Blake Island Marine State Park

Blake Island Marine State Park: Boat In Camping Within Sight of Seattle

Blake Island Marine State Park covers a 472 acre forested island in central Puget Sound, west of Seattle and just off the Kitsap shore near Manchester. The whole island is park: driftwood scattered beaches, more than 7 miles of trails, 44 campsites and a small marina, with views of the Seattle skyline and Mount Rainier. There is no bridge and, since 2021, no scheduled ferry, so you arrive by your own boat, kayak or paddleboard.

Find more campgrounds like Blake Island Marine State Park in our guide to camping in Washington State

Blake Island Marine State Park Fast Facts

Park Overview

Blake Island is the reputed birthplace of Chief Seattle, and it was a Suquamish camping ground long before it was a park. In the early 1900s it was the private estate of the Trimble family, and the park map still marks the site of the Trimble Estate near the marina. Today the island is almost entirely forest, ringed by beaches and crossed by trails, with the marina and the main campground at its northeast end.

The island is also at a crossroads. Argosy Cruises ended its Tillicum Village trips in 2021, visits fell to less than half of what they were before the pandemic, the longhouse sits empty, and the marina needs repairs and dredging estimated at $30 million. Washington State Parks is working on a master plan for the island’s future. In the meantime the campsites, trails and moorage are open to anyone who can get there by water.

Activities & Recreation

The trails are the heart of a stay. The Perimeter Road circles the island through forest above the beaches, and the Blue, Red and Cross Island trails cut through the middle, so you can build a loop of almost any length. Crabbing and clamming need a license and follow seasons set by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Blake Island is also one of 24 Washington state parks with geocaches hidden within its boundaries.

Facilities & Amenities

The large day use area has more than 20 picnic tables and barbecue braziers, and two picnic shelters can be reserved. There is a restroom with showers on the east side, a restroom on the west side and 2 vault toilets, and potable water is available. The park store at the ranger office sells snacks, ice, fire logs, souvenirs and daily and annual moorage permits. Every campsite has a bear box for food storage, which matters more for the island’s raccoons than for any bears. There is no garbage service anywhere on the island, and a helipad is kept for emergencies.

Camping & Accommodations

Blake Island has 44 standard campsites open year round. Select sites can be reserved from May 15 to Sept. 15, up to nine months ahead, and the rest are first come, first served, with site information at the registration booth. Sites on the main side hold up to eight people and sites on the west side up to six. Three Cascadia Marine Trail sites on the west point are reserved for people arriving by human or wind powered craft. The group camp holds up to 50 people, with an Adirondack shelter that sleeps eight and a grass area for tents.

Check in is 2:30 p.m. and check out is 1 p.m. Stays are limited to 10 days from April 1 to Sept. 30 and 20 days the rest of the year. A camping reservation does not guarantee moorage, so boaters should plan a backup.

Planning Your Visit

Getting there is the whole trip. Boaters can use 1,500 feet of dock and 23 mooring buoys, all first come, first served with a three night limit, and fees apply year round from 1 p.m. to 8 a.m. Boats longer than 45 feet cannot use the buoys, and electrical service is available at the dock for a fee. Paddlers face an open water crossing with ferry and ship traffic, so watch the forecast, tides and currents and cross in calm conditions. A Discover Pass covers parking at state managed launch sites; on the island you pay camping and moorage fees. Current alerts, including burn bans, are posted on this page. For the rest of your trip, see our Port Orchard and Seattle guides.

What to Bring & Know

• All the food and drinks for your stay; the park store carries only snacks, ice, fire logs and souvenirs
• Heavy trash bags, because there is no garbage service and nothing may be burned in the fire pits
• A marine forecast, tide and current tables, and a VHF radio for the crossing
• A card for moorage, which you can pay by phone at the buoys
• Layers and rain gear, since weather on the water turns faster than it does in town

Blake Island Through Our Eyes

Lisa Mize spent a weekend on Blake Island and shared her experience on EWS. As someone who lives on a boat on Puget Sound, Lisa brings a perspective on this water-access-only island that no landlocked traveler could match.

→ Read Lisa’s Weekend on Blake Island

The park’s own brochure names two nearby state parks: Manchester and Illahee. For more, see our Washington state parks guide.

Final Word

Blake Island rewards the effort it takes to reach it: a forested island with its own beaches and trails, a campsite under the trees, and the Seattle skyline lighting up across the water after dark.