Whidbey Island is located in Washington State in the Puget Sound area. The island was named after Joseph Whidbey, a European explorer with George Vancouver's 1792 expedition. Whidbey was the first to circumnavigate the island. There are more than six state parks and a national historical reserve near Whidbey Island. These state parks offer visitor's day and overnight use with access to beaches, fishing and other recreation.
History
Parks like Fort Ebey and Fort Casey integrate the island's history into the state park. Fort Ebey has concrete platforms throughout the 645-acre park that mark the location of guns and artillery that were used for coastal defense in WWII. Fort Casey was an artillery post and still has two of the original guns on display. State parks near Whidbey Island are also filled with fir trees that are more than 250 years old.
Fishing
Camano Island, South Whidbey and Deception State Parks are all ideal places to fish for shellfish. Crabbing and clamming are popular attractions to these parks, and local stores rent and sell equipment. Clam diggers come during the lowest of tides and many come in search of the largest clam in the area, the geoduck. These clams have been known to weigh more than 20 lbs. Regardless of the type of clam or crabs found, most can be cooked and enjoyed on site at the parks. All of the state parks in the area have available picnic spaces and many feature barbecue pits.
Trails
There is no lack of hiking and walking trails available in the state parks near Whidbey Island. The parks cover more than 20,000 acres and many have marked paths and even self-guided hiking tours. The trails at Fort Ebey will take you farther than most. They connect with the Kettle Park Trail System and are used for biking and hiking year-round. The park also has "Ebey's Kettles," depressions from receding continental glaciers. These geological formations are more than 15,000 years old and are sprinkled among the trails. South Whidbey State Park has trails that are more sought after than its 4,500 feet of shoreline. Old-growth forest of Douglas fir and red cedar, along with a variety of wildlife, line the paths at this park.
Beaches
State parks near Whidbey Island have both saltwater and freshwater beaches. Camano Island State Park has more than 6,500 feet of rocky shore and beach. Nine hundred volunteers participated in this state park's main beach and recreation development during a single day in 1949, and it remains one of the most popular state parks in the area. Fort Casey has a saltwater beach and includes Keystone Spit, more than two miles of land separating Admiralty Inlet and Crocket Lake.
Camping
Overnight camping is allowed at most of the state parks near Whidbey Island. Camping ranges from hike-in tent camping to RVs and cabins. Fort Ebey is the main camping park, but Cama Beach, which used to be a 1930's fishing resort, has refurbished cabins and bungalows that are available year-round. All reservations can be made through the Washington State Parks website.
References
- Washington State Parks: Whidbey Island
- "Washington State Parks: A Complete Recreation Guide"; Marge Mueller, Ted Mueller; 2004
- "Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest"; Sandra Bao; 2008
- Whidbey Island Visitor's Guide: History
- South Whidbey Record: Clams
Member Comments