Washington State Parks

Park overview:

Penrose Point State Park is a 152-acre marine and camping park on the shores of Puget Sound. The park has over two miles of saltwater frontage on Mayo Cove and Carr Inlet. Wildlife, birds and forested terrain make this a beautiful park.



Want to support Washington State Parks? Get involved by joining a friends' group. For more information, visit the Friends' Group web page.

Park hours/updates:

Summer: 8 a.m. to dusk.
Winter: Campsites 1-21 are open from Oct. 1 through May 15. Day-use area is open 8 a.m. to dusk in winter. No shower facilities during the 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.

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 camp provides 82 tent spaces, (No hook-up sites) one dump station, three restrooms (two with showers).

The campground is in the woods, and all sites are shady or partly shady. None of the campsites are on the water, but the beach is only a short walk away. Typical campsites accommodate a vehicle or combination of up to 35 feet. A few sites can handle longer vehicles or combinations, but the campground roadways are narrow and winding.

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

Group Accommodations:

The park offers a group camp which accommodates 20 to 50 people in tents or RVs. Facilities include a shelter with three picnic tables, a fire ring with benches, water and vault toilets. Restrooms with flush toilets are located nearby in the day-use area. Restrooms with showers are located on the campground. A dump station is located near the park entrance. Fees vary with size of the group. 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.

Park Features

The park sets on the shores of Mayo Cove and Carr Inlet and offers a wide variety of water activities. Impressive stands of fir and cedar share space with ferns, rhododendrons, wildlife and birds.

History

Large stumps with springboard notches can be seen in the park, evidence of early logging activity.

The community played an important role in the development of Penrose Point. The park was initially created out of a swamp (now the day-use area).

The name honors Dr. Stephen Penrose, a Pennsylvania native who served as president of Whitman College in Walla Walla from 1884 to 1934. For many years, Dr. Penrose and his family spent their summers vacationing on what is now park property. A prominent church and educational leader in the Northwest, Dr. Penrose was a firm believer in outdoor recreation for children.

Interpretive opportunities

A self-guided interpretive trail called "A Touch of Nature" was built by Eagle Souts in 1982 and renovated by a second group of Eagle Scouts in 1991. The trail is located in the day-use area, and extends for 1/5 mile.

Services/Supplies

Available in the park	Available in the area
• Camping • Pay phone • Fire wood	• Auto repair • Camping • Diesel • Fishing/hunting • Gasoline • Golf • Groceries • Hardware • Pay phone • Postal service • Propane • Swimming

Firewood is available most summer weekends by the park concession. Basic services are available in the town of Home, 2 1/2 miles from the park. The town of Key Center, eight miles away, offers additional services, including auto repair and hardware. Horseshoe Lake Golf Course is located approximately 15 miles from the park.

Activities

Trails	Water Activities	Other
• 2.5 mi. Hiking Trails • 2.5 mi. Bike Trails	• Boating (saltwater) • 158 feet of dock (saltwater) • 270 feet of moorage (saltwater) • Diving • Fishing (saltwater) • Personal Watercraft (saltwater) • Swimming (saltwater) • Water Skiing (saltwater) • Clamming • Crabbing • Oysters	• Beach Exploration • Bird Watching • 3 Fire Circles • 2 Horseshoe pits • Interpretive Activities • Mountain Biking • Wildlife Viewing
The park has no lifeguard and no designated swim area. 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. Volleyball can be played on the lawn in the day-use area, but visitors must bring their own free-standing volleyball sets. Bikes are allowed on all trails except the interpretive trail. Bay Lake, a popular trout fishing lake, is located a mile from the park. A boat launch is available there, but parking requires a Department of Fish and Wildlife sticker.

Events

Find other events at Washington State Parks

Boating Features

The park provides 158 feet of dock. A picnic area with tables, braziers and a fire ring with benches are located near the dock. A short trail leads uphill to a small picnic shelter, visitor parking lot, campground and public restrooms. The nearest public boat launch is located in the town of Home, three miles from the park.

The park also provides 270 feet of moorage, eight moorage buoys and a pumpout station.
Moorage fees are charged year round for mooring at docks, floats and buoys from 1 p.m. to 8 a.m. Daily and annual permits are available. For more information, call (360) 902-8844.

Picnic and Day-use Facilities

The park has two picnic shelters without electricity and 60 unsheltered picnic tables. All are first come, first served.

A spacious day-use area at the beach features a large lawn, picnic tables, braziers, a small picnic shelter and a restroom.

Wildlife

Mammals	Birds	Fish & Sea Life
• Bears • Coyotes • Deer or Elk • Foxes • Rabbits • Raccoons • Squirrels	• Crows or Ravens • Ducks • Eagles • Geese • Gulls • Hawks • Herons • Hummingbirds • Owls • Woodpeckers • Wrens	• Clams • Crabs • Mussels • Oysters • Scallops • Sea Birds • Seals • Shellfish • Starfish • Bullhead • Salmon

Environmental Features

Physical Features		Plant Life
There is two miles of saltwater beach and an exposed sand spit 1/2 mile long at low tide.		• Cedar • Douglas Fir • Hemlock • Yew • Alder • Maple • Daisy • Foxglove • Rhododendron • Rose • Berries • Ferns • Moss or Lichens • Seaweed • Poison Oak