Multiple trailheads with connections across all trails. Creekside trail can be difficult for mobility as there are lots of ups and downs. Randomly, lots of pentagrams on trees.

Hiked the southern portion only from the 56th St entrance. There is plenty of parking here. I did walk a bit of a mountain bike trail at first. 

The southern portion of the loop trail is my favorite end of the creek. Once you reach the creek it's like walking into the Cascades backcountry.

Everything is in good shape. One thing of note, and I encourage others to help if interested, I plan to bring a grabber and a small bag or bucket next visit to help with some of the littering. 

RT 2m/137ft 

Got in a proper north to south loop on the Swan Creek trail. Beginning and ending at the Pioneer Way entrance. 

I think my favorite portion is the southern end of the trail, where the wooded canyon is the most wild with seas of sword fern. 

The trail is a bit muddy in places, and boardwalks could really use some attention/repair. Also there is a decent sized uprooted rootball that has dislodged the trail. It's easily walkable but not ideal longer term. 

Part of my loop used a portion of Canyon Rim trail as it borders the Mountain Bike trail system to the west. 

Saw a half dozen or so other hikers and walkers. 

RT 4m/350ft

This is my third walk around Swan Creek. This trail is great for when you are a bit low on time. I did a central loop down to the creek and back up around Canyon Rim trail by the 44th St entrance. I wanted to see if I could glimpse any Salmon traveling upstream- sadly I just found one, and it was dead. 

Excited to explore the south loop that extends down to the 56th St entrance on my next trip. 

RT 1.5m/275ft 

For those who are interested, the Rt 41 bus goes from the Tacoma Dome Transit center to the 42nd Street entrance to the park. From the 42nd Street entrance, I dropped down to the Swan Creek trail and walked the mile  to the Pioneer Way trailhead. Parts of this section were in the poorest condition. There is a 20" log across the trail, midway there is erosion of narrow and slanted trail sections, broken stairs and ganglia of exposed roots, which were slippery in the damp conditions.
In the last half mile to Pioneer Way there was evidence of the fall salmon run. There were at least two dozen dead salmon in the creek. (I believe the run is mostly over in November.)
From Pioneer Way, I backtracked a mile and then continued south on the Swan Creek trail another mile until it climbed to the rim of the canyon and looped back on to the Canyon Rim Trail. Curious to me, the upper section of the creek had no evidence of the salmon run (the creek actually goes for many more miles).
The forest suffers from many aggressive invasive plants, but overall it is a nice green experience. Many times it was easy to forget how close you were to industrial America, but in places there are clusters of garbage and what looked like abandoned encampments. Everybody on the trail was friendly and pleasant.
In the south section of the park, on the plateau, the forest is saturated with mountain bike infrastructure. I saw two cyclists. There were many more people/dog couples in the area. This plateau area has the worst garbage problem.
In the end I wandered for over five miles and enjoyed the trail along the creek the most.