Fort Ebey State Park/Bluff Trail

Notes

Located on the western side of Whidbey Island, Fort Ebey State Park was built as a coastal defense fort during World War II. This 651-acre camping park features concrete platforms that mark the former gun sites and an underground battery that’s waiting to be explored (just remember to bring a flashlight!).

The park also has 28 miles of trails, including 23 miles of shared use hiking and biking trails. Take a spectacular hike along the bluff to reach the gun battery, and enjoy the panoramic views of the Puget Sound shipping lanes, Port Townsend, and the Olympic mountain range from the multiple picnic sites. At low tide, you can even walk on the driftwood-strewn beach.

As you enter the forested trails, you’ll encounter Douglas-fir, hemlock, and native rhododendrons (the Washington state flower). And don’t miss the breathtaking sunsets that change every day!

Fort Ebey was established in 1942 and was one of the last forts built in the Puget Sound harbor defense system. Its single fortification, Battery 248, was designed with the latest technology available, including radar to track incoming aircraft and camouflage to hide the battery from aerial view. Two six-inch shielded guns were mounted at Fort Ebey in 1943. Although the fort was manned until 1948, it was declared surplus in 1947.

After World War II, the system of coastal fortifications to defend U.S. coastlines became obsolete.

Fort Ebey lies within the traditional territory of multiple southern Coast Salish tribes. These tribes hunted large mammals, harvested Camas bulbs, roots, nuts, and berries on the land, and used the waters for fishing and shellfish harvesting. In the 1850s, the area was homesteaded. The fort was acquired by Washington State Parks in 1968 and opened to the public in 1981.