Popular with locals and international travelers alike, Deception Pass State Park in Washington State Park spreads over two islands in Puget Sound. Saltwater and freshwater shorelines, old-growth forests and an impossibly high bridge offer plenty of outdoor activities for a day, with camping opportunities to extend your stay.
The two-lane, 180 feet tall Deception Pass Bridge connects the two islands, and it is also a destination on its own. One of the most photographed landmarks in Puget Sound, it is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Walking Across Deception Pass Bridge
I don’t think I’ve ever known of my fear of heights until I walked on the Deception Pass Bridge. Climbing pyramids and standing on top of them high above the jungle canopy, climbing lookout towers on rickety, open stairways didn’t bother me much. It wasn’t always easy, but I managed without feeling too scared.
But walking across Deception Pass Bridge was terrifying for me, made much worse because hundreds of people kept walking across both ways, chatting, stopping, laughing, at ease. My girls stopped to look down and take tons of photos. I did, too, though it wasn’t easy.
I was making my way without too much of a hassle though when I saw my younger daughter bend over the rail. That’s when I lost it and screamed at her. She looked back at me, unfazed. “Relax, mom. This is why your hair is turning grey,” she told me. “You worry too much about everything we do. I was fine.” Easy for her to say. Though I knew she was in no danger, the image scared me to death. She might be right, I probably aged another few years in those moments.
It seemed like I was the only one worried about anything among hundreds of people crossing this bridge back and forth. Embarrassed, I was trying hard not to let anyone notice I was shaking inside as I walked. I even stopped in the middle to take a few photos.
The views on both sides were gorgeous, breathtaking (literally, in my case), worth the walk. Even if you’re scared of heights.
About Deception Pass Bridge
The steel bridge, one of the scenic wonders of the Pacific Northwest, connects Whidbey and Fidalgo Islands. The two-lane bridge, with pedestrian walkways on both sides, is one of the most photographed landmarks in Puget Sound, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Before the bridge, travelers used a ferry to cross between the islands. Since the ferry wasn’t on a schedule, they would have to call it. In an era before cell phones, they banged a saw with a mallet – I guess that sound travels far – and sat back to wait. It was a much slower pace of travel.
With cars and people wanting to travel more and in a more convenient manner, the State of Washington decided they needed a bridge. So they built it, between 1934 and 1935.
Its height from the water is about 180 feet, more or less depending on the tide. Doesn’t seem extreme, but looking straight down, it’s a lot of height.
It comprises not one, but two bridges, connecting the two larger islands through a tiny one, called Pass Island. The total length of both is 1487 feet or 0.45 km. Not bad, but long for a high and narrow bridge, especially when it has a lot of car traffic on it, it is scary to walk across.
You can’t get a true feel for it from the car though, so they set up parking lots on both sides, for those interested to stop, walk through this marvel of architecture and enjoy the views. Although the sidewalk is so narrow, you have to walk single file on it, the views are spectacular.
Why the Name “Deception Pass”? A Bit of History
If you are like me, you wonder who named this place Deception Pass and why? I had to find out. Turns out that Captain George Vancouver gave it the name “Deception” because the pass deceived him into thinking Whidbey Island was a peninsula.
The area was home to people of different Coast Salish tribes for thousands of years before Vancouver saw it, and I’m sure they had a different name for it, though I could not find out what it was.
The first Europeans who saw Deception Pass were Spaniards, members of an expedition set out in 1790 by Manuel Quimper on the Princesa Real. They named the pass Boca de Flon.
The four-year-long Vancouver expedition, sent by the Royal Navy between 1791 and 1795, was mapping the area. A group of sailors from the expedition, led by Joseph Whidbey, eventually found Deception Pass. Not on their first attempt though.
After exploring the area the first time, Whidbey returned thinking Whidbey Island and Fidalgo Island were part of a long peninsula attached to the mainland. Only when they returned later, they found out that in fact, these were islands.
Exploring the Area Today
As hard as it was to explore the area for members of the early expeditions, roads and trails make it easy today. You can just stop in one of the parking lots, walk on the bridge, enjoy the views, and continue on your way. But when you look down at the beach below, you might feel you’ll want to stop and stay awhile. At least that’s how we felt.
The perfect opportunity for this is the Deception Pass State Park, with the entrance close to the bridge. Considering it is the most visited state park in Washington, I suspect that we are not alone in our quest to explore the area near the bridge.
The Park comprises areas on both Fidalgo and Whidbey Islands and includes three lakes besides the gorgeous ocean shoreline and trails in old-growth forests.
Spending A Day In Deception Pass State Park
After driving through the gate at Deception Pass State Park, I felt like we were in a maze, with narrow, small roads leading in all directions in the middle of a forest. I’m not good with maps, every time I am a navigator, we end up getting lost. Not that it mattered in this case, we wanted to explore the whole park, but the map once again confused me. So, to start out with, we took the road that led to North Beach.
A short walk through the forest got us out onto the beach, with a gorgeous view of Deception Pass Bridge and the surrounding islands. The weather was perfect, a pleasant breeze accompanied us as we made our way to the far side of the beach.
The tide was coming in by the time we went back, so it was more difficult to pass around one of the outcropping rocks without getting wet, but we managed.
Later in the day, we drove towards West Beach, taking the road through the campsites and around Cranberry Lake. We parked at West Point and walked around.
A sunny day in the Pacific Northwest brings people outside. As much as we hide from the sun in Phoenix, people here love it and enjoy it. With plenty of amenities for picnics, boat rentals, and campsites, this side of the park was the most crowded.
We didn’t stay long, just enough to notice we had a better view of Deception Island from here, though none of the Bridge.
It Was Just Another Beautiful Day in the Pacific Northwest
By the time we left the park, we felt that we spent another perfect day in the Pacific Northwest. In one park alone, we walked on the beach, across a historic bridge, and in an old-growth forest. I don’t know of many places where we can do all this in one day.
I felt lucky to be able to visit this place before returning to Mount Rainier National Parkand returning home from there.
