on one side and the Walla Walla Community College on the other. Lots of people around enjoying the atmosphere. Grab some raspberries off of the bushes near the start of the trail :) My only complaint is a lack of shady spots along the trail, unlike my usual riding spot along the Columbia River.
We were looking for a park in which to have a picnic. Rooks Park looked good from the Tripadvisor reviews so we decided to try it out. The park is outside of town so do not expect a city park setting. The facilities are very nice and well maintained. There are trails to hike or possibly bicycle ride but we did not see anyone doing that when we visited. We liked the park but was not what we would consider for a quick picnic lunch. We were also confused by a sign that said "No Hunting" right after a sign that said Hunting was closed until September 1 (Hunting in a city park?).
I will tell you a little about the park after an introduction to Capt. Albert H. Rooks. Capt. Rooks was born in Eastern Washington and went to school and lived in Walla Walla for several years. Eventually he became Captain of the USS Houston just before WWII broke out. On February 28, 1942 he was in a battle in the Sunda Straights, outnumbered by dozens of enemy ships and with very small chance for the survival of his ship and crew. He attacked the enemy and succeded in causing many causualties before his ship was finally sunk. It is one of the most inspiring stories of WWII. Posthumously he was awarded the US Congressional Medal of Honor. There is a small interpretive display behind the restrooms at the park.The park has picnic facilities for large groups, lots of parking, is well maintained, and is also a starting place for great hikes around Bennington Lake. There are many interpetive bulletin boards around the park where you can find maps and brochures about the trails and other activities offered by the Corps of Engineers. I it is the off-season and you find the park closed, you can still park outside and hike through the facilities. If you want to see some of the natural and man-made adjustments to the land around Walla Walla, this is your place.