Around The WA State Park Bounty

Of all the WA State Parks we've visited since we've been here, Katy and I have the same favorite park!  We both thought at the time it would be a great place for camping.  It's unlike all the others we've been to, here, which are quite remarkable with ocean beach access and all that northwest rainforest lushness.  Millersylvania State Park is inland and only about 20 miles from where we live.

Must be the familiarity factor, because this place looks like all our favorite campgrounds in the South West, like Utah or Colorado or New Mexico, even.  We were delighted to discover it and Desmond seemed to take to it quite readily, as well.  Of course, we haven't been to a park he hasn't really taken to.  I had driven by the turnoff several times on that route when I had a work appointment just south of Olympia and not really thought a lot about it, because the whole area just seemed so unassuming and not park-like at all.  But we just decided one day to run down and check on it.  

It borders a lake, Deep Lake, rather than the ocean as most of the other parks we've visited.

And speaking of other parks, I think I will take this time to record which of Washington's 116 State Parks we have visited, to help me remember.  

Salt Water State Park, where our friends are camp hosts, and the first state park I had been to with ocean access.  Very beautiful and enticing.

With salmon berries

Scenic View State Park up north in Seabeck (near Poulsbo where we like to visit often.)

Tolmie State Park, also quite close to home, and supposedly laden with sand dollars, but we didn't have that much fun on the mudflats.

Potlatch State Park, which is on the lower Hood Canal.  We spent a sunny summer afternoon watching other people play in the surf.  We had just gone for a little drive and were not prepared to spend time in the water.  We did, however,  eat BBQ on the roadside and drive further up the road to see what the area was like.

Fort Worden State Park, in the Port Townsend area, but none of the pictures are from Fort Worden!  I think we need another 101 road trip.

It's not all just about state parks, and I'm not even sure I've included all of them that we have seen, so far, but I think I'll save other areas and parks of interest for a later post or two.