Washington is famous for its gorgeous and abundant waterways, from the Salish Sea to the Nisqually River, but many communities lack open public beaches and waterfronts where everyone can enjoy picnicking, swimming, paddling, boating, and angling. Water Access projects fund public shoreline access, boat launches, and fishing docks to create more opportunities for water recreation.
This month’s featured project is Hope Island Marine State Park, located on the ancestral land of the Squaxin and Coast Salish people. Hope Island Marine State Park is a 132-acre, marine camping park and is only accessible by boat and is blanketed by forest and saltwater marshes. Hope Island’s terrain is made up of Douglas-fir, cedar, hemlock, alder and maple trees. A wealth of tasty shellfish draws bald eagles and great blue herons. The park is popular with shellfish harvesters in season.
This project in Mason County developed limited day use and overnight recreational facilities on Hope Island, previously purchased with WWRP assistance. Project elements include: primitive camping, trails, moorage, toilets, interpretive and day use facilities, and signing.