Fort Ebey State Park RV & Campground Guide

A small lake in the park offers freshwater fishing, particularly for smallmouth bass. In addition to regular fishing, the park offers shellfishing and seaweed harvesting on the beach. If you plan to fish or hunt for shellfish or seaweed, you will need appropriate fishing licenses.

Treasure hunters can find a number of caches in the park, including traditional caches. The park also participates in state-wide geocaching challenges, and the park is a must-visit for anyone trying to fill their state park geocache passport.

Smith and Minor Island Aquatic Reserve is just to the north, and lots of animals that thrive in the reserve swim near or fly to the park’s shore. These includes grey whales and orcas in the summer. Sea lions and otters come and go from the area, and the park is a fantastic place for birding. Guests frequently spot avian superstars like bald eagles and kingfishers.

Whidbey Island, where the park is located, is known for stargazing. The area isn’t densely populated, and the surrounding water isolates the park, cutting down on light pollution. It’s a fun place to bring a telescope and star chart. Keep in mind that cooler months will have less atmospheric haze, but stargazing is so good that nearby towns have stargazing events in the summer.

The park includes multiple ecological zones, and plants vary from sedge and cattails to Western hemlock, Douglas fir, willow, red cedar, and maple trees. The area also has plenty of snowberry, elderberry, and huckleberry plants. The wildlife is just as diverse, including black-tailed deer, sea otters, sea lions, porpoises, orcas, grey whales, and coyotes.

The park offers miles of trails, and the best route to see all the area has to offer is the Fort Ebey State Park Loop. The loop includes multiple trails, including the Bluff Trail, which offers incredible views of the Olympic Mountains. The whole loop is 7.1 miles and moderately difficult. Families hiking with children may enjoy the Lake Pondilla Loop. It’s an easy 1.4-mile hike around the park’s freshwater lake with lots of opportunities for bird watching.

Paddle boarding and kayaking are extremely popular in the park. The park overlooks the entrance to the Puget Sound, and the aquatic reserve to the north encourages lots of wildlife you may encounter while paddling, so be on the lookout for whales, sea lions, and otters. Paddling here is also more like boating on the ocean than paddling on a lake, so take all necessary precautions. Although there aren’t kayak and paddle board rentals in the park proper, there are many nearby.

The coast is largely rocky, and while plenty of people enjoy water sports in the area, it isn’t always great for swimming. Swimming is allowed, however, and splashing in the shallows is a refreshing thrill if you have good water shoes to protect your feet.

Bikes are welcome in the park, and essentially all the trails are mountain bike friendly. Bikers should take special care to mind hikers, however, especially on trails near steep drops, like the Bluff Trail.