Camp & Hike at the Deception Pass Headlands

THE TRAIL:
On the north side of the bridge, you'll come across Rosario Rd. Take this down to the Bowman Bay parking lot and your trailhead begins here. Take a moment to walk out on the fishing pier or watch what people are catching before you continue south on the trail towards Lottie Bay/Lighthouse Point. You'll come to an intersection that offers a fork to the left for Pass Lake/Highway 20, but keep to the right.

Soon enough, you'll hit a second intersection. You can opt to continue on towards Lighthouse Point here or take the left fork to do the quick 0.5 mile trail around Lottie Point. If you opt for the Lottie Point trail before continuing on, you'll have some great views of Deception and Canoe pass and the iconic bridge. This trail will bring you back around to where you left off and from here you can head towards Lighthouse Point.

Walking further on this trail you'll come to another fork that you'll recognize by a large burned and hollowed-out tree. Take the left fork to loop around the Lighthouse Point for some great views of North Beach across the way. When you come to the spot where you can drop down to the beach, take the opportunity to climb out on a large grassy outcrop and enjoy a snack over the water.

Continuing on, you'll get some great views of Puget Sound from higher up on the bluffs. Explore around these headlands and then loop back the way you came, following the same trail you came in on back to your car. Keep in mind that there are lots of little trails snaking around this higher area that generally end up taking you nowhere. It's easiest to just came back the way you came on the obvious loop otherwise you may end up bushwhacking.

Once you get back to the parking lot, keep on walking right past it towards Rosario Head to the north of Bowman Bay. Along the way you'll come across a totem pole of Kwuh-kwal-uhl-wut, the Maiden of Deception Pass and a legend of the Coast Salish people. Follow the trail to Rosario Head and enjoy the wide open expanse of the Sound. This is a great spot for a picnic or sunset before heading back the way you came to your car.

There are some good places to eat in Anacortes on your way back, but if you can hold out until Mt. Vernon then take yourself to the Skagit River Brewery for a well-deserved beer and good meal.

CAMPING:
There are three options for camping at Deception Pass State Park: Cranberry Lake, Quarry Pond, and Bowman Bay. If you're planning on a winter trip; however, Quarry Pond will be your only option as the other two are closed seasonally. Keep in mind that in summer, camping reservations are in high demand and it's best to make your reservations as far out as possible. In winter, however, it's easy to show up without a reservation to Quarry Pond and find a free site. For advance reservations, make your plans here.

Don't forget your Discover Pass.