Many of the trails are short at 2-3 miles long, but are suitable for the whole family. The following areas have been closed for recreational harvest of butter and varnish clams only: West Whidbey Island Admiralty Bay Useless Bay The campsites are spacious, the campground is quiet, and the facilities (see below) are very good. Whidbey Island, WA 6 contributions Clamming at Double Bluff can be decent on a very low tide. Dugualla State Park is a much quieter area and has a 5-mile loop of trails that take you to the beach, through the forest, and back. If youre looking for a calm and quiet beach with a wide beach, look no further than Mocrocks Beach. Crabbing from Cornet Bay is a viable option if that is not possible. A boat ramp can be found on the beachs east side, and a dock can be found on the beachs west side. They will be small, however, and crops take from two to four years to cultivate. This park is huge and has 38 miles of hiking trails, six miles of horseback riding trails, and three miles of bike trails! You are a 5-star, all-around great business providing an important service in this rapidly changing world!, Always an excellent experience ordering from Whidbey Island Seafood Company! Whidbey has around 20 campgrounds and RV parks for you to choose from spread throughout the island. Of course you dont need to do the entire 1,200 miles, but you can experience a small part of it. And with all of the parks buildings, ladders, hidden rooms, forts and cannons to check out, this is an especially fun place for kids to visit and stay. The park also has a range of athletic fields used for little league games, so the campground is the perfect spot to set up camp for tournaments and other activities in Rhododendron Park. A Locals Guide To Hayling Island Camping: Best Campsites, Wild Camping & More! Come taste world famous mussels and learn how they are grown on a farm tour. Glamping Hub is designed for modern browsers. Walk among the giants: Douglas-fir, Sitka spruce, western hemlock and western red-cedar trees, including a 500-year-old cedar. Its a fantastic Whidbey Island camping option. It was especially present in wrack, the often smelly carpet of seaweed/organic material that collects on the beach at Freeland Park. Whidbey Island is home to some seriously famous and tasty mussels. Its situated in a largely forested area thats well-known for the huge number of rhododendrons that bloom during spring hence the name! No matter where you go on Whidbey Island, youll be sure to find some great hiking trails, and in most situations, your dog can come with you on a leash. A full clubhouse is available that gives you access to a shared kitchen, day room, and coffee lounge. South Whidbey Island, including current-day South Whidbey State Park, lies within the traditional territory of multiple Southern Coast Salish tribes, who have inhabited the region for more than 10,000 years. The park offers views of the Olympic Mountains and rare old-growth stands. Youll be taken 300 feet high on top of the bluffs to see fantastic views back down onto the rocky beaches. Enjoy a luxe glamping experience in the middle of the forest, on a farm. To truly appreciate the beauty of nature while here, make sure to book one of these glamping spots for your stay! Dont camp within 200 feet of a water source. For additional information and a permit, call the park at (360) 678-4519 or send an email. The campsites are also spacious and feel very private thanks to all the forest and trees you will be surrounded by. Most campgrounds on Whidbey Island also have access to good hiking trails, so you may not need to go far to find a great hike to try out. Thats because theres full hookups at this RV park, and many more amenities and facilities here than youll find in state park campgrounds. There is a large parking lot at the beach. Catch-and-release fly fishing at Whidbey's Pass Lake is for serious fly fisher folks who enjoy donning waders and plunking down in float tubes. This is one of the most popular Whidbey island parks. Oysters are not expected to be common at this location. And if you get a recreational license, you can go freshwater fishing, seaweed harvesting, or shellfish harvesting, so youve even got something to cook on your campfire in the evening! Address: 20265 SR 20, Coupeville, WA 98239. Its not without hope, she said. Dispersed camping is legal for 14 days within a 30-day period in the same location. Get ready for a short hike to reach this secluded tent surrounded by lush greenery - just the right spot to unplug and relax amidst large cedar trees. Also, they are known to carry paralytic shellfish poisoning, or PSP, for longer periods of time. The best time to dig for clams is during the low tide. My name is Maria Jimnez and I am the owner and creator of Anchor and Hopes SF, a seafood blog dedicated to providing recipes, information, and anything else related to seafood. A recreational vehicle sanitary dump station is available during regular park hours. 83 Minna St, San Francisco, CA, United States, California, Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, Do Mussels Poop? Campfires shouldnt be more than 3 feet in diameter or 2 feet high. In an August 1981 ceremony, Public Lands Commissioner Brian Boyle signed an agreement with Save the Trees and others to work together to preserve the forest. The geoduck (pronounced gooey-duck) has a funny name and its appearance often elicits embarrassed laughter, but Washington's biggest clam means big money to the Department of Natural Resources and fine eating, particularly for wealthy devotees in China. It is the homeland of the Skagit, Snohomish and Swinomish people, among others. Our Phone Number: (360) 331-4887. Theres also a kids playground, fenced-off pets area, gazebo with a barbecue, and its close to the marina and multiple boat launches. Seawall Park is located just below Langley, and you can watch whales pass by there. Youll find a huge range of outdoor adventure activities here too, from hiking and kayaking to paragliding! A large beach is located in the first section, which is ideal for walking and shellfishing. Anchor & Hope SF was created with the goal of providing people with accurate and reliable information about seafood. Claims and Buildings of Central Whidbey Island (Coupeville, WA: Island County Historical Society, 1973), 75. DNR-142 (Whidbey Island) Clam, mussel, and oyster seasons CLOSED for harvest year-round. Thats a shame, said Eugene Thrasher, Whidbeys widely recognized clamming guru. Walking through the old WWI coastal fortifications is a must for anyone visiting the island. Glamping Whidbey Island: Luxury Camping Vacations in Whidbey Island, Washington. North Whidbey RV Park is located right across from the Deception Pass State Park entrance, so it gives you full access to the park and everything on offer there, but in a much more comfortable environment for RVers. You can also go out diving to explore everything the marine park area has to offer in terms of sealife. With bistro tables and chairs, a fire pit, and a charcoal grill, this spot is also perfect for spending fun quality time outdoors with your friends or family. For one, its unclear what a limited condition reopening by the department means in terms of the existing protection district and whether the commissioners have the green light to dissolve it. Founded by a former globetrotting freelance journalist (BBC, USA Today & others), now our small team is here to help you plan your next adventure! more. According to Camille Speck, a state Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist based out of Port Townsend, the non-native species moved in while the fishery was closed and is pushing out native clams, particularly Manilla and butter clams. Check out the amazing list of hand-selected luxury camping vacations and book a Whidbey Island glamping getaway before its too late! There are a range of other activities at the park, including 25 miles of hiking and biking trails. Fort Casey Historical State Park Campground has one restroom and several showers for campers to use. There is a sandy beach with a length of nearly two miles that is known as Mocrocks Beach. Focusing on ingredients grown locally on Whidbey Island, as well as produce, flowers and herbs harvested from the Captain Whidbey gardens, our culinary focus is . Fort Ebey was a World War II coastal defense fort that now serves as a state park and campground. Whidbey's numerous lakes are ideal for fishing for largemouth bass or trout. South Whidbey State Park is open for day use only. West Whidbey Island Butter Clams and Varnish Clams Saratoga Passage and Possession Sound, including Utsalady Bay, Penn Cove and Holmes Harbor . State fishery officials announced that the area will reopen from April 1 to May 15, pending formal approval by the Washington Fish and WildLife Commission. To access the island, you avail of a ferry service or opt for a scenic drive from Mount Vernon. Directions Park Website Boating Camping Diving Saltwater fishing Two boat ramps 1.8 miles of hiking trails Amphitheater Beach exploration Two fire circles Bird watching Historical Site Lighthouse Even watching the paragliders jump off and glide can be an amazing sight. Catching a crab and cooking it there on the beach (or back home) is a great way to enjoy this seafood favorite. They showcase their best products with fabulous food, whilst local artists showcase their art at each venue. Dont miss watching the sunset at the must-visit destination, Deception Pass State Park with its picturesque rugged cliffs. There is no upland access to this beach. There are no big chains here, just homey bed-and-breakfasts . Despite the development and setback to returning to year-round harvest, Speck said shes optimistic. The island is also an artists paradise, home to painters, sculptors, glass artists, woodworkers, writers, and performers. Last minute booking. Public land owned by the state or federal government are typically your best options for dispersed camping; this includes forests and areas managed by the US Forest Service (USFS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The property offers a remote experience, having no electricity. Clams can be found in many different places along the Washington coast. The advantages to staying here is the opportunity to be immersed in nature as the campgrounds are surrounded by Deception Pass State Park. If youre looking for a permit, you can pick it up at Bucks Northwest in town. Ask Francis P about Double Bluff County Park. Deception Pass State Park spreads over 3,854 acres, a marine and camping park with 77,000 feet of saltwater shoreline and 33,900 feet of freshwater shoreline on three lakes. The island has a wide variety of beaches to choose from, each with its own unique benefits for clamming. And theres no better place to go clamming than Whidbey Island. Instead, survey digs in 2008 and again this year showed the once prevalent Manilla and butter clams to have declined from four individuals per square foot to under one and a half. Having lain untouched for nearly a decade, she was expecting to find a stable and healthy fishery. Although if youre looking for restaurants and stores, youll need to drive out of the park for about 20 minutes to find any. Higman said the agency may research the question with its legal department about just when it can give the county the OK. ALSO UNCLEAR is from where the Enterococcus bacteria orignated, Higman said. No shellfish gathering in the state of Washington is complete without digging for the geoduck, the "King of the Clams." This bivalve can grow to almost 2 pounds, and can live for well over a hundred years. Lone, Deer, Goss, Cranberry and Pass lakes are all stocked annually. When driving from Seattle, take I-5 North to exit 230, then travel 18 miles west on State Route 20, which will take you over the bridge into Oak Harbor. Classes are held at Double Bluff County Park ( Getting to the Water's Edge site #44), one of Whidbey Island's best clamming beaches. One big requirement to stay here though, is that you or someone youre with must be an active or retired military employee, a veteran, a reservist, or similar. Oak Harbor Music Festival happens in September and features over 30 bands across all music genres. All so you can make the right decision about where to stay. It really is the perfect location to enjoy a relaxing camping experience with fantastic views and great amenities. In Washington, you can purchase a permit, check toxin levels, and plan your trip online at the states Department of Fish and Wildlife. Another one of the fantastic features of this park is the Keystone Underwater Dive Park, which provides two distinct dive spots, the Keystone Jetty and the abandoned dock pilings. Whidbey has around 20 campgrounds and RV parks for you to choose from spread throughout the island. To catch clams, look for the larger hole next to a quarter, and the edge of the surf line.