Earlier this year I had to travel to Oak Harbor, WA located on the beautiful Whidbey Island. I chose to take the “land” route by taking Highway 20 from Burlington to Oak Harbor. An alternative to that route would be taking the ferry from Mukilteo.
If you take this beautiful drive you will have to cross the Deception Pass Bridge. Because I had a tight schedule I wasn’t able to take any of the longer trails. However, I walked both bridges and took a bunch of photos from the sidewalk along the bridge and from the trail leading down to Macs Cove. There is a BBQ pit down here in a small open air cabin and ample seating along the beach area. If you want, you can almost drive all the way down here. There is a parking lot only a few feet away but you need to pay the daily fee or be in possession of a Washington State Discovery Pass.
According to Washington State Parks, the Deception Pass State Park is the most visited state park in Washington State. Understandable with the views you get just from the bridge. Now think about all the beautiful hikes you can do at the Deception Pass State Park.
The bridge opened in 1935 and connects Whidbey Island with Fidalgo Island. From 1924 until the completion of the bridge a small ferry was running in between the two islands.
The bridge consists of two spans (Canoe Pass Span and Deception Pass Span) which connect on Pass Island.
Canoe Pass Span Length
Deception Pass Span Length
Total Length
Some additional Number
Amount of steel used for construction: 1,500 tons
Road Width: 22 feet
Sidewalk Width: 3 feet on each side
Cars crossing the bridge daily: 15,000
Parking
There are three parking possibilities here. Two are for free and the second one requires a fee if you don’t own the State Park Discovery Pass.
Free parking is located coming from the north just before you go on the bridge of to the right. The next parking possibility is on Pass Island to your left after you crossed the first span coming from the north. It’s just a small turn out and might be full. There is a historical marker and small observation platform on Pass Island. Be careful here when you try to make a left. Don’t stop traffic rather keep on going and turn around at the next parking lot if there is a lot of traffic. That’s also the parking area where you have to pay a fee to park. If you are on a vacation trip and plan to visit more sites in Washington State you might want to look into getting a Discover Pass for the Washington State Parks.
Geocaching
For the geocachers under you. There is a cool earth cache located on Pass Island and several more caches throughout the park.
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Peter has a passion for Traveling, Photography, and Geocaching. These are the best ingredients for amazing adventures all over the globe. “Traveling is fun, no matter if you stay in a luxury hotel or travel like a backpacker.” Peter shares his experiences on his Blog www.gatetoadventures.com
Some of Peter’s photos are published on corporate websites, in-flight magazines, travel guides, and much more.