Fay Bainbridge Park - Bainbridge Island

Fay Bainbridge Park was a Washington State Park from 1944 to 2011. Today the Bainbridge Island Metropolitan Park and Recreation District manages the property. The park is located just south of the Point Monroe sandspit, an interesting destination itself.
In 1944, the state of Washington purchased the land for the park for $5,000 from the estate of Temple S. Fay. The land was purchased from the Fay estate with the stipulation that the Washington State Park System maintain the name Fay. Mr. Fay was a neurosurgeon who introduced the use of hypothermia in medical and surgical illnesses. His two children honored their father's desire to make the area a park. Activities at the park are camping, fishing, beachcombing and scuba diving. There are two shelters, both with water and one with electricity. There are also 11 sheltered and 40 unsheltered picnic tables. All camping is first-come, first-served with 10 tent sites, 26 utility sites.

Continue straight off the ferry onto Hwy. 305. Continue out of town approximately five miles to traffic light. Turn right onto Day Road NE. Drive approximately two miles to a T-intersection. Turn left onto Sunrise Drive NE, and continue to park entrance, approximately two miles away.

At the park entrance is a display of a bell donated by the Kitsap County Historical Society. This bell was purchased for the community by Port Madison citizens through public subscription to be used as a "town crier" to proclaim important events. At he request of G.A. Meigs, the bell was brought from San Francisco around 1883 by Captain Jeremiah W. Farnham, allegedly to become the school belfry. As Port Madison needed to provide a courthouse on short notice, they converted the nearly-finished school and the bell was placed on the old public community hall on mill property. It was later moved to A.R. Lintner's Historical Association, and it was moved to the park on March 23, 1953.

Although there are no real hiking trails, you can do a interesting hike from the park. At the north end of the park, there is an entrance to the Point Monroe Sandspit. This spit has homes developed on both sides with a road going down the middle. Walk the road and you feel like you are at a beach community at Ocean Shores/Westport. Say hello to the residents and imagine beach life here.