Bridge Over Troubled Water

To the typical traveler, the words “Deception Pass” bring to mind a towering steel bridge with commanding views of Puget Sound, but there is much more to be discovered. That bridge is part of Deception Pass State Park. Measuring about 4,000 square acres, the park encompasses the northern end of Whidbey Island as well as a southern section of Fidalgo Island, and includes three pristine lakes. With Highway 20 running through, it’s the most visited state park in Washington.

On a crisp, sunny afternoon, I stood by the railing of the bridge alongside other tourists, staring wide-eyed at the roiling waters below me. “I can see why it’s called ‘Deception Pass,’” I said to the woman next to me, “just look at the crazy way the water is moving . . . almost like it's having a battle with itself.” I nodded to her then looked back down again. “Those currents must be fierce.”

“These are deep, turbulent waters,” the woman agreed. “The currents and cross currents are incredible when the tide is running. But that’s not how the passage got its name.”

Now I was looking back at her, not the water.

She explained that the name came from early British explorers, “Captain George Vancouver, I think.”

She was right. I did some research and found out the British Royal Navy originally thought Whidbey and Fidalgo were peninsulas, part of the mainland. Upon further exploration, Vancouver realized the “deception” and determined they were islands, giving the pass its name. Master Joseph Whidbey, along with Lieutenant Peter Puget, had a role in that expedition, and Vancouver named the island after his friend Whidbey.

The history of Deception Pass, of course, goes back much further. Coastal Salish tribes called this area home for thousands of years.

Deception Pass is known for its iconic bridge and the incredible perspective it provides over this part of Puget Sound. More than a quarter mile in length, there are two spans, actually, connecting Whidbey Island to Fidalgo Island with tiny Pass Island inbetween.

After walking the bridges and enjoying the views, I followed the North Beach Trail, descending to the water’s edge out towards Gun Point. The path curved past mammoth Douglas Fir and Western Red Cedar, bordered by gracefully twisted Madrona growing on the steep bank. Evergreen branches and sword ferns bobbed in the breeze coming off the pass. As I turned toward the water, I passed a timeworn stone and wood-beam picnic shelter and, reaching the beach, was captivated by the view of the pass and the whirlpools and rolling eddies created by the shifting tide. My eyes were continually drawn upward, though, to the bridges standing about 180 feet above me. Gulls circled and rose on the wind coming off the pass and striking the rocky headlands.

With close to 40 miles of trails in the park, I had my choice of old growth forest, rocky outcroppings, freshwater shoreline and saltwater shoreline to explore.

Looking east from the bridges, by the mouth of Cornet Bay, lies 10 acre Ben Ure Island, named after a notorious local criminal. With his partner-in-crime Laurence “Pirate” Kelly, Ure used the island as a hideout while smuggling liquor, opium and Chinese migrants. When the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act banned Chinese nationals from entering the country, human smuggling thrived as immigrants sought work in northwest fish canneries. Ure was arrested several times and spent at least two years in jail.

When I gazed at the neighboring islands in the pass, I saw rounded, thickly forested landmasses with steep rocky banks. Each one appeared so natural and pristine that it was hard to imagine any connection between the islands and forced labor or criminal activity.

In 1910, guards stood watch over a prison rock quarry operated on the Fidalgo Island side of the park area, manned by inmates from Walla Walla State Penitentiary. It was hard labor: blasted bedrock was broken – using sledgehammers – into smaller pieces and loaded into a rock crushing machine. The resulting gravel was barged by tugboats to the expanding Seattle waterfront area. The quarry operated until 1914.

The surrounding natural beauty was undeniable though, and the area became a public park in 1922. Ten years later, during the Great Depression, Roosevelt’s New Deal brought the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) to help develop the park by creating trails, walkways and roads, and constructing buildings and bridges. An interpretive center tells the story of the CCC’s contributions to the park and their work across the state.

The bridges opened in 1935. Prior to that, people wanting to get from Whidbey Island to Fidalgo Island used a ferry, which sailed on an “as needed” basis. Travelers alerted the ferry crew by banging a saw with a mallet, then stood by to make the crossing. Today, about 20,000 cars cross the bridges every day.

Heading back up the trail, I drove from the bridges to the park entrance, where a Discover Pass ($10 for a day visit, or $30 annually) is required. I made my way along a camping area bordering Cranberry Lake, driving out to West Point and then hiking along the Sand Dune Interpretive Trail.

Camping opportunities abound, with three park campgrounds to choose from (172 standard sites and 134 partial-hookup sites / reserve at www.parks.wa.gov). Plan ahead: summer is peak season, and the main campgrounds are usually fully booked. The campgrounds are leashed-dog friendly. There are also some nearby “boater only” island camping opportunities (accessed by kayak, canoe, or rowboat).

If you trailer a boat, there are launches at the park’s three lakes, and sandy beach swimming is available. Those coming to the park from Puget Sound by boat will find a marina, mooring docks, boat launches and nearby marine services.

Deception Pass State Park also has an amphitheater with interpretive programs, a retreat center accommodating up to 70 people, sites designated for group camping and a number of kitchen shelters.

So, if your travels include this northern stretch of Highway 20, plan to stop and walk the bridges over Deception Pass – if you can stomach the height. Enjoy the views out to Rosario Strait, see the evergreen carpeted neighboring islands, and take in the rugged cliffs descending to the turbulent waters of the pass.

This is a fascinating portion of Puget Sound. You'll be mesmerized watching the troubled, shifting waters below the bridges as the current creates frothy, circular patterns which swirl on the surface and bend into themselves as they careen through the pass. I was hypnotized, although I also have to admit having a sudden empty feeling in the pit of my stomach: staring straight down from that height is a little unsettling, even with a firm grip on the railing. But that all went away once I started hiking.

Do give yourself time to explore some of the trails in this lovely park, and see the islands and the beautiful blue waters from different perspectives. It’s worth the time; you won’t be disappointed.   X