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WHIDBEY ISLAND  WASHINGTON  USA

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DECEPTION PASS STATE PARK

     Located on the northern tip of Whidbey Island in Puget Sound you will find the crown jewel of the Washington State Park System: Deception Pass State Park.  More than four thousand acres of beauty awaits your exploration on over 38 miles of maintained trails.  From the promontory at the summit of Goose Rock to the tidelands, the trails wind through virgin forests, along rocky cliffs, and beside sand and gravel beaches.  At every turn there is magnificence that is difficult to describe.  Views out over the sound, to the swirling waters of the narrow pass, to the islands farther out, all the way to the Olympic Mountains in the west, and the Cascades to the east, the awesome, breathtaking beauty will astound and inspire.  The park receives visitors all year 'round and there is no "best season" for a visit.
     The centerpiece of the park is the graceful bridge spanning the pass, linking Whidbey Island to Fidalgo Island and points eastward.  The bridge soars over the water more than 180 feet and offers unbelievable views in all directions.  This park is the most popular in the State and receives more than eight million visitors annually.  One look around and you will see why.  Seals swim the waters below the bridge chasing salmon.  Eagles soar from side to side, perch, then soar back across, all the while scanning the water for their next meal.  Shorebirds,  cormorants, and all manner of ducks put in appearances as the seasons pass.  Herons quietly spy, as on their stilted legs they stalk their prey through the shallows.  Boats of sizes from tiny outboards to cruise liners ply the waters of the pass, at times in parade fashion. All this grandeur is viewed from the bridge deck and is free.  I doubt any bridge in the State is more often photographed.
     But to discover the real beauty of the park, strike out on one of the trails.  Just a few paces down the trail  the crowds dwindle.  It is not difficult to be alone. The trail to Lighthouse Point leads to one of the most dramatic places to view a sunset anywhere in the world, and serves as a wonderfully romantic spot for a proposal, or just a place to sit and watch the passing of another day.  When the frequent Pacific storm rises, the pass is turned into a frantic, boiling cauldron of churning water and crashing waves.  The wind howls through the pass, driving twenty foot swells against the rocks in a thunderous roaring applause as the sun dips below the horizon.  It takes little effort to imagine a symphony conductor high up on the cliffs, baton in hand, directing the entire dramatic scene as if it were a musical masterpiece. From any point it is not more than two miles back to the road and some of the trails and the bridge are wheelchair accessible.
     This is a park deserving of a visit, and 38 miles of trail you just must hike.  None of the trails are more than marginally steep, but there are areas where you will want to hang onto the kids.  Enjoy!