Bay View State Park - Mount Vernon Washington

Bay View State Park offers a easily accessible beach, camping and some rental cabins. Located on Padilla Bay, this National Estuarine Sanctuary offers beautiful views to the distant San Juan Islands. You can learn about the sanctuary at an interpretive center about a half mile north of the park. The park is just 25 acres so it's easy to walk around and see everything. There is a beach shelter with two large barbecues, ADA access, but no electricity. The park also provides six sheltered and 62 unsheltered picnic tables available first come, first served.

Bay View State Park was the home of Pat-Teh-Us, a Noo-Wha-Ah Indian Chief and signer of the Point Elliot Treaty. The town Bay View was named by William J. Mckenna, who plotted the original townsite in 1884. The original portion of the park was donated to the state in 1925 by the Skagit County Agricultural Association with the understanding that it would become a state park. Additional parcels were acquired up until 1968. Previously the park area was a baseball field and racetrack.

Typical activities include boating, fishing, sailboarding on windy days, beach exploring, bird watching, having a fire at the beach fire pits, horseshoes and volleyball. For hikers, the Padilla Bay Shore Trail is one mile south of the park. Swimming is popular but no lifeguards are available. A public watercraft launch is three blocks from the park but be aware that the bay becomes a large mud flat during low tides. A better boat launch for tidal conditions is eight miles west of the park, just off Highway 20 at the Swinomish Channel.

Bay View State Park has 46 tent spaces, 29 utility spaces and six cabins. A group camp for tents only can hold up to 64 people. The cabins are between the beach and camping area and offer some views between the trees out over the water. Cabins have one double bed and two single bunks. Outside of each is a fire ring and an upright pedestal grill.