Washington State Parks

For a fun, quick, respite from the hustle and bustle of being over worked and overloaded with a hectic home life, Battle Ground Lake State Park , is the perfect place to escape to the wilderness. It is great for camping, swimming and fishing, it’s located in the Cascade Mountain foothills, with close proximity to Portland and Vancouver. The Lake also boasts shallow water swim areas for the younger, inexperienced children. It’s also stocked with trout, making it a favorite spot for anglers. The park, which features 275 acres for biking, hiking and horse trails, also has an area for equestrian camping.

18002 Northeast 249th Street, Battle Ground, WA, Phone: 360-687-4621.

Cape Disappointment State Park is far from being a “disappointment”. The Columbia River and Pacific Ocean waves collide with one another with a crash.

The Cape was named after Captain John Meares. It is rich with Northwest history, like how to defend a Fort from war ships and how to stage a war from a cliff.

The Cape also features a center for interactive exhibits. The 2,023-acre Cape has freshwater lakes, saltwater marshes and ocean tidelands. There are places to catch crab and salmon, and even a special spot for clam-digging. The multi-faceted history of Cape Disappointment will have you longing to return.

244 Robert Gray Drive, Ilwaco, WA, Phone: 888-226-7688

Located in north central Washington, Conconully State Park features a 5,400-foot freshwater shoreline and a 97-acre park making it the ideal place for campers and anglers alike.

The park has two lakes – Lower Conconully Reservoir where the park resides and Upper Conconully Reservoir also known as Salmon Lake. The latter is a popular spot for fishing where rainbow trout, Kokanee, and smallmouth bass are abundant.

Other summer activities include swimming, waterskiing, mountain biking, and wildlife viewing. While the park facilities are closed during the winter, there are still plenty of outdoor activities including dog-sledding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling.

119 Broadway Street, Conconully, WA, Phone: 509-826-7408

Romantic Washington State Parks

Known as the “Jewel” of Washington’s State Parks, Curlew Lake State Park is located just 25 miles from the Canadian border with an 87-acre camping area.

Boasting 5.5 miles of shoreline, Curlew Lake is popular for swimming, fishing, waterskiing, boating, and other personal watercrafts like jet skis. Birdwatching, wildlife viewing, hiking and biking are also common activities here.

Located just 8 miles away from the lake is the famous Stone Rose site located in the charming town of Republic. This fossil digging site is open to the public making it a favorite stop for archeology enthusiasts and children alike.

62 State Park Road, Republic, WA, Phone: 509-775-3592

Featuring 581 acres including 7,400 feet of ocean frontage, Grayland Beach State Park offers year-round camping for RVs as well as their onsite yurts.

With wide sandy beaches sunbathing, beach walking, and sand castling are favorite past times here as well as swimming, surfing, fishing, clamming, and crabbing.

A recreational license is mandatory for shellfish harvesting and saltwater fishing. There are also several trails that begin at the beach circle the campground and lead through grassy dunes and shore pines making it an ideal destination for bird and other wildlife viewing. The beach is also a popular destination for kite-flying enthusiasts.

925 Cranberry Beach Road, Grayland, WA, Phone: 360-267-4301

Just a few minutes east of the 5 Freeway, surrounded by farmland and rolling hills, Ike Kinswa State Park is situated on beautiful Mayfield Lake.

Featuring 421 acres and more than 46,000 feet of peaceful freshwater shoreline along its northside, the park is popular for swimming, boating, and a variety of watersports including paddle boarding and kayaking. Camping options include serene forested tents, RV sites, and lakefront cabins.

Fishing is one of their primary activities with anglers out hoping to catch the wealth of largemouth bass, rainbow trout, and tiger muskie that call these waters home. Other popular activities include hiking along the many trails as well as bird and wildlife viewing.

873 WA-122 Silver Creek, WA, Phone: 360-983-3402

Washington State Parks for Families

With over 86-acres, Illahee State Park has become one of the top spots for geocaching enthusiast’s and metal detecting.

Nestled between Bremerton and Bainbridge Island, Illahee boasts a 1,785-foot-long saltwater shoreline along Port Orchard bay. Visitors can access the park via land or water via a watercraft launch and a dock.

Crabbing, fishing and shellfish harvesting are extremely superb here and during the summer months, the warm lake water is the perfect invitation for water skiers, paddlers, divers and swimmers. For the landlubbers, the park offers horseshoe pits, volleyball courts and a softball field as well as two large naval guns honoring the parks founder, Earl Henry Harkins.

3540 Northeast Sylvan Way, Bremerton, WA, Phone: 360-478-6460

With two lakefront beaches, surrounded by trails weaving through transitory forests and wetlands, Lake Sammamish is as unique as its name. Located just outside Seattle, guests will be able to escape the bustle of the city without spending hours in the car. Lake Sammamish State Park offers a wealth of outdoor activities on water and on land such as swimming, kayaking, paddle-boarding, and waterskiing as well as biking and hiking along 1.5 miles of trails.

For those who don’t have their own equipment, rentals are available at Tibbetts Beach. There are also two baseball/softball fields, sanded volleyball courts, a playground, and several opportunities for bird and wildlife viewing.

2000 Northwest Sammamish Road, Issaquah, WA, Phone: 425-649-4275

Famous for its wildlife, camping at Lake Wenatchee State Park is like sleeping at a safari park as lions, tigers, and bears are ever present here.

Considered an icon in the Northwest, Lake Wenatchee State Park offers 492 acres for year-round camping with over 12,500 feet of beautiful glacier-fed waterfront on Wenatchee River and Wenatchee Lake. These crystal-clear waters are surrounded by peaked mountains, an ideal setting for boaters, standup paddlers, kayakers, and windsurfers.

Rentals are available for those who don’t have their own equipment. There are also miles of trails for biking, hiking and horseback riding during the summer months and cross-country skiing and snowshoeing during the winter.

21588 WA-207, Leavenworth, WA, Phone: 509-763-3101

Nestled between Centralia and Olympia, Millersylvania State Park is a popular “Glamping” destination and RV camping site.

Several of the park’s buildings including the kitchen shelters were constructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, showcasing the beautiful artisan craftsmanship of that era. This 903-acre camping park boasts 3,300 feet of gorgeous freshwater shoreline including two swimming beaches offering a variety of non-motorized watercraft sports.

This includes pedal boats, kayaks, and paddleboards, for those who don’t have their own, rentals are available on the grounds. There are also 7.6 miles of bicycle trails, 8.6 miles of hiking trails, horseshoe pits, and amphitheater, and fire circles.

12245 Tilley Road Southwest, Olympia, WA, Phone: 360-753-1519