Deception Pass State Park is located nine miles north of Oak Harbor, nine miles south of Anacortes on Fidalgo and Whidbey Islands on State Highway 20, in Island and Skagit Counties.

Acreage

4,128.29 acres with 77,000 feet of saltwater shoreline and 28,200 feet of freshwater shoreline on Cranberry Pass, and Campbell Lakes, and 5,700 feet of freshwater shoreline on Heart Lake. Includes 568 acres at Hoypus Hill and 586 acres at Dugualla.

Acquired

This park was acquired in 16 parcels; the first in 1925 and the last in 1992, for a total cost of $7,497,628.71.

Historical Background

The first record of discovery of the area by the Spaniards is dated 1791. The 1792 Captain George Vancouver expedition named Deception Pass. Further exploration of this area was conducted by the Wilkes Expedition in 1841. By an act of Congress in 1925, a land grant gave the State of Washington 1,744.37 acres for public park purposes. In 1933, the Civilian Conservation Corps (C.C.C.) started development of the park.

Facilities

Day Use Areas - 8 (West Beach, North Beach, Cranberry Lake, Cornet Bay, Rosario, Bowman Bay, Heart Lake and Pass Lake), 306 picnic sites, 6 kitchens, 5 picnic shelters, 11 comfort stations, 6 vault toilets and parking for 1,194 vehicles. The Commission has a concession agreement with Art and Jenny Smith for the sale of food and groceries. This agreement expires in December 1996.

Camp Area - 246 standard sites and 5 primitive bike/walk-in campsites, 9 comfort stations (6 main camp, 1 Bowman Bay, 2 ELC), 65 person overnight group camp facility at N. Beach with 2 Adirondack shelters, 1 kitchen and vault toilet. Opened 1988.

Swimming Area - 300 feet of unguarded beach and large concession/bathhouse/comfort station building.

Marine Area - 1 fishing dock, 2 docks, 12 moorage floats, 11 mooring buoys, 3 freshwater and 5 saltwater boat launch ramps, 12 grounding floats, 1 swim float, 5 fishing floats, 3 multiple sites on Skagit Island, 5 primitive campsites on Hope Island, and 1 boat pumpout station at Cornet Bay.

Other - l Environmental Learning Center, 4 residences, 1 mobile home, 1 duplex residence, 2 shops, 4 garages, 2 barns, 1 concession/bathhouse, 1 CCC Interpretive Center at Bowman Bay (staffed by volunteers), an amphitheater, 35 miles of hiking trails, 1½ miles of interpretive trail, an underwater park at Rosario Beach, and Headquarters for the Marine Construction and Maintenance crew at Cornet Bay.

Activities

Camping, group camping, picnicking, swimming, scuba diving, boating, fishing, hiking, interpretation, and ELC camping.

Of Special Interest

Heart Lake Natural Forest, Hoypus Point Natural Forest, CCC Interpretive Center at Bowman Bay.