Print

Deception Pass Headlands Trail

Parent Category: Islands
Created: 23 June 2014
Address: 41229 Washington 20 Oak Harbor, WA 98277
Roundtrip: 5 miles
Elevation Gain: 350 ft
Highest Point: 110 ft
Features: Coast, Old growth, Mountain views
Visitors' Info: Good for Kids
GPS Coordinates: N 48 25.013, W 122 39.070
Information: Discovery Pass Required

Photo from North Cascades, Anacortes Island, Deception Pass State ParkPictures below will take you on a virtual tour around the park! Enjoy the trail that runs here!

Description:

Deception Pass Headlands Trail is a picturesque trail that runs along Deception Pass State Park. It offers wonderful views from the rugged cliffs, stunning views of sand dunes, green forest and blue waters of the lakes.

Photo from North Cascades, Anacortes Island, Deception Pass State Park

Deception Pass State Park is a great 4,134-acre park with wonderful recreational possibilities. This State Park offers 77,000 feet of saltwater shoreline and almost 34,000 feet of freshwater shoreline. Deception Pass State Park offers not only great opportunities for hiking and camping, but also stunning and breathtaking views of the nature, old-growth trees, sand dunes, different kinds of birds and animals.

The best way to explore the park is to go hiking, the state park provides about 40 miles of well-maintained hiking trails. The Headlands Trail is the most popular, because it runs through the park along the most beautiful parts of the park.

It should be also said that the park is famous for its rugged cliffs that provide nice views and hiking trails that go through sand dunes and green forest.

Photo from North Cascades, Anacortes Island, Deception Pass State Park

Experts recommend starting your hike from the CCC Interpretive Center to Rosario Head and then back, the other way is also great, you hike in other direction to Lottie Point and Lighthouse Point. It should be mentioned that in the interpretive center travelers learn a lot about the Depression-era program and the results of it. For this region it had a great influence, because it turned Deception Pass in one of the most visited and well-maintained parks in the region.

In order to thoroughly explore the Headlands, hike to Rosario Head, choose the Bowman Bay Rosario Beach Trail, which is located near the campground. Hikers enjoy wonderful views of the Olympic Mountains and the waters of the lake.

If you go west, the trail will take you through the forest, opening great views of Bowman Bay. On your way back, be sure to go along the beach to the pier and the boat launch. Shortly, you are recommended to take an unmarked trail that takes you to Pass Lake. The trail continues to run along Lottie Bay and then climbs and loops around Lottie Point, offering great views.

Photo from North Cascades, Anacortes Island, Deception Pass State Park

To prevent accidents, hikers are asked to take the main trail. The trail to Lighthouse Point also offers great views of the park. In order to enjoy the diversity of the park, the visitors are encouraged to visit Deception Pass Bridge.

Also keep in mind that mountain biking is allowed only in marked places. This park is also famous among fishermen, who come here for wonderful opportunities of fishing in salt and fresh waters.

Don’t forget that a recreational license is required for fishing and shellfish harvesting at Washington state parks.

The park also offers comfortable kitchen shelters, which were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. There is a great number of sheltered and unsheltered picnic tables throughout the park.

There is a wonderful observation deck that overlooks the wetlands and the waters of the Cranberry Lake. Lots of signs explain about the ecosystem and the vegetation of the region.

Young visitors of the park will surely enjoy a playground and easy hiking trails that are family-friendly.

Directions:

From Interstate 5

 
Take Exit 230 on Interstate 5, go west on State Route 20 for about 12 miles till the junction with the SR 20 spur, which continues to Anacortes. Turn left on SR 20 - toward Oak Harbor and go for five miles, turning right onto Rosario Road, immediately after passing Pass Lake. Turn left toward Bowman Bay, follow this park road for about 0.4 mile until you see day-use parking. Water and restrooms are available at the parking lot.

These pictures were taken on June 12, 2014

In order to get the directions click on the link below:

Photo: Roman Khomlyak

Photo Editing: Pavlo Petryshyn

Information: Marina Petrova