Northwestern Washington & the San Juan Islands - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 207

ISLAND TRANSIT

Island Transit ( www.islandtransit.org ) is a community-financed scheme offering the
ultimate encouragement for people to get out of their cars and onto the buses.
Buses run the length of Whidbey daily except Sunday, from the Clinton ferry dock
to Greenbank, Coupeville, Oak Harbor and Deception Pass. Other routes reach the
Keystone ferry dock and Langley on weekdays. Service is hourly and free - yes -
free!

Deception Pass State Park

Captain George Vancouver originally supposed Whidbey Island to be a peninsula. Even-
tually Joseph Whidbey - who set off in a small boat to explore and map Puget Sound -
found this narrow cliff-lined crevasse churned by rushing water and Whidbey's insularity
was confirmed. Deceived no more, the spectacular narrow passage gained a name -
though even today it remains a challenge to navigate with a motorized boat.
Emerging from the flat pastures of Fidalgo Island, Deception Pass leaps out like a
mini Grand Canyon, its precipitous cliffs overlooked by a famous bridge made all the
more dramatic by the sight of the churning, angry water below. The bridge consists of
two steel arches that span Canoe Pass and Deception Pass, with a central support on Pass
Island between the two. Visitors to the 5.5-sq-mile park ( 360-675-2417; 41229 N State
Hwy 20) usually introduce themselves to the spectacular land and seascape by parking at
the shoulders on either end and walking across the bridge. Built during the 1930s by the
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), the bridge was considered an engineering feat in its
day. The park also spans the channel, with facilities - including campgrounds - on both
the north and south flanks of the passage.
More than 3.5 million visitors per year visit Deception Pass, which makes it Washing-
ton's most popular state park. Besides the dramatic bridge overviews, the park's attrac-
tions include more than 15 miles of saltwater shoreline, seven nearby islands, three fresh-
water lakes, boat docks, hundreds of picnic sites and 27 miles of forest trails. Scuba
divers and sea kayakers can explore the area's reefs and cliff-edge shores. For organized
kayaking (per person from $39) contact Anacortes Kayak Tours ( 800-992-1801;

www.anacorteskayaktours.com ) .
The park sports three campgrounds ( 888-226-7688; tent/RV sites $23/30) with more
than 300 spaces nestled in the forests located beside a lake and a saltwater bay. Facilities
include running water, flush toilets, hot showers and snack concessions. The best sites