Saltwater: All Content
Park overview:
Saltwater State Park is a camping park featuring 1,445 feet of saltwater shoreline on Puget Sound, halfway between the cities of Tacoma and Seattle. The two cities jointly and literally buried a hatchet at the park during the 1926 park dedication as a symbol of the end of their mutual competition. The park is a recreational destination nestled in the core of urban living, with forested trails and beach access. Visitors may explore marine life in tide pools at the park and the seasonal spawning of salmon in McSorley Creek. Saltwater State Park is the only state park that features an underwater, artificial reef, providing divers an opportunity to discover the diversity of sea life and marine environments of Puget Sound.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: Campground closed Sept. 16, reopens May 15. The day-use area is open 8 a.m. to dusk during the winter.
Current alerts:
Campfires are not allowed in the park however, charcoal and propane barbecues are permitted.
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.
The Discover Pass now can be used on either of two vehicles!Annual pass: $30
One-day pass: $10
(Transaction and dealer fees may apply)
A Discover Pass is required for motor-vehicle access to state parks and recreation lands managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.
Exemptions: Your purchase of the Discover Pass supports recreation on state lands. However, the Discover Pass is not required if you are camping or renting overnight accommodations, for the duration of your stay at that state park. For additional exemptions and more information, please visit the Discover Pass website.
Campsite Information:
The park has 47 standard campsites, one dump station and four restrooms and two showers. Maximum site length is 50 feet (may have limited availability). 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.
Driving Directions
Located two miles south of Des Moines, Wash., near Sea-Tac International Airport in King County.Park address:
25205 8th Place South
Des Moines, WA 98198
Mailing address:
5700 Southwest Dash Point Road
Federal Way, WA 98023
Traveling north or south on I-5 take exit #149 at the Kent-Des Moines Hwy. 516, travel west on Hwy. 516 to Marine View Dr. turn left and travel south to S. 252nd St., turn right. The park entrance is one block on the left.
From I-5 North: Take exit 147, turn left onto S. 272nd St. travel to 16th Ave So., turn right, travel north to Woodmont Drive S., turn left , then turn right onto Marine View Drive and travel north to S. 252nd Street, just past the bridge turn left onto S. 252nd. The park entrance is one block on the left.
Park Maps
To view campsites and facilities reservable at this park, visit the reservation system and campsite maps.
Saltwater downloadable pdf map #1List of all downloadable Washington State Park PDF maps.
Park Features
The park features tide pools and marine life, including salmon spawning in McSorley Creek. There is an underwater artificial reef for scuba divers. The reef is a protected marine sanctuary and harvesting is not allowed. The park is on the flight path of Sea-Tac International Airport.
History
The park dedication in 1926 included a peace effort to stop the bad feelings between the cities of Tacoma and Seattle. The park is located halfway between the two cities, and a hatchet is symbolically buried under a rock somewhere in the park. Much of the park we see today was built by the Civilian Conservation Corp in the 1930s.Interpretive opportunities
There are currently no interpretive opportunities at this park.Services/Supplies
| Available in the area | |
| • Auto repair • Airport • Boat rental • Diesel • Fishing/hunting • Gasoline • Gifts • Golf • Groceries • Hardware • Hospital • Marine supplies • Postal service • Propane • Recreational equipment • White gas • Wood • Swimming |
A café and espresso stand are available in the park. Many other services are available within a few miles of the park.
Activities
| Trails | Water Activities | Other |
| • Diving • Fishing (saltwater) | • 1 Amphitheater • Beach Exploration • Bird Watching • 2 Fire Circles • 1 Horseshoe pit • Interpretive Activities • Sailboarding • 2 Volleyball Fields • Wildlife Viewing | |
The park has an underwater, artificial reef on Puget Sound. The reef is a popular area for scuba diving. Fishing and harvesting are prohibited in the artificial reef 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. There are no overnight mooring buoys available at the park. The park offers three trails for hiking and biking. | ||
Events
The 2013 State Parks free days are as follows:
Jan. 21 – In honor of Martin Luther King Day
March 30 – In honor of Washington State Parks' 100th birthday on March 19
April 27 and 28 – National Parks Week
June 1 – National Trails Day
June 8 and 9 – National Get Outdoors Day and Department of Fish and Wildlife Free Fishing weekend
Aug. 4 – Peak season free day
Sept. 28 – National Public Lands Day
Nov. 9 through 11 – Veteran's Day weekend
Please note: A Discover Pass is still required to access lands managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife during State Parks free days. For more information, please visit www.discoverpass.wa.gov.
| Events | ||
| Date/time | Event description | State Park |
| Aug. 10 | Cambodian Cultural Celebration: Celebrate the traditional arts of Cambodia at the annual Cambodian Cultural Celebration. Everyone is welcome to experience music and dance performances, view displays with historic cultural artifacts and try traditional foods. More information will be available closer to the event. A Folk & Traditional Arts in the Parks Program event. |
Saltwater (253) 661-4956 |
| Aug. 16 - 18 | Flute Quest: The annual festival celebrating traditional flute music in the Northwest returns to Saltwater State Park. Presented by Washington Flute Circle. For more information, visit www.flutequest.com or contact flutequest@waflutecircle.org. |
Saltwater (253) 661-4956 |
| Aug. 24 | Arts of India Festival: Join the celebration of Indian culture at Saltwater State Park. The festival returns for its second year of art, dance and traditional food. Everyone is welcome. More information will be available closer to the event. |
Saltwater (253) 661-4956 |
Picnic and Day-use Facilities
The park provides two reservable kitchen shelters without electricity, plus 147 unsheltered picnic tables. Most picnic sites are near the beach or along McSorley Creek.To reserve a kitchen shelter, visit online or call (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688.
Wildlife
| Mammals | Birds | Fish & Sea Life |
| • Foxes • Squirrels | • Crows or Ravens • Doves or Pigeons • Ducks • Eagles • Gulls • Hawks • Herons • Hummingbirds • Ospreys • Owls • Quail • Woodpeckers | • Clams • Crabs • Mussels • Octopuses • Oysters • Sea Birds • Sea Cucumbers • Seals • Shellfish • Squid • Starfish • Whales • Eel • Perch • Salmon • Shark • Trout |
Environmental Features
| Physical Features | Plant Life | ||
| • Cedar • Douglas Fir • Hemlock • Spruce • Alder • Ash • Birch • Oak • Poplar • Rhododendron • Rose • Berries • Ferns • Moss or Lichens • Seaweed |
Park photo gallery
