This Washington State Park Makes Top 5 Most Beautiful List

Washington has over 160 state parks and one of them has earned a fifth place ranking for beauty in the entire country by the digital travel publisher Travel Lens.

The Washington state park system has something for everyone's interest; recreation, solitude, history, wildlife or the pure spectacle of mother nature.

That is where Deception Pass State Park stands out as one of the most scenic in the U.S. according to Travel Lens surveys.

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How to get to Deception Pass State Park

Deception Pass State Park is about 90 minutes from Seattle and sits on portions of Fidalgo and Whidbey Islands.

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You may not have visited, but you have likely seen the breathtaking Deception Pass bridge that is the subject of Google searches across the country, luring visitors to the northwest. Travel Lens said Deception Pass was ranked 4th in the country for most Instagrammed state parks.

Why Deception Pass is so noteworthy

The Washington State Parks Commission says Deception Pass State Park is Washington's most-visited for a reason; boasting mysterious coves, rugged cliffs, jaw-dropping sunsets, and the iconic and stomach-dropping high bridge over Deception Pass.

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The park offers fishing and swimming in Cranberry Lake. Beachcombing for miles along Puget Sound. Hiking through forests and magnificent views along the bluffs. Bring your binoculars Wildlife And birdwatchers fill their field guides with notes. You may see a whale or a family of seals as you gaze on wild waters. Deception Pass State Park celebrated a centennial in 1922. The Washington State Park Commission estimated up to 3.5 million people visited in 2021, on par with the top 10 attendance figures at national parks in the U.S.

Don't miss Deception Pass' free First Day Hike

As part of the Washington State Parks "First Day Hike" program, access to Deception Pass will be free during the First Day Hike on January 1, 2024 from 10am to 12pm. There are multiple levels of hikes plus additional activities, like a scavenger hunt, planned.