Deception Pass State Park - Washington

You know you are about to have a fantastic adventure the moment you enter Deception Pass State Park. On the road, you notice traffic starting to slow. You lean out the window just as the scenery opens up and you find yourself on a massive, stomach dropping bridge 180 feet above the Puget Sound. On either side of the bridge you see breathtaking views, sandy beaches and forests as far as the eye can see.

It’s no wonder Deception Pass State Park is Washington’s most visited park. Located in Northwest Washington and spanning two islands, Whidbey and Fidalgo, the park is connected via the Deception Pass bridge.

Deception Pass State Park is enormous at 3,854 acres which includes; 77,000 feet of saltwater shoreline and 33,900 feet of freshwater shoreline on three lakes. Both sides of the park offer hiking trails, picnic areas, beaches (fresh and saltwater) and water activities. The south side of the park includes a large campground.

After driving over the famous Deception Pass bridge we entered the park and checked in at one of two classically designed Ranger Stations at the main entrance on Whidbey Island. Given the popularity of this location we were surprised to find that every campsite we saw was large and private. The campground design is extremely thoughtful and each site feels like its own private oasis. We stayed in site #198. The campground offers 172 tent sites, 134 partial-hookup sites, five hiker/biker sites, one dump stations, 20 restrooms (four ADA) and 10 showers (four ADA). Camping is located at three locations in the park.

The park includes two freshwater lakes for fishing or swimming, Cranberry Lake and Pass Lake. We found beautiful picnic tables scattered around Cranberry Lake with fantastic views, some tables are even located on the dock. The park border also includes a small section of Lake Campbell.

Hiking trails are located throughout the park and most offer Puget Sound views where you might spot whales and seals. We took the Lighthouse Point Loop and soaked up some sunshine on the sandy beach at Bowman Bay. On the second day we took the North Beach Trail where we spotted seals and tide pools. We also took the Cranberry Lake Trail which was a bit muddy due to rain.

We can’t review this park without noting the classic Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) construction. The CCC was Franklin D. Roosevelt's Depression-era "Tree Army;" it employed nearly 3 million men and built many of America's state and national parks. Buildings throughout the park have the distinctive look of the 1930’s which creates a classic family camping vacation feel.

We didn’t get a chance to visit the Hoypus Forest, which is one of Washington's largest remaining old-growth tree stands but we plan to make a return trip.

Deception Pass State Park is certainly the largest park we have camped at. It easily accommodates just about every outdoor activity you might be interested in. In fact, it’s not just excellent for camping but for day trips as well. Plan a hike or picnic, bring the family or bring out of town guests.

If you’re tight on time, here is our Top three activities to do Deception Pass State Park:

• Walk out onto the bridge

• Plan a Picnic

• Take at least one hiking trail

Our Take: Plan a trip to Deception Pass State Park immediately. If you aren’t able to score a camping spot here, plan a day trip. This park is a true treasure that must be experienced. It has all the best of the Pacific Northwest rolled into one place.

You can see from our photos that it absolutely poured rain during our stay, as it often does in the Pacific Northwest. As you can also see from our photos the rain did not hinder or disrupt our stay as much as it normally would. With so many activities and places to see we were able to still have an amazing time.

• Fire Ring: Yes

• Ranger Station: Yes as well as a small store.

• Trash on site: Yes, dispersed throughout the campground. No recycling.

• Water on site: Yes

Links: Deception Pass State Park, Deception Pass State Park Campground Map, Deception Pass State Park Map

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