Hi, I'm Eric.

I’m an avid world traveler, photographer, software developer, and digital storyteller.

I help implement the Content Authenticity Initiative at Adobe.

ericscouten.com

Subscribe / Follow · Now

ericscouten.com

Subscribe / Follow · Now

Search Results

125
Deception Pass State Park
125

Deception Pass State Park

south of Anacortes, Washington
visited many times 2007–2023
Back to parks list

The bridge at Deception Pass has to be one of the most-photographed locations in Washington state. It’s easy to see why: The turbulent waters and rugged landscapes create textures not often seen elsewhere. Pair that with sunset colors or foggy weather and it’s just sublime.

I’ve lived in Washington for nearly 20 years and yet had not explored the rest of this park until this year. I was happy to find so much more beyond the iconic photos here.

But first … the bridge. I spent a long weekend here with my friend Peter Hawkins when he came through for a visit in 2007. We had the luck of a colorful sunset one evening and foggy weather the next morning. Here’s what I made of those conditions:

Lost and Unlost

Fast-forward to 2023 and I’m back to explore more deeply. I’ve made time to stay off the bridge and see the rest of the park.

We’ll start at Rosario Beach on the north side of the pass:

A gravel beach along calm blue water at Rosario Beach, with a long wooden pier and a floating dock extending into the bay under a clear blue sky. Evergreen forest covers a rocky headland on the right, and weathered driftwood logs lie in the foreground.
A large weathered driftwood root system, its bleached and twisted branches splayed out, rests on a gravel and sand beach under a clear blue sky. Evergreen trees and pink wild roses line the shore, with a forested rocky headland curving out toward calm water in the distance.
A tall weathered wood carving of a Native American woman raising one arm to hold up a fish, standing in a field of green brush with evergreen forest and clear blue sky behind it. The sculpture, known as The Maiden of Deception Pass, is shot from below against a bright summer sky.
A narrow dirt trail climbs a grassy hillside dotted with weathered fir and madrone-like trees under a clear blue sky, with a sliver of ocean water visible on the left through the trees.
A dirt trail winds along a dry, golden grassy bluff overlooking calm blue water, with a small tree-covered rocky island offshore and distant mountain ranges under a clear blue sky.

On another day, I started with an early-morning trek through Cranberry Lake and the trails on the south side of the pass:

A calm, dark-blue lake reflecting a wide sky filled with wispy cirrus clouds streaking across a pale blue morning, with a low tree-lined shore of evergreens along the far horizon.
A dirt trail winds through a coastal evergreen forest, with tall Douglas fir and other conifer trunks framing a view of blue water and a forested shoreline in the distance under a partly cloudy sky. Leafy green underbrush lines the path in the early morning light.
A steel arch bridge spans a forested channel of water at Deception Pass, with wooded cliffs rising on either side under a soft, cloudy morning sky. In the foreground a pebbly beach scattered with driftwood curves along the shoreline where gentle waves meet the sand.
A narrow dirt hiking trail winds through a coastal forest at Deception Pass State Park, passing beside the massive gnarled, lichen-covered trunk of an old conifer on the right, with strands of pale hanging moss draping from surrounding tree branches.
A quiet sand-and-pebble beach curving along a calm bay in the morning, with weathered driftwood logs lining the shore, evergreen forest crowding the left edge, and a small tree-covered island offshore under a blue sky streaked with wispy clouds.
A steel arch bridge spans a narrow tree-lined channel of water under a soft, overcast morning sky. In the foreground, dark rocky cliffs topped with evergreens drop to a small pebble beach where waves wash ashore, with a forested hillside on the far shore.

Did I mention the waters were choppy? Watch as this fishing(?) boat fights its way through the waves to the open ocean beyond. (Notice the sailboat rocking back and forth near the end of the video!)

A dirt hiking trail forks through a dense evergreen forest of tall firs and cedars, with green undergrowth on either side and a glimpse of water and a distant forested shoreline visible through the trees on the left.
A large weathered driftwood stump with sprawling roots sits on a pebbly beach, backed by a forested shoreline of evergreens, with calm blue water, distant small islands, and a bright blue sky with wispy clouds in the morning light.
A dirt hiking trail winds through a dense evergreen forest, bordered on the left by a rustic wooden rail fence with a drop-off beyond and on the right by a moss-covered rocky embankment dotted with ferns. Tall conifers rise toward a pale sky in the morning light.
An elevated coastal view over calm blue water at Deception Pass State Park, with a forested rocky shoreline curving along the left, a small tree-covered island in the distance, and evergreen boughs framing the foreground under a partly cloudy morning sky.
A symmetrical view from directly beneath a steel truss bridge, showing the intricate green-painted riveted girders and crossbracing receding toward the far span. Through the framework, forested rocky shorelines and the blue-green water of the pass are visible under an overcast sky, with a dirt bank at the bottom of the frame.
A narrow dirt hiking trail winds through a dense evergreen forest at Deception Pass State Park, bordered by lush sword ferns, a decaying mossy log, and tall conifer trunks under a green canopy.
A small white cabin cruiser with an outboard motor speeds through the calm gray waters of a forested channel, leaving a white wake behind it, under an overcast morning sky. Evergreen-covered shorelines rise on both sides, with pine branches framing the top of the frame.
A rocky beach strewn with weathered gray driftwood logs and smooth pebbles stretches toward a calm blue sea, with a grassy dune bluff on the left and a partly cloudy morning sky overhead.
A narrow paved road curves gently through a dense evergreen forest, lined with tall conifers, moss-covered trunks, and lush green ferns, with a glimpse of water visible through the trees on the left.
A narrow dirt hiking trail winds up a forested slope past the tall, lichen-covered trunks of evergreen conifers, with lush green ferns and undergrowth carpeting the ground under an overcast white sky.

For more information:

If you’ve enjoyed this …

Subscribe to my free and occasional (never more than weekly) e-mail newsletter with my latest travel and other stories:

Or follow me on one or more of the socials: