Deception Pass State Park - Washington
Posted by: 
Hikenutty
N 48° 23.555 W 122° 38.832
10U E 526116 N 5359995
Deception Pass State Park is a large campground and recreation area on Whidbey Island in the beautiful Deception Pass area at the mouth of the Puget Sound.
Waymark Code: WM1GWE
Location: Washington, United States
Date Posted: 05/06/2007
Views: 75
The following excerpt is from
Washington: A Guide to the Evergreen State
At 17.2 m. the road enters DECEPTION PASS STATE PARK (swimming, camping, and picnicking). The park is notable for the variety of its land and seascapes; along its borders are wave-tossed, and placid bays. Rugged, fjord-like shores of rock shelve up to deep forests; across Rosario Strait, to the northwest, lie the tumbled forms of the San Juan Islands; to the southwest, across the Juan de Fuca Strait, where ocean sunsets flame in the summer sky, are the rugged contours of the Olympic Range. Eastward are the peaks of the Cascades. The park has six recreational areas with five swimming pools, three of which are salt water. pp. 517-518
From the park's webpage:
Deception Pass State Park is a 4,134-acre marine and camping park with 77,000 feet of saltwater shoreline, and 33,900 feet of freshwater shoreline on three lakes. Rugged cliffs drop to meet the turbulent waters of Deception Pass. The park is outstanding for breath-taking views, old-growth forests and abundant wildlife.
This is one of our favorite places to visit in Washington State. The views of the San Juan Islands, Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Deception Pass itself are breathtaking. Enjoy hiking, biking, beachcombing, birdwatching, fishing, boating....although you won't find the swimming pools mentioned. They have been removed. Who needs swimming pools when you have the lakes and the calm West Beach area to swim in?
The park has over 300 camping sites, although some of them are closed over the winter. Even with this many sites it is near impossible to find a site without a reservation most of the Summer.
On the north side of the park is a Civilian Conservation Corp Interpretive Center, and it features a mock up of a Corp members sleeping area, along with many historical items, photos, and documents. The Corps built many structures in the park, including the famous Deception Pass bridge which connects Whidbey Island with the mainland across Deception and Canoe Pass.