Venue Category: Washington

Washington water fans, look no further! Bust out your kayak, sand bucket, swimsuit or fishing rod, and head straight for Dash Point State Park!

Hidden in plain sight between Seattle and Tacoma, this park offers miles of forested hiking and biking trails, but its main draw is the beach. The shoreline narrows at high tide, bringing anglers out to its pier. Low tide turns the sand flats into a play destination for locals, families with children and hip skim boarders surfing the shallow water.

Dash Point has become a hotspot for skim boarding, which consists of throwing a small, thin board into shallow water, jumping onto it and riding it like a cross between a surf board and a skateboard. Low tide at Dash Point provides ideal conditions for this activity, and this is a popular place for skim boarding camps, competitions and gatherings on the park’s sandy shores.

While boarders chase the ultimate ride, birders can see a multitude of shore birds and raptors. Beach explorers will find starfish and crabs. Budding botanists can identify a rich variety of trees, plants and flowers.

Whether you’re out for an afternoon or a camping trip, whether you’re watching your kids, the birds or the boarders, you’ll be delighted by this oasis tucked between two urban hubs.

A rare cluster of old-growth trees creates an inspiring shadow to stand in. Rainbow Falls State Park, 16 miles west of Chehalis, is a walker’s paradise. Miles of loamy trails wind through the forest and along the river, to a small cascade that throws rainbows of spray at the sun.

Tree lovers, maybe you’d rather see towering Douglas-fir, western hemlock and western red cedar trees from your bike or the back of your steed. Many of the park trails are mixed-use, and if you need more, take to the nearby Willapa Hills State Park Trail, a rails-to-trails fixture that goes over trestles and bridges, through forest, farmland and tiny towns.

Rainbow Falls is the obvious overnight stop for hikers, cyclists and horseback riders tackling the developed 22 miles of Willapa Hills Trail from Chehalis to Pe El. Such explorers may stay at hiker/biker campsites, or camp with their horses in one of two equestrian sites.

Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935, Rainbow Falls showcases several structures designed in the rustic style of the National Park Service during the Great Depression, including kitchen shelters and comfort stations still in use today.

Deception Pass is Washington’s most-visited state park for a reason. Mysterious coves, rugged cliffs, jaw-dropping sunsets, and a stomach-dropping high bridge make this park a go-to for locals and international travelers alike.

Attend an interpretive program to learn about the park’s cultural and natural history. Check out the Washington State Park – Calendar for the full list of programs.

Deception Pass State Park spreads over 3,854 acres, a marine and camping park with 77,000 feet of saltwater shoreline and 33,900 feet of freshwater shoreline on three lakes. The park is actually located on two islands — Fidalgo to the north and Whidbey to the south. The Canoe Pass and Deception Pass bridges connect the two islands, creating a gateway for exploration.

Kukutali Preserve on Kiket Island is the newest state park property at Deception Pass. Co-owned and co-managed by the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and Washington State Parks, this area welcomes visitors to bask in its old-growth forest, which ends at stunning views of Fidalgo, Hope, and Skagit islands. Flagstaff Point beyond a neck of land is off-limits to people, to protect a rare environment called a “rocky bald,” which supports fragile native plant communities. Pets are not allowed in any area of the preserve.