Deception Pass State Park Campground

Deception Pass State Park is huge and beautiful, perfect for families and photographers. The campsites are open and surrounded by forests, with clean facilities, fire pits, and picnic tables. The staff is super friendly, and our son loved sitting in their golf cart. The hike to see Deception Pass Bridge is awesome. We visited in the fall, and the weather was cool but nice. It’s a great place to explore and take pictures. We had a lot of fun and recommend it to everyone!

Beautiful park, we stayed on Forest Loop area of campsites and the sites there had lots of big trees and shrubbery that helped privatize them. Wonderfully varied terrain between the beaches with beautiful island views (saw an otter on the beach once), Hoypus Point hiking trails through traditional northwest forest/swordfern landscape, and Cranberry Lake with its roped-off swimming area. There were planes from the Air Force base that circled overhead practicing, so not the quietest park, but surprisingly they didn’t bother us - in an rv - though normally I’m noise sensitive. If you plan to visit other WA parks, just get the yearly Discovery Pass state park pass as all the WA parks seem to require it or a $10 parking/entry fee.

The ranger was very friendly and helpful. The campsite was a good size and most seemed to have a sense of privacy. Hot showers and great scenery.

Well maintained. Only real complain was the worker with the leaf blower. But the noise was fairly brief. And beside it wouldn’t be well maintained without the maintenance.

We have a car camping setup. This parking pad worked great for us, and offered lots of space behind the truck for our tarp shelter and dog run. The privacy is very good on 3of4 sides. The trail system starts right at the back of camp, but the access is a little vertical, so not easy if mobility limited! A short walk from the restrooms. This is a busy campground, so there is a little noise, especially on weekends, from people and dogs doing their thing. The bathrooms were very clean. The showers are token operated and the vending machines were out of service.

There were SO MANY available campsites when we got there. About mid afternoon. The ranger was super friendly and welcoming! The bathrooms were nice and had showers that require tokens that you can buy with your site at check in. The sites vary in size and shape but most of them are decently private/ spaced apart. The site next to us never got booked, probably because it was small, but it was nice for us because it was only a few bushes away. Sites include a picnic table and fire ring with grill grate . There was a trail to the beach not far from us and it was super nice. Although there are plenty of signs that require dogs to be on leashes most people did not adhere to those rules, so keep an eye out if you're bringing the doggos. Very family friendly, very cozy, very nice stay!

Bottom line: I’ve only camped at 4 state parks in WA, however, this is the best one I’ve stayed at.

Pros: Secluded Campsites. If you look at the map, you can pick some spots with privacy (tent and rv spots) Great trails in the area. For training, hiking, or just casual walking; you can do all of the above. Pet friendly area. Great views. Coastal views are gorgeous and close by. Bathrooms are extremely clean. Actually probably the cleanest public bathroom I’ve ever witnessed.

Cons: Tight fits for a camper 24ft and larger. Doable, but you’ve gotta be diligent maneuvering in there. Firewood stand was closed during open hours, don’t know what that was all about. Not that big of a deal, just bring your own don’t rely on them.

Incredible park with a little bit of everything. Large spots. We stayed in a spot with electric and water hook-ups during Spring Break this year. Will be returning for more adventuring :)

We visited deception pass in early June. It was amazing! You can find everything you need here. Gas station right before entering Deception Pass, clean toilet and shower, amazing view on the bridge, also we have water and electric hook-up in our site(#56). We use electric hook-up for our EV and it's faster than expected! Definitely come back in near future and remember reserve the site as early as possible!

Camping on an active aircraft carrier is great! 

Except if you're actually trying to camp in the woods. Everything was amazing, great little hikes, sweet freshwater and saltwater fishin, beautiful spots. Then the mfing jets started. They didn't stop for 72 hours. Don't even try to talk to anyone whilst the jets are happening. 

But..yea Id go back lol.

Spent two nights here and while the park and coastline hikes were beautiful, I really couldn’t get over the constant jet noise from the F/A-18’s flying overhead. Not just a little bit, constant low passes incredibly close to the campground. The noise is so loud you can’t hear someone speaking right next to you. If there was a way to be sure the fighter jets weren’t flying that day, I’d go back, otherwise this park isn’t for me.

Camped here for a couple of nights in a 25ft rv. Location was perfect, and enjoyed the beach and hike up to the bridge. Cant wait to go back and explore the rest of the park.

We came for 4 nights before Thanksgiving. The only part of the park that is open for overnight camping during the off season is Quarry Pond. About half of the sites with hookups (water, electricity) are reservation only and the other half are first come first served. There are also 7 primitive sites with no hookups that are first come first served. The first night we got in after dark and snagged a first come first served spot (336) but were able to reserve one in the reservation section after everyone cleared out on Sunday (315). The location is great for lots of hikes. Bathrooms were warm and clean. There is water at the sites with hookups up until late November when they turn it off after Thanksgiving but electrical is still available. Primitive sites are $20/night, sites with hookups are $30/night. There is a store at the entrance with firewood, food, propane, gas, etc. They have coin-op showers and provide a coin change machine.

Two nights at Deception pass state park. Great wildlife, from porpoises and seals to eagles flying above.

The Navy PBY museum in Oak Harbor is not to be missed.

We have tent camped and most recently taken our travel trailer to this park. It my fav! Wake up early in am take your warm beverage and sit on the logs & listen to the wave come in. Also you can occasionally spot whales from the shore.

I stayed at the Cranberry Lake campground because everything else was closed for the season. There were lots of cozy nooks to park anything from a car to an RV. The ocean and a lake are right next to the sites, and it was great to watch the sunset through the trees as I cooked dinner. There are bathrooms with flush toilets, but the showers require tokens.

Plenty of sites available in late September to reserve in advance OR claim by arriving and talking to ranger. No issues.

Beautiful area with lots to do. Electric, water hookups with sewage dump on the way out. Campsites are not level and can be a tight fit between trees. Lots of different beach trails & bike paths. Whale watching excursions nearby. Cell service spotty.

We stayed for 4 nights in the Forest loop campground, #69. We tented. Lots of vegetation surrounding the site. Private feeling, clean site, bathrooms were renovated and clean. Tokens needed to use the showers. Three minutes per token, four Tokens for $1.00. You can buy the tokens at the entry booth as you arrive. Our campsite was a pull through which made it nice with our truck. It was a medium sized campsite but just right for a family of 4. You could walk to the lake swimming area or beach but if you needed to carry stuff to the beach it would be too difficult. We mostly drove with our picnic and swim stuff to hang out at the lake. But we did walk one evening along a nice trail to the beach to experience the sunset. It was very pleasant to do our paddleboarding on the lake. We did 2 morning hikes; Bowman Bay and Lighthouse loop trail (beautiful views), and the Goose Rock summit loop (nice elevated views). Both trails were good for kids. Just beware of the cliffs with younger kids. There were some great activities and entertainment at the amphitheater in the evenings for kids and grownups. Loved this camping experience!

Large forested campground in a massive state park. Lots of trails and Great Lake paddling. Beach access but strong currents make this a challenge to kayak on the sound, at least from the Cranberry Lake CG.

I suspect that if you are reading this you are already aware of the fact that you will not be roughing it at Deception Pass. Your about 10 miles from town in either direction here in a large & highly staffed state park. 

There are really 3 campgrounds here. The fabled Bowman loop (if you got a site here, luck you!), the forest loop, in the main part of the park, and what I will call the consolation prize, Quarry Pond loop.

We stayed one night in the Quarry Pond Area and one night in the Forest Loop. 

Here are some impressions:

- Personally, I'd pass on the Quarry Pond Loop. Lots of sites share a single bathroom. On the day we stayed they closed. the. bathroom. for. cleaning. at 8am. I mean. Whoa. Also, the sites are all very close together with little to no privacy. The whole campground gets a lot of highway noise though  some sites are nicer than others. Sites 45 & 47 are on the little pond. No privacy but pretty nice spots anyway. That said, you are more than a mile & across the highway from anything you want to do at deception pass. Which means you need to drive. So, what is the point? We stayed at site 361 which was bordered by a road on both sides with no vegetation. It feels like it shares a site with a cabin w/ no vegetation of any sort between the cab in & 361. The picnic table is rickety and I picked up a lot of garbage strewn about the site. We had planned to walk our paddleboards across to cranberry lake to paddle but it was quite a ways to the nearest part of the lake and over a mile to the swim beach where we'd planned to launch. On the positive side, it's close to the bathroom and you have water & electricity right in the site. This was a 1 or 2 star experience for me.

- The next night we stayed in the forest loop in site 201, which is like another world! You are walking distance to the beach & swim beach at cranberry lake. You can rent paddle boards or kayaks here, hang at the beach, etc. There is a coffee shack near the entrance of the campground. Bathrooms are spread a bit far apart but seem adequate for the number of sites. Driving through the campground basically all sites seem really nice. Lots of vegetation. Site 201 seems kind of iffy on the map because it is an inner loop but it's a huge & private site with ample room for several cars or a very large rig & lots of tents. The tent area is separated from the fire & table area and it feels like it could be a double site (although it's not). We were lulled to sleep by the crashing waves and could hear eagles chatting from our site.

This is one of the most popular locations in Washington State and easy to see why. Both fresh and salt water experiences are within a few steps away with amazing sunsets and breathtaking views. Plenty to do for each family member. The only downside is the cramped feeling in most of the sites and the difficulty of monuverability for trailers and campers.

Eeverything about this campground is great. Lots of ADA access, the beaches, the trails, all stunning. I highly recommend. We even got an air show from the near by military base.

Clean and tidy state park camping. Big camp sites with plenty of room to gather, play, or eat and spaced out nicely from other sites. Ever some of the next door sites are not visible due to the plant life so that is great if privacy is your thing. Close to water. Close to beach. Lots of hiking trails good for all ages. ADA friendly and pets allowed while on leashes.

I grew up in the San Juan Islands and had never made it to Deception Pass State park until now. I am so glad that we were able to book a spot here. It is very peaceful and beautiful. Lots of birds chirping, big trees, and ferns. We stayed in #170 which in our opinion is super private and spacious. Big enough for two tents and two cars, and big enough for families. I read reviews complaining about the growler noise 24-7 and we can agree that towards the end of the day that does get semi-old. But they have a job to do, and if you don’t want the noise, don’t stay near a military base. The beauty of the campground and the list of activities to enjoy outweighs that noise for sure.

We will absolutely be staying here again due to how family friendly it is. Our 2 year old loves it.

Deception Pass is one of our favorite campgrounds in WA having lots of coastal access and a trail system along the water which takes you to The Bridge as well as other lookout points on Anacortes island.

At different times of the year you can fish the shoreline for Searun Cutthroat and/or Salmon.

It has to be one of the most beautiful locations in WA with views of Lopez Island and a number of small islands.

The sites are very private and there is a ton to do here. Hiking, beach, boat tours. We went pre-COVID, so there might be less to do now. In the evening they even had a concert at the outdoor amphitheater. It was one of the best places that we’ve camped. Really great for our kids.

Beautiful setting, several trails, etc. Definitely a tourist destination campsites are a little close for comfort but it is very nice large campground. Beach access as well as a freshwater Lake lots of day use areas as well. Some cabins available, mostly standard sites.

We really enjoyed our visit to this state park. We were centrally located to explore Whidbey island, see the tulips in La Connor, and even do a day trip to San Juan Island. The campground bathhouses were adequate, clean, and good hot water pressure. Per usual, the showers required tokens ($0.50 ea) for a 3 minute shower. Be sure hot is all the way on and cold off when you put the token in to ensure it gets hot fast! We camped in the Lower Loop, site 148, Apr 24 - May 2, 2021. It rained the first day, and never dried out by the motorhome. However, this site did have plenty of level area to accommodate our 32’ Class A easily, along with our tow dolly, and space for 2 cars in front of the RV on the slope down to the paved road.

We found a last minute spot at Bowman Bay , site 177. Bit difficult to get truck and camper level up hill but site was shaded and secluded. Nice fire pit and table. Great easy hiking trails with wonderful water views. Would be fun with a kayak. Nice group shelter for a family birthday. Wish we could stay longer.