Washington State Parks

Park overview:

Bay View State Park is a 25-acre camping park with 1,285 feet of saltwater shoreline on Padilla Bay. Over 11,000 acres of Padilla Bay are designated as National Estuarine Sanctuary. Breazeale Padilla Bay Interpretive Center is located a half mile north of the park.



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Park hours/updates:

Summer: 8 a.m. to dusk.
Winter: 8 a.m. to dusk.

The park is open year-round for camping and day use. Some campsites are closed in winter.

Camping:
Check-in time, 2:30 p.m.
Check-out time, 1 p.m.
Quiet hours: 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.

Current alerts:

Agency information:

Don't move firewood: Please protect the Pacific Northwest from invasive species by obtaining or purchasing your firewood at or near your camping destination (within 50 miles). Firewood can carry insects and diseases that threaten the health of our western forests. You can make a difference by buying and burning your firewood locally. For more information, visit online at www.dontmovefirewood.org or the Washington Invasive Species Council website.

Campsite Information:

The park has 46 tent spaces, 29 utility spaces, six cabins, two restrooms and six showers. Maximum site length is 50 feet (may have limited availability). The campground is divided into three areas.

Sites 1 to 9 (the view sites) provide the best opportunity to view Padilla Bay and are also utility sites. Site length is approximately 50 feet and all sites are back-ins. Tents are not permitted in these sites.

Sites 10 to 30 (the utility sites) face a 1.5-acre grassy section, which provides space for kids to play safely and for parents to keep an eye on them. Site length varies, with 40 feet the maximum length. All sites are back-ins.

Sites 31 to 76 (the standard campsites) provide a parking place, stove, picnic table and space to pitch a tent. Tent size and vehicle parking lengths vary from 25 to 40 feet. Only a few of the sites can accommodate a large tent. All sites are back-ins.

To make a reservation, visit online or call (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688.

Group Accommodations:

The park provides one group camp for tents only. The camp accommodates 20 to 64 people. There is no space for RVs. Showers and restrooms are nearby. Fees vary with size of the group. To make a reservation, visit online or call (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688.

Overnight Accommodations

The six cabins at Bay View are nestled among Douglas fir trees with views of Padilla Bay and the San Juan Islands. Bay View cabins are within walking distance to the park's beach area and Padilla Bay. Each cabin is furnished with one double bed (sleeps two) and two single bunks (each sleeps two). Outside is a fire ring and an upright pedestal grill. For more information visit the cabins/yurts page To make a reservation, visit online or call (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688.

2013 camping fees:

Please note that the following general fee information is not customized for each individual park, so not all fees will apply to all parks (for example, primitive campsite and dump station fees listed apply only to parks that have primitive campsites and dump stations).

May 15 – Sept. 15 (peak season)
Primitive campsite and water trail camping: $12
Standard campsite: $23 non-premium site, $26 premium site
Partial-utility campsite*: $30 non-premium site, $35 premium site
Full-utility campsite*: $32 non-premium site, $37 premium site
*Please note: Camping fees during the 2013 peak season are $28 for partial-utility sites and $29 for full-utility sites at Beacon Rock, Lewis & Clark and Schafer state parks. These parks are first come, first served.

Jan. 1 – May 14 and Sept. 16 – Dec. 31 (off-peak season)
Primitive campsite and water trail camping: $12
Standard campsite: $22 for non-premium and premium sites
Partial-utility campsite: $28 for non-premium and premium sites
Full-utility campsite: $29 for non-premium and premium sites

Maximum eight people per campsite.

Second vehicle: $10 per night is charged for a second vehicle unless it is towed by a recreational vehicle. Extra vehicles must be parked in designated campsite or extra vehicle parking spaces.

Dump stations (if available): Year-round dump station fees are $5 per use. If you are camping, this fee is included in your campsite fee.

More about park hours
Check-in time is 2:30 p.m., and check-out time is 1 p.m.
Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.
Engine-driven electric generators may be operated only between the hours of 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Length of stay: You may stay up to ten consecutive days in any one park from April 1 through Sept. 30; the stay limit is extended to 20 days between Oct. 1 and March 31.

To view campsites and facilities reservable at this park, visit the reservation system and campsite maps.

Driving Directions

Located seven miles west of Burlington, Wash., and 14 miles east of Anacortes, Wash. in Skagit County.


From I-5 north or south:
Take exit #230. Follow Hwy. 20 seven miles west to Bay View-Edison Rd. Signs will alert you to a right turn. Turn right onto Bay View-Edison Rd. Park is four miles north of Hwy. 20.

Park Maps

To view campsites and facilities reservable at this park, visit the reservation system and campsite maps.

List of all downloadable Washington State Park PDF maps.

Park Features

The park offers views of the San Juan Islands fronting Padilla Bay, one of 28 existing national marine estuaries. On clear days, park users see the Olympic Mountains to the west and Mt. Rainier to the south.

History

Bay View State Park was the home of Pat-Teh-Us, a Noo-Wha-Ah Indian chief and signer of the Point Elliot Treaty. The town was named by William J. Mckenna, who plotted the original townsite in 1884. The original portion of the park was donated to the state in 1925 by the Skagit County Agricultural Association with the understanding that it would become a state park. Additional parcels were acquired up until 1968. The park site, formerly a baseball field and racetrack, derives its name from the community of Bay View.

Interpretive opportunities

There are currently no interpretive opportunities at this park.

Services/Supplies

Available in the park	Available in the area
• Camping • Fire wood	• Auto repair • Airport • Boat rental • Camping • Diesel • Fishing/hunting • Gasoline • Gifts • Golf • Groceries • Hardware • Horse rental • Hospital • Marine supplies • Overnight Accommodations • Pay phone • Postal service • Propane • Recreational equipment • White gas • Wood • Swimming

Ice is available for purchase at the park. Most services are available within 12 miles of the park. There are five golf courses in a 30-mile radius.

Activities

Trails	Water Activities	Other
	• Boating (saltwater) • Fishing (saltwater) • Personal Watercraft (saltwater) • Swimming (saltwater) • Water Skiing (saltwater) • Oysters	• Beach Exploration • Bird Watching • 1 Fire Circle • 1 Horseshoe pit • Interpretive Activities • Sailboarding • 1 Volleyball Field
The beach area is good for swimming, but no lifeguards are on-site. On windy days, with appropriate tides, sailboarding is becoming more popular. A recreational license is required for fishing and shellfish harvesting at Washington state parks. For regulations, fishing season information or to purchase a recreational license, visit the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife website.

Events

Events
Date/time	Event description	State Park
June 2 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.	Painting in the Parks – Bay View: Celebrate the centennial of Washington State Parks by painting in the parks. Take a journey through a state park and find artistic inspiration. Then spend the day creating a work in Washington’s great outdoors. Artists may check-in with an event facilitator when they arrive. A full schedule of Painting in the Parks days is available at www.pleinairwashington.com. Presented by the Plein Air Washington Artists. Another Painting in the Parks event is set for nearby Deception Pass State Park on June 1.	Bay View (360) 757-0227

Find other events at Washington State Parks

Boating Features

The park is on Padilla Bay with a public watercraft launch three blocks from the park. Be advised Padilla Bay is heavily influenced by tidal action. The bay becomes a large mud flat during low tides.

Skagit County Parks provides a boat launch eight miles west of the park, just off Hwy. 20 under the Swinomish Channel. The launch is useable under various tide conditions.

Picnic and Day-use Facilities

The beach shelter capacity is 175 people. It provides a view of Padilla Bay, two large barbecues and ADA access, but no electricity. Rental fees vary depending on size of the group. To make a reservation, visit online or call (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688.

The park also provides six sheltered and 62 unsheltered picnic tables available first come, first served. No keg beer is permitted on the premises.

Wildlife

Mammals	Birds	Fish & Sea Life
• Chipmunks • Coyotes • Deer or Elk • Rabbits • Raccoons • Skunks	• Crows or Ravens • Ducks • Eagles • Geese • Gulls • Hawks • Herons • Hummingbirds • Jays • Owls • Pheasants • Swans • Woodpeckers • Wrens	• Clams • Crabs • Oysters • Sea Birds • Seals • Shellfish

Environmental Features

Physical Features		Plant Life
		• Cedar • Douglas Fir • Hemlock • Nobel Fir • Alder • Maple • Rose • Berries • Ferns • Seaweed

Park photo gallery