Kopachuck State Park is a 109-acre public park on Henderson Bay in Puget Sound west of Gig Harbor, with more than a mile of saltwater shoreline, broad water views, and access by boat to nearby Cutts Island. Its name, created in 1958 from Chinook Jargon words meaning “at” or “on” and “water,” reflects the area’s setting. Long before the park opened in 1960, the Squaxin Island, Puyallup, and Nisqually tribes used these shores seasonally for fishing and clam gathering. Logged in the early 20th century, the land later became a popular recreation area, though tree disease and budget threats brought major challenges in the 21st century.