Washington State Parks

Park overview:

Sucia Island State Park is a 564-acre marine park with 77,700 feet of shoreline. Sucia Island is considered the crown jewel of the state's marine park system. It is consistently ranked as one of the top boating destinations in the world. Sucia Island and several smaller island comprise the "Sucia group."



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 hours: 6:30 a.m. to dusk.
Winter hours: 8 a.m. to dusk.
Quiet hours: 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. No generators between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m.

The park is open year round for camping, day use and moorage. Additionally, dock 1 at Sucia Island is open year round.

No water Oct. 1 through March 31.

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 60 campsites, three reservable group camps, three picnic shelters, potable drinking water and composting toilets.

Visitors with disabilities may call the park at (360) 376-2073, for moorage and camping accommodation assistance.

Group Accommodations:

Three group camp areas may be reserved by calling (360) 376-2073.

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 in San Juan County.

N 48.45' 44" W 122.54'40"

The park is accessible only by boat. There is no commercial ferry service to the island.
Sucia Island is 2.5 miles north of Orcas Island. The closest access points are Obstruction Pass on Orcas Island, Point Roberts, Blaine Harbor, Anacortes, and Squallicum Harbor in Bellingham.

Park Maps

List of all downloadable Washington State Park PDF maps.

Park Features

History

The coastal Salish tribes of North America occupied this area for thousands of years. There is evidence from archaeological surveys that Sucia Island was used by Native Americans for more than 2,500 years. Deer, shellfish, fish, marine mammals, plants and herbs were harvested seasonally.

Europeans came to the island when the 1791 Elisa Expedition sailed into the area in search of the fabled Northwest Passage. The Spaniards named the island Sucia which meant foul or dirty in a nautical sense. This was in reference to the many rocks and reefs which "fouled" or "dirtied" the waters around the island. During the 1800s, white settlers homesteaded on the island, but their land claims were not legitimate because the island had been declared a Federal Lighthouse Reserve after the "Pig War" between England and the U.S.

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission acquired about one-third of the island in 1952. Later, developers wanted to parcel up the remainder of the island into vacation lots. Seattle yachtsman Everett (Ev) Henry spearheaded a drive to raise money to purchase the island from developers. The Interclub (now incarnated as the Recreational Boaters Association of Washington) was formed and $25,000 was raised to purchase the land. In 1960, that land was donated to State Parks for use as a marine park. State Parks acquired the remaining parcels of private property in 1972, and Sucia Island in its entirety was a state marine park.

Interpretive opportunities

There are currently no interpretive opportunities at this park.

Services/Supplies

The nearest fuel and groceries are available seasonally at West Beach Resort on Orcas Island. Full service sites are located at Blaine, Deer, Roche and Friday harbors.

None

Activities

Trails	Water Activities	Other
• 10 mi. Hiking Trails	• Boating (saltwater) • 640 feet of dock (saltwater) • Diving • Fishing (saltwater)
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

Find other events at Washington State Parks

Boating Features

Mooring at the park: Sucia Island has 48 mooring buoys, two linear moorage systems and 2 docks:
Fossil Bay has potable water, 16 buoys, 2 moorage docks (640 linear feet). One dock is removed from October through March to prevent winter storm damage.
Snoring Bay has 2 buoys
Echo Bay has 20 buoys and 2 linear moorage systems (800 linear feet)
Ewing Cove has 4 buoys
Shallow Bay has 8 buoys
Fox Cove has 4 buoys
Anchorage is available in all of the bays and coves and there is no fee for boats riding on their own anchor. The bottoms are generally sandy mud, but in some locations eelgrass and seaweed may make setting anchor difficult.
Moorage fees are charged between 1 p.m. and 8 a.m.

Boaters should use caution when in the waters around this park. The word Sucia is Spanish meaning foul or dirty in a nautical sense. It refers to the numerous rocks and reefs which surround the island. These rocks and reefs have grounded and sunk numerous boats since European explorers first named the island in the 1790s. Boaters should check their charts frequently and pay particular attention to Clements Reef on the north shore of Sucia, the entrances to Ewing Cove, Fox Cove and Shallow Bay. There is a long reef which extends to the west of Little Sucia Island. Reefs also extend outward from Ev Henry Point, North and South Finger islands and the Cluster Islands.

Picnic and Day-use Facilities

The park offers 25 picnic sites, three picnic shelters, potable drinking water and composting toilets. Day-use areas may be reserved by calling the park at (360) 376-2073.

Wildlife

Mammals	Birds	Fish & Sea Life
• Minks • Otters	• Ducks • Eagles	• Clams • Crabs • Oysters • Seals

Environmental Features

Physical Features		Plant Life
Sucia Island's geological formations are stunning for both the casual visitor and the trained geologist. This horseshoe shaped island with long, finger-like peninsulas and islands is a classic example of a formation called a plunging marine syncline.

Park photo gallery