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Deception Pass State Park
Rating Details »
5175 N. Highway 20
Oak Harbor, WA 98277
(360) 675-2417
Oak Harbor, WA 98277
(360) 675-2417
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
22 reviews for Deception Pass State Park
It's our annual family campout destination.
Deception Pass is great not perfect (what is?) but well worthy of 5 Stars.
I'll focus more on the campsite than the actual park, although the park is very beautiful.
This year they must have been doing some air force training or something (a US air base is its neighbor) because during the day there were constant places flying overhead and it would go to 11 p.m. on some nights (albeit with less frequency the later it got). It bothered some other campers we talked to but it didn't bother me - it's better than listening to crows squak in the morning, that's for sure.
And yes, lot's of crows around. Which I've got a tip on if you read to the end.
We have our favorite camp spots - which makes a difference - you've got to know which ones to choose - considering what the makeup of your group is.Our group had a lot of kids so it was great to be right across the street from the bathroom, and water tap, and just a short walk down the street to the beach.
If you're going down on your own (group of 4 or less adults) spot 115 is prime. Nice and large, close to the water, with a good site layout. We take the best double campspot which can fit four cars and 4/5 tents. It's the best. Email me if you want to know the numbers.
Sure Cranberry Lake gets to be a zoo with kids, but what the hell do you expect? It is what it is. We're always there around 10:30 a.m. to setup for our group and always get the best spot - people start to filter in from about 11:30 a.m. on.
It's a stones throw from the ocean - which is cool, although we never go over to that side when we're enjoying the lake.
It's a perfect place for kids, and I've head one guy make mention f the loud kids - I've never thought that was a problem. The campsite is pretty much a morgue once 11 p.m. hits and is pretty quiet after 10 p.m.
TIPS
- bring your own wood - it costs $6/bundle at the camp - it costs about $4.50 in town at the 7/11. You can get it for free by going down to the beach and gathering some drift wood - it's smoky, but it's free.
- bring your own hand soap for the washrooms - they don't have soap at the sinks.
- if you're going to shower, take at least 2 - 3 minute tokens in with you - showers are hit and miss - you might have cold water for half of one of your tokens.
- if neighbors are partying late and piss you off with their incessant crap - and especially if you're going to leave the next morning - take a loaf of bread and spread it around their tents. The crows will be all over them. Squawking the morons into insanity.
I have loved this place since I was a little girl when my mom would take me here on weekend road trips quite frequently in the summer. Hands down the best place to camp IMHO out of anywhere in WA. You are surrounded by incredible beauty between the towering century old trees, the inlet of the Ocean and Straight of Juan De Fuca, the Islands, perhaps a pod of whales if you are lucky, the bridge towering over sheer cliffs and the peaceful Cranberry Lake. The options to recharge peacefully or take in some entertainment and hiking are endless.
The only downside to the park, or perhaps lack of luck on my end is that it rains pretty much every time I camp there. Yes, including this last weekend when our temperatures in Seattle were soaring in the 90's! Thus I highly recommend bringing lots of tarps or outdoor tents so you are covered. The weather here can be unpredictable.
That and it has become quite popular so you'll need to make reservations far in advance, we made ours 6 months ago. It was worth it and we had a great spot, #155, large and private in the lower loop, a few minutes walk from the North Beach, West Beach and the lake. However the great part is that you can book online and there are pictures and descriptions of each of the sites so you can make an informed decision. There are also showers on the grounds of which can make everyone's stay a bit more enjoyable and funk free!
They are also dog friendly however I must say that I found it extremely disappointing how many stray piles we found about. C'mon people, pick up after your pets so that we may continue to bring them along with us! No to mention keeping the habitat free from bacteria.
Lastly, I must rant. Waking up at 6am to kids screaming at the top of their lungs is very inconsiderate! As one of our camping companions said, "I laid in my tent and thought of the day when I have children and of the speech when we go camping where I'll remind them that this is an experience for everyone to enjoy and nature is a place where we use our quiet voices." This instead of screaming, "I'm the king of the castle and you're a dirty rascal!", with sticks yeilded and whacking at at the beautiful vegetation and trees. I mean WTF people? Teach your kids to conserve nature and respect your fellow campers and the wildlife by keeping the noise level more tolerable will ya?!?!
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What can I say that hasn't already been said in the other reviews? This park is awesome.
The campsites are broken up into two areas- one south of the bridge on Whidbey Island and one north of the bridge on Fidalgo Island. We stayed north on Bowman Bay. If you can get a site in this loop I would recommend it because it's pretty small. There probably weren't more than 30 or so sites here, some of them with pretty good privacy.
This park is a total feast for your eyes, ears and nose. It's spectacularly beautiful and green with great views. Go on a hike a see everything from a different angle. There's also great birdwatching here if you're into that sort of thing. I think two of my favorite things about visiting here were seeing a group of baby quail cross the road while their mama stood in the middle to make sure they all got across, and falling asleep and waking up to the sound of ocean waves crashing. Just go, you won't be sorry.
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Wonderful view of nature, good hiking trails, picnic areas.
Bowman Lake is a great place to take the family for a swim in the July/Aug months w/ roped off areas of different depths, a snack bar, restrooms, & canoe, kayak, etc rental. It also is literally steps from the beach where there is a gorgeous view of the sunset.
200 reviews. It's amazing how much had happened whilst I wrote all the lines where I describe, relieve and revive the past year-and-a-half of my life. I've had the chance to experience with familiarity, involvement, participation and understanding. I've opened my eyes to different human behaviors, my nostrils to new and old aromas, my palate to a feast of flavors.
And I've taken my time to write with purpose.
For this milestone, I knew exactly what I wanted to write about. Yes, I chose this spellbinding, almost mystic place based on the bewitching beauty of the Pacific Northwest that adorns every inch of the area. But in my heart, Deception Pass is the most important place for me in the entire world. I think about it and get misty eyes.
Here, my life companion, my love and the best and noblest man I've ever met, asked me to marry him. I have never felt such happiness or been more blessed: I got to meet The Dude. I have all I need in life to be happy.
The day he got down on his knee, I was finally able to understand what my favorite American poet, Marvin Bell, felt when he wrote this beautiful poem to his wife:
"To Dorothy
You are not beautiful, exactly.
You are beautiful, inexactly.
You let a weed grow by the mulberry
and a mulberry grow by the house.
So close, in the personal quiet
of a windy night, it brushes the wall
and sweeps away the day till we sleep.
A child said it, and it seemed true:
"Things that are lost are all equal."
But it isn't true. If I lost you,
the air wouldn't move, nor the tree grow.
Someone would pull the weed, my flower.
The quiet wouldn't be yours. If I lost you,
I'd have to ask the grass to let me sleep."
I remember listening to Bell himself at a reading in Iowa City, and wishing with all my heart to be able, someday, to forward the poem to the one who would make me feel like that. I even asked Bell if he had to wait long to get to that point. He said "Don't think about it. It'll come to you, ma'am."
Looking at the man who was asking me to share my life with him, in this place so close to both our hearts, I realized that love is, among all things in life, the best thing that has happened to me.
Of course, I said yes.
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Deception Pass State Park is beautiful! When we found out we had accidentally made reservations for the wrong weekend at another park, they directed us to Deception Pass' overflow camping. We got the last spot on a busy weekend - phew! For overflow camping, it was pretty decent, but next time we'll stay in the park. There are so many camp sites there and it is such a beautiful setting in the forest by the ocean. A great place to walk and hike with our dog. We'll definitely be back!
I have always loved road trips. I have always loved completely random trips. Ask anyone who knows me, I have a very odd sense of connection to my vehicles, and sometimes will spend hours in my car for no other reason other than to 'find myself' or 'recharge'. No plan, no destination, and often times I'm never more than a few miles from home just driving the familiar back roads.
That I have a dear friend who loves those things as much as I do, and adds the adventurous nature of exploring the world around him and wanting to always try something new or different together, is an amazing gift and blessing in my life.
So today, as we approached I-5, it was "we're at the 5, pick a direction" and north won out. Somewhere along the route Don had the fabulous idea of doing the Deception Pass/Whidbey Island.
Some may say the weather would hamper such a trip, and it may have limited our desire to explore outside, but I'm not "some'. I can have just as much fun just driving with small stops than I can doing a full day hike.
it's one of the often few upsides of being so relational.
One of our first little stops was at Pass Lake. The lake was partially frozen over and we couldn't resist the urge for photo ops, tossing some rocks and poking at the ice. It was truly a beautiful sight. The odd resonating echo the rocks make as they hit and slide across the ice is a very unique thing. We had fun chatting up a couple who clearly had the same idea. Finding rocks was a challenge, it's clearly a popular past time when the lake freezes over. A few jokes about walking on the ice, or the possible photo op of Don falling INTO the water (which he vehemently refused to do----no artistic vision, i swear) the chill in the air had us running back to the heated seats of his car.
We continued on to the definite standout in the trip. Deception Pass and the Bridge. The views are absolutely amazing here. The clear, green-blue water, the sharp rocks, the endless trees and stretching out before you the San Juans, and on a clear day, maybe even Canada in the far distance. Truly a sight to behold. Nature in her glory. There were few visitors to the area likely do to the weather, so a short hike through the trails was truly like walking completely alone in a virgin landscape.
A little monkeying around (and ignoring 7 foot high safety rules) on the bridge, and some quiet soaking up of the fabulous views of the beaches, we walked back up to soak up some history and trivia tidbits about the bridge.
Traveling farther onto the island, Don took a few random side roads to look at houses and fantasize about what each of us would do if we lived a life where these views greeted us each morning. We luckily happened upon a small (as far as we know unnamed) public slice of beach.
It was easily 5 degrees warmer here than at the bridge, if not more, and enjoying a stroll exploring the sandy beaches and marveling at the views was a little easier and a lot less chilly.
Through driving, we covered almost the entirety of Whidbey Island on the highway route, although part of that was somewhat of an accident when Don navigated us in the wrong direction from our intended route home. So busy talking and taking in the sights, I didn't make much of a navigator myself.
The bonus of that little 'accident', was getting to return our path the same way we came at sunset, and travel through parts of the area in the dark.
The sunset was allowed to peek through the parting clouds and was just wonderful. The mills/refineries of Anacortes and the area are hauntingly beautiful at night.
The night cleared up just enough that we could marvel at the stars. Another little detour down a darker country road for the chance to take a gander paid off.
Go alone. Go with a friend. Go with someone special. But don't let this little jaunt and all the offerings of Deception Pass, Whidbey Island and the surrounding area get left off your Bucket list.
A return trip in the summer time and when Don's cleared by his doctor's for a full on hike is already on mine.
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I love this place
I've camped here twice, and have had some phenomenal experiences. The sunsets from the northwest beach are post card worthy, the hikes in the area are fun, and all around the views you get here are indescribeable.
I'm at a loss for words, which means you should get off your interwebs and go see it yourself
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The area is quite beautiful as mentioned by other reviewers and the photos. However, stick to the less traveled areas such as the trails near Rosario Beach. We went to Cranberry Lake (non-motorized boats + swimming) within the State Park. It was packed on the beach and about a dozen people had rented paddle boats, kayaks, and canoes. Not the peaceful swimming/canoeing spot we'd hoped for.
Last Saturday, I returned on the ferry from Friday Harbor a little after Noon. Spending only a half a day in the San Juan Islands is not cool and next time it will be a week or more. However, I had a 5:30 PM flight back to Oakland from Seattle and Gayle had been nice enough support my exploration at the expense of some of our already limited time together.
I did have enough time though to drive back to Seattle via Whidbey Island. And right at the very start was the stunning and breathtaking scenery of Deception Pass and the bridge. And when you're on the bridge, it's scary too. The walkway is narrow, the barrier is low, and it's a long way down! Plus the traffic can be intense. By all means, keep your kids and pets close and use the under bridge walkway to get to the other side.
And like the San Juan Islands, I did this park no justice either. Hiking, walking on the beach and other fun outdoor activities will have to wait for another time.
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such an amazing view!!! I love this place.
Go for the sunset. Or go for a hike up Goose Rock. Just go, and explore till your legs, or your digital camera's memory, give out.
However, a word of caution: Whatever you do, don't take your dog on a walk across the bridge, and don't let kids out of sight around the pass. Stay safe, the drop and the traffic around there are worse than they look.
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Breathtaking. Serene. Rejuvenating.
I promise I will be camping here once it's warmer. Maybe kayaking, too!
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ooohhh I love this place.
maybe I should give it a 1 star so people don't go there!! The view at any tiem is spectacular!
It is beautiful. It can be crowded.
It's a drive from Seattle, yes, but it's part of mental health which we Seattle-ites may share. You candrive away from the city and appreciate phenomenal scenery and much local flavor and fun.
I always find a little interesting place to eat or drink or shop on these excursions of mine.
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I have yet to go camping here... in part because we tend to like doing things very last minute and the spots here usually get booked early advance, but it is so.... beautiful. I usually end up stopping here whenever we drive by because I love the scenery.
One of my most favorite places in the world! The view from the bridge, either side, is nothing short of spectacular!!! Day trips here are recommended and it's a great starting point in checking out the rest of the longest island in America ~ Whidbey Island.
Beautiful, serene, spiritual.....not enough words to describe the views.
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This is one of the best parks in the state of Washington. It's also the most popular, so make your campground reservations early. Very early. Many months early. It's enormous and if you choose carefully you can get a fairly private campsite, but many sites have little to no privacy. There's so much to do and see here and the diversity in the park means it's never boring. From sand dunes and wooded trails to beaches and bridges it's spectacular. Do not miss the steep hike from the North Beach to the Deception Pass Bridge. Do not miss walking over the bridge, and then don't be scared of going off the trail on Canoe Island. It's steep but spectacular, and a tip: the south end doesn't get many explorers.
An interesting tidbit: You can see the Deception Pass Bridge in the movie 'The Ring'
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Sublime
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We love this state park, spending many hours walking the beach that juts into the channel. It's a dangerous beach for swimming as that channel has absolutely ferocious currents, depending on the tidal movement, but it has fascinating tide pools and lots of sea life to observe. The $5 parking fee seems reasonable and helps pay for the reasonably clean restrooms.
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Beautiful.
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I LOVE THIS PLACE! Easily one of the best places to camp, hike or kayak. It can be really crowded in the summer months, especially on the weekends. We try to go generally during the week and take some hooky days from work. When you go, you must, must, must walk the Deception Pass bridge. It is soooo cool to be that high up from the water. For you photographers, you will kick yourself if you forget your camera!!
I went here for a holiday weekend and saw amazing sights from the bridge, it's so neat to find a place that has such beautful wilderness and also is right near the ocean, this is an excellent day trip. HOWEVER... it was terrible for camping. I was hoping to spend a semi-secluded night in a state park... tent, campfire... the whole bit. I was so disappointed that the crampgrounds... uh hmmm... I mean campground area. I felt as if I was stuffed in a tent city rather than out in nature. I suppose now that there are simply more people and more people want to get out into the wilderness, they opted to tear down more trees and cram as many sites in the area as possible. AWFUL! I would have had a more secluded camp in West Seattle at Camp Long! Right Smack dab in the CITY! Others noted a couple years ago that this had some nice secluded sites... of all the sites, we saw 3 that were secluded to the point that you had trees between your site and the neighboring site. This is the only reason I did not give 5 stars. Otherwise, I highly recommend a visit it is nothing short of gorgeous and the opportunities to enjoy many activities are great!
