All State Parks
Favorite
Accessible only by bridge or by boat, Jarrell Cove State Park is a sensory extravaganza, with a chorus of bird calls, saltwater and conifer smells, dense tree stands and opal-colored water all around. Enclosed by Puget Sound and surrounded by Case Inlet and Pickering Passage, this park on Harstine Island is a watery haven with excellent opportunities for swimming, diving, Read more...
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Fossil bay got its name from the fossils of small marine life that are found in the surrounding rock faces. The seashells and fossils were deposited into the sandstone rocks when portions of the island were once part of the sea floor in Baha California. There are 16 mooring buoys to tie up to in Fossil Bay as well as Read more...
Favorite
Imagine a green fairy forest of moss-covered rocks, cedar trees with human-sized hollows, black licorice slugs that look like tiny tire treads and a paradise cove with swirling sandstone formations. You have now conjured an image of Matia Island Marine State Park in the San Juan Island chain, featuring old-growth trees and rainforest vibe. Motor on in, tie up to Read more...
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Are you a boater craving island time? Do you paddle the Puget Sound on your days off? Or are you a dinner-cruiser visiting Seattle and eager to try the Native American meal and cultural event at Tillicum? Accessible only by boat, Blake Island offers a change of pace not far from Seattle. In addition to the Native American-themed Tillicum events, Read more...
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At Lime Kiln Point State Park, the loud, transient neighbors gear up for a party that runs from spring into fall. Those would be the spouting Orcas, fin-slapping Gray whales, barking sea lions and splashing porpoises. Set on a rocky bluff at the west end of San Juan Island, Lime Kiln Point is considered one of the best whale-watching Read more...
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Picture an island with turquoise inlets and craggy coves. The northern San Juan Islands may not come to mind at first, but Stuart Island Marine State Park could surprise you. Stuart Island, near the U.S.-Canada border, is one of the northernmost islands in the famed archipelago, and you can only reach it by boat. Anchored in two harbors, boaters mingle Read more...
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Sucia Island is a great place in the San Juans for tying up, camping, and hiking. Read more...
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Joemma Beach has one boat ramp and 500-feet of dock space. The docks are available from mid-May through mid-October, offering 30-feet of moorage at low tide. Boaters have the right of way to the docks. A daily watercraft launching permit for $7 is available at the park. Annual permits also may be purchased at State Parks Headquarters in Olympia, at Read more...
Favorite
Clark Island Marine State Park is a 55-acre marine camping and moorage park with 11,292-feet of saltwater shoreline on the Strait of Georgia. Beaches are sandy on the west side of the island and smooth pea gravel on the east side. This is a popular kayaking site. It provides an important camping and rest site for paddlers traversing the northern Read more...
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Eagle Island is a 10-acre marine park property with 2,600-feet of saltwater shoreline. The island sits on Balch Passage between McNeil and Anderson Islands in South Puget Sound. Visitors can enjoy picnicking on the beach and watching harbor seals on the shoal at low tide. Read more...