Deception Pass State Park

Understand

Deception Pass is the waterway between Whidbey and Fidalgo Islands, where the tidal flow between Skagit Bay and the Strait of Juan de Fuca moves quickly, making the passage dangerous for watercraft. During low tides, the swift current can lead to standing waves, large whirlpools, and roiling eddies. This swift current phenomenon can be viewed from the twin bridges' pedestrian walkways, or from the trail leading below the larger south bridge on the Whidbey Island side. Boats can be seen waiting on either side of the pass for the current to stop or change direction before going through.

Orientation

Deception Pass divides the park into two main sections, on each side of the Deception Pass Bridge.

• The Whidbey Island side, south of the pass, features expansive beaches, most of the campgrounds, and the park administration facilities.
• The Fidalgo Island side, north of the pass, features rocky coastlines with tidepools and hiking trails.

There are several islands immediately offshore. Some of these are formally part of the park, some of these are protected under separate entities.

• Ben Ure Island is within the park.
• Hope Island is a separate Marine State Park.
• Skagit Island is a separate Marine State Park.

History

The Deception Pass area has been home to various Coast Salish tribes for thousands of years.

The first Europeans to see Deception Pass were members of the 1790 expedition of Manuel Quimper. The Spanish gave it the name Boca de Flon. In May 1792, the Vancouver Expedition was anchored near the southern end of Whidbey Island. He sent Joseph Whidbey to explore the waters east of Whidbey Island, now known as Saratoga Passage, using small boats. Whidbey reached the northern end of Saratoga Passage and explored eastward into Skagit Bay, which is shallow and difficult to navigate, and appeared to be a dead-end. He returned south to rejoin Vancouver without having found Deception Pass. In June, the expedition sailed north along the west coast of Whidbey Island. Vancouver again sent Joseph Whidbey to explore inlets leading to the east. The first inlet turned out to be a "very narrow and intricate channel, which...abounded with rocks above and beneath the surface of the water". This channel led to Skagit Bay, thus separating Whidbey Island from the mainland. Vancouver apparently felt they had been deceived by the tricky strait, describing it as "Deception Passage".

A ferry was established by 1916 to connect Whidbey and Fidalgo Islands. It was discontinued in 1935, when the 976 ft Deception Pass Bridge opened, connecting Whidbey Island to the tiny Pass Island, and Pass Island to Fidalgo.

The park was established in 1923, when the original 1,600 acres of a military reserve was transferred to Washington State Parks. The park's facilities were improved in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), which built roads, trails, and buildings. The road to West Beach was created in 1950, opening the beach to vehicles. The former fish hatchery at Bowman Bay became a part of the park in the early 1970s.

Landscape

The area around Deception Pass is an exposed ophiolite, a piece of oceanic tectonic plate and mantle that was once several miles under the ocean, but is now exposed on land. The Fidalgo ophiolite formed more than 140 million years ago, during the Jurassic period. Many of the rocks here are from the middle of the crust, including lavas that erupted onto the ocean floor and gabbro formed when magma cooled underground. On the shoreline of Fidalgo Island, near Lottie and Bowman Bays, are seafloor sediments that settled on top of the lavas and became mudstones and sandstones. Much later, during the last ice age, glaciers carved striking peaks and sheer cliffs. On Goose Rock, the glacier dragged cobbles and boulders along its base, scratching deep grooves into the rock and recording the direction of its movement.

Flora and fauna

Deception Pass is a regional hotspot for marine wildlife viewing. Elephant seals, porpoises, orcas, and whales are frequently spotted from its various beaches and bluffs.

The park safeguards some of the last remaining original forested shorelines in the Salish Sea. Trees include alder, big-leaf maple, Douglas fir, grand fir, western red-cedar, hemlock and Sitka spruce. You will also find madrone, a distinctive favorite twisting tree with peeling red bark.

A little further inland, the dry upland forests feature Douglas fir, often with lichen hanging from its branches. Wildflowers are abundant in winter and spring, and mosses and ferns carpet the ground year-round. Common shrubs include snowberry, salal, ocean spray, Oregon grape, Nootka rose, and thimbleberry. The wetlands near the lakes include salmonberry, red elderberry, Nootka rose, Pacific willow, sedges and rushes, nettles, swordfern, and skunk cabbage.

Climate

Like the rest of the Western Washington, Deception Pass has cool, rainy winters and warm, dry summers. It is slightly drier than the major Puget Sound cities, as it is more rainshadowed by the Olympic Mountains.

Visitor Information

• Park website
• Park hours: 6:30AM to dusk April through September, 8AM to dusk October through March.

Get in

State Route 20 (WA-20) is the main route to and through the park. The route connects Whidbey Island to the mainlined by the Deception Pass Bridge. The nominally east-west WA-20 actually runs roughly north-south through this area, with nominal "east" being roughly north.

By car

From Interstate 5, you can access WA-20 and the park by:

• Exit 230 at Burlington for WA-20 West, and turning left at the roundabout at the entrance to Anacortes.
• Exit 182 north of Lynnwood for WA-525 North, taking the Mukilteo-Clinton ferry, and driving through Whidbey Island.

By bus

• Island Transit 411W connects Oak Harbor to March's Point P&R (near Anacortes). It stops at the Deception Pass Park Entrance. This route connects to other Oak Harbor routes and the Skagit Transit 40X to Mount Vernon Skagit Station.

Fees and permits

There are no fees or restrictions to drive along WA-20, including across the Deception Pass Bridge.

The rest of the park, like other Washington State Parks, requires a pass to park at or access. The Discover Pass is $10 a day, or $30 a year. You can purchase a Discover Pass at the main park entrance. You can also order online, buy from an outdoors retailer, or pick up from a kiosk at the entrance to many other popular state parks.

Get around

The Fidalgo Island (north) side is mostly along WA-20. There are numerous places to park along the road. While the road itself is not particularly walkable, it is paralleled by scenic hiking trails.

The Whidbey Island (south) side is served by both WA-20 and a network of smaller roads extending from the Main Entrance gate.

The Deception Pass Bridge has a narrow sidewalk on each side, separated from the waters below by a railing that is low by modern standards.

There is no public transportation within the park. Get around by your own wheels, paddles or feet.

Stay safe

Earthquakes and tsunamis are an ever-present possibility. Areas along the coast have well-marked tsunami evacuation routes. In the event of an earthquake, follow the routes to seek high ground.

Go next

• Anacortes, and onward to the San Juan Islands.
• Oak Harbor, and onward through Whidbey Island.

Deception Pass is on the North Cascade Loop itinerary.