With dramatic headlands, tranquil forests, windswept beaches and quiet meadows, Deception Pass State Park captures your imagination and invites your exploration. Spanning the tips of Whidbey and Fidalgo Islands, the park is treasured for its spectacular scenery, rich history and diverse recreational opportunities. Visitors may enjoy fishing, hiking, camping, swimming, boating, photography, beach exploration, scuba diving, learning or simply relaxing.
The park also is respected for its sacred values, the power of beauty and spirit. Forests, with centuries-old trees, tide pools with vibrant but sensitive marine life, and viewpoints of stunning beauty set this park apart from everyday life.
Attracted by its abundant resources and protected shorelines, Coast Salish tribes settled the area now known as Deception Pass. These tribes are well known for their spiritual strength and artistic accomplishments. Their stories continue to be an integral element of the park’s values.
Captain Salvador Fidalgo of Spain explored the area in 1792, leaving behind many Spanish names that are still used today, including Rosario Beach and Fidalgo Island. At about the same time, Captain George Vancouver of England explored the area. He believed the pass was the mouth of the river until his lieutenant sailed around the land to the South, discovering that the adjacent land was actually and island. Vancouver named the island after his lieutenant, Joseph Whidbey. Having been deceived by the narrow waterway, Vancouver named the waterway Deception pass.
In 1866, the United States government set aside the land around the pass as a military reservation. A Congressional Act designated the property for public recreation in 1922, creating Deception Pass State Park. During the Great Depression of the 1930’s, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built roads, trails, buildings and log railings to develop the park for visitors. Look for evidence of their construction throughout the park.
To read more about Deception Pass State Park, please visit the official website for Washington State Parks. To read more about the Deception Pass Bridge, please visit https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/washington/deception-pass-bridge-wa/
Write up taken from travel brochure. See entire brochure