Deception Pass State Park

Don’t return from Coupeville to Hwy 20 just yet. Instead, take Madrona Way (west of Broadway) from town. It’s a scenic 4-mile frontage road that guides you along Penn Cove and connects to Hwy 20 a bit farther north. Once back on 20, drive straight through Oak Harbor, home to the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, and on to Deception Pass. The beautiful Deception Pass State Park (360-675-2417) includes not only this northernmost tip of Whidbey Island, but also the area of Fidalgo Island just across the dramatic Deception Pass Bridge. It represents a total of over 4,000 acres of protected shoreline, land, and trails. Rocky, driftwood-strewn beaches here are popular for day-trippers who come to revel in the sunsets seen across Rosario Strait from Bowman Bay (on the north side of the bridge). You might want to enjoy one of the hiking trails in the park, some of which guide you into groves of tall trees, while others take you along lakes or coastline. Find a park map and see what calls to you. On the north side of the bridge, for example, is a short 4/5-mile loop around Rosario Head. Follow the Rosario Beach signs once you’ve crossed the bridge, leave your car in the parking lot, and look for signage to the Rosario Head Trail. From the vista point midway along the trail, you’ll gaze in awe across the water and back over to Whidbey.