Best State Parks in Washington: 16 Worth the Drive

Washington packs more variety into one state park system than almost anywhere in the country. In a single day you can walk beneath old growth cedars on a foggy island, then drive east and stand at the lip of a desert canyon carved by Ice Age floods. With 146 parks to choose from, though, the hard part is knowing where to point the car.

This is our shortlist of the best state parks in Washington, grouped by region so you can plan around wherever you are headed. Some are famous for a reason. A few are quieter picks worth the extra miles. Every one of them earns its spot. A Washington State Discover Pass is required for vehicle access at all of them, available as an annual pass or a single day pass, and each park below links to our full guide with hours, camping, and trail details.

Want the complete list instead of the highlights? Browse all 146 parks in our Washington State Parks directory.

Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands

Deception Pass State Park is Washington’s most visited state park, and one look at the bridge tells you why. The span links Whidbey and Fidalgo islands high above a churning tidal channel, with forest and beach trails, camping, and kayaking below. Come early on summer weekends, because everyone else has the same idea.

Moran State Park on Orcas Island is the largest park in the San Juans. Drive or hike to the stone tower on top of Mount Constitution for the finest view in the islands, then spend the rest of the trip among five freshwater lakes, waterfalls, and more than 38 miles of trail. You will want a ferry reservation to bring a car across.

Lime Kiln Point State Park on San Juan Island is nicknamed Whale Watch Park, and it is one of the best places on earth to see orcas from shore in summer. A historic 1919 lighthouse sits above the rocky shoreline. Bring binoculars and some patience.

Larrabee State Park near Bellingham holds a special title: it was Washington’s very first state park. It sits on the Chuckanut coast where the mountains drop straight into the sea, with tide pools at Wildcat Cove, two mountain lakes above, and shady campsites.

The Olympic Peninsula and Pacific Coast

Cape Disappointment State Park guards the spot where the Columbia River finally meets the Pacific. It has two historic lighthouses, the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center perched on the bluff, big surf, and cabins and yurts if you want to stay the night in the weather.

Fort Worden Historical State Park in Port Townsend is a former coast artillery post reborn as an arts campus. You can explore the concrete gun batteries, walk the long beach out to the Point Wilson Lighthouse, and even stay in restored officers’ quarters.

Fort Flagler Historical State Park on Marrowstone Island pairs a big waterfront campground with more historic gun emplacements and wide low tide beaches. The views across the shipping lanes to the Olympics are the kind you plan a trip around.

The Cascades and the Columbia Gorge

Wallace Falls State Park near Gold Bar has one of the most popular waterfall hikes in the Cascade foothills. A well graded trail climbs to a tiered falls that drops hundreds of feet, close enough to make an easy day trip from Seattle. Start early on weekends to beat the crowd.

Lake Chelan State Park sits on the sunny south shore of Lake Chelan, more than 50 miles long, in the heart of Washington orchard and wine country. Its swimming beach, boat launch, and lakeside campsites make it a summer family favorite.

Beacon Rock State Park in the Columbia River Gorge is built around an 848 foot basalt monolith. The switchback trail bolted into the rock face is an engineering marvel and a Gorge rite of passage, and the nearby Hamilton Mountain hike adds waterfalls and big overlooks.

Eastern Washington: Coulees, Desert, and Ice Age Geology

Steamboat Rock State Park rises straight out of Banks Lake in the Grand Coulee, a flat topped basalt butte you can hike to the top of. Add a large campground and a warm water swimming beach and you have the best base for exploring the coulee country.

Sun Lakes Dry Falls State Park overlooks Dry Falls, which was once the largest waterfall on earth during the Ice Age floods and is now a stark cliff above a chain of lakes. The scale of the geology here is hard to believe until you stand at the overlook.

Palouse Falls State Park protects Palouse Falls, the official state waterfall of Washington, which plunges about 198 feet into a canyon the Ice Age floods carved. It is a short walk from the parking area to a view that stops people in their tracks.

Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park near Vantage is one of the most unusual fossil sites in the country, where ancient logs turned to stone. Interpretive trails, Native petroglyphs, and Columbia River overlooks round out a stop that feels like nowhere else in the state.

The Spokane Region

Mount Spokane State Park is the largest state park in Washington, climbing to a summit of about 5,880 feet with views into Idaho and Montana. It is a downhill and cross country ski destination in winter and a wildflower and mountain biking playground in summer.

Riverside State Park sprawls along the Spokane River just outside the city. Its signature is the Bowl and Pitcher, a set of dramatic basalt formations crossed by a swinging suspension bridge, with miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding right at the edge of town.

How to Make the Most of a Washington State Park Trip

Summer is prime time for the mountains, the islands, and the eastern desert, while the coast and Puget Sound reward shoulder season visits when the crowds thin out. Popular campgrounds like Deception Pass, Steamboat Rock, and Lake Chelan book up months ahead for summer weekends, so reserve early. If the San Juan Islands are on your list, reserve the ferry just as far ahead. And whichever park you choose, tuck a Discover Pass on the dashboard before you go.

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