Hiking

From the small parking area at the water’s edge at Ebey’s Landing State Park [1], hike the 1.5-mile trail along the bluff above Parego Lagoon for a view of the coastline, Olympics, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca [2] that shouldn’t be missed. If you hit the seasons right, the lagoon may be teeming with migratory birds, so bring some binoculars.

Return along the beach, or continue northward to Fort Ebey State Park [3] (three miles from Ebey’s Landing). Along the way, keep your eyes open for gem-quality stones such as agate, jasper, black and green jade, plus quartz and petrified wood.

Another trail leads 1.4 miles from Ebey’s Landing to Sunnyside Cemetery, where you can look north to snowcapped Mt. Baker [4] and south to Mt. Rainier [5] on a clear day. The cemetery is also accessible from Cook Road. The Davis Blockhouse, used to defend against Tlingit and Haida attacks, stands at the edge of the cemetery; it was moved here in 1915.

From the north parking lot at Fort Ebey, follow trails that lead south along the bluffs down to the beach. After consulting a tide chart and taking a bit of care, adventurous folks can continue all the way to Fort Casey State Park [6], eight miles away.