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Deception Pass State Park to Expand Next Year

Deception Pass State Park (Washington) will expand by 78 acres early next year.

According to a report from Go Skagit, Washington’s most visited state park acquired the land thanks to a partnership between county and state agencies, Skagit Land Trust, and Fidalgo Island community members.

The parcel is situated on the north part of Deception Pass, close to the well-known Tersi Trail, Rosario Beach, and bordering the state park.

According to Jason Armstrong, manager of Deception Pass State Park, the purchase will improve connections between trails,

Mount High-G, the third-highest peak at Fidalgo Island, is situated on the property. Land protection will preserve the viewshed for many years to come, Armstrong said.

This land is cut down in some areas and comprises mostly young forest with rocky outcrops. 

Skagit Land Trust Executive Director Molly Doran describes it as a significant ecological green corridor.

Doran added that the land serves as a connection piece that allows plants, wildlife, and people to migrate less encumbered through this corridor.

The project was made possible through funding from the state Recreation and Conservation Office, which offers to fund state parks to purchase lands that would otherwise be repurposed for other uses. Additionally, it received smaller amounts from South Fidalgo community members and the Skagit Land Trust.

The park’s new piece was also selected because it fits within the long-term state park boundary.

Parks and Recreation Commission real estate program manager Nikki Field who worked on the project, says the boundary is how big the park wants to be when it grows up.

For South Fidalgo community resident Jan Robinson who also worked to secure funding for the parcel, protecting the parcel is part of preserving the island’s rural character.

“The community means a lot to me because there’s a lot of heritage here,” Robinson said. “If we make those investments today, then they will be here. If we don’t make them today, and it gets developed, you can never go back.”

Armstrong said that a long-term planning session would eventually take place to brainstorm projects like trail access.

Skagit Land Trust Executive Director Doran called the purchase a huge step for the park and the community.

According to its website, Deception Pass State Park features a marine and camping park with 77,000 feet of saltwater shoreline and 33,900 feet of freshwater shoreline on three lakes. 

Featured image from Deception Pass State Park.

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Hi, you might find this article from Modern Campground interesting: Deception Pass State Park to Expand Next Year! This is the link: https://moderncampground.com/usa/washington/deception-pass-state-park-to-expand-next-year/