Fort Flagler Historical State Park: A Great Place to Camp in Washington State

Looking for more to explore at Fort Flagler State Park?
Bike or hike the trails throughout the park, or head out on the water for a peaceful paddle.

AMENITIES

• Flush toilets
• Drinkable water
• Hot showers
• Picnic tables and fire rings at all sites
• Cell service
• Full hook-ups at about half of the campsites
• Garbage & recycling services
• Dump station for RVs
• Camp hosts
• Firewood for sale from the Beachcomber Café

ABOUT THE SITES

• To visit the day use areas at Fort Flagler (which are well worth a visit even if you aren’t camping), be sure to bring your Washington State Parks Discover Pass. If you don’t have an annual pass, you can buy one online, at the park entrance station, or from one of the automated machines in the day use areas (but be warned, these machines are not always functional). Day passes are available for $10, and annual passes will soon increase from $30 to $45. Check the Discover Pass website for a list of free days to visit.
• Fort Flagler Historical State Park includes two campgrounds, the upper campground and the lower campground. The upper campground, where we camped, is nestled in the forest on a high bluff above the beach. The lower campground is situated on a flat, grassy area next to the day use area and beach. There is also a group campsite located in the park’s interior.

• The lower campground is open year round, while the upper campground is open from May through September.
• There are 47 sites at the upper campground and 69 in the lower campground, including the host sites.
• Fort Flagler State Park also rents several vacation houses. Find more information on the Washington State Parks website.
• Sites in the upper campground do not offer any electrical, water, or sewer hook-ups.
• In the lower campground, most campsites include electrical, water, and sewer hook-ups. A few of the sites at the far end of the loops do not. These basic sites are some of the shadiest and most private in the lower campground.
• Basic campsites with no hook-ups cost between $29 and $43 per night, depending on the time of year and desirability. Sites with a water view in the upper campground are the most expensive, even thought they are some of the smallest sites.
• Campsites with hook-ups cost between $51 and $56 per night.
• Reserve campsites online up to six months in advance. Reservations are available from April through October, while sites are first come, first served during the winter months. Advance reservations are strongly recommend for May through September, especially summer weekends.

• Pets are allowed on leash in throughout Fort Flagler State Park.
• Campsites at Fort Flagler State Park vary greatly in size and character. Check the website description and photos for your site when reserving online.
• In the upper loop, many of the wooded sites along the outside of the loop are relatively large with good privacy between neighboring sites. Sites on the inside of the loop tend to be smaller, and the smallest sites are the view sites on the west end of the loop, which are really packed in. Because of the view, these sites cost a premium, but there is little privacy between them.
• In the lower loop, most campsites are very exposed to the sun. The north side of the campground is fully open with no shade or privacy barriers between sites. Fortunately, the sites aren’t too cramped and the view is gorgeous. Sites on the southern edge of the lower campground and the east end of the loops offer partial shade and more privacy. The unserviced sites tend to be shadier and more private.
• Our campsite, #24 in the upper loop, was spacious and surrounded by shady forest. For our needs it was ideal, with room to spread out and hang a few hammocks. It was a short walk to the restroom, and only a ten minute walk to the beach.
• Hot showers are available at no extra cost! I admit I didn’t try them, and I overheard a mixed review about the water temperature while in the restroom. There is only one men’s and one women’s shower in the upper campground loop, so access is limited.

FUN STUFF

• Play on the beach. Broad sandy beaches wrap around the northwestern corner of Fort Flagler State Park, along with an inviting sand spit. Driftwood is plentiful for any fort-builders out there.
• Bike or hike the trails. The Bluff Trail is the highlight, following a wide, relatively level dirt and gravel route past the gun batteries with fabulous views across the Salish Sea to Mount Baker.
• Kayak on the Salish Sea. Kilisut Harbor, the inlet between Marrowstone Island and Indian Island, offers a sheltered place to paddle. Olympic Tours also offers guided kayak tours seasonally.
• Explore old military batteries. Fort Flagler was one of three primary military forts guarding the entrance to the Admiralty Inlet, together with Fort Worden and Fort Casey. Today, the former gun batteries are a fun place for kids (and adults) to explore. Use caution and carry a flashlight if you want to check out all the hidden nooks and crannies.
• Check out the Fort Flagler Historical Museum. This little free museum packs in a lot of information about what life was like for military personnel at Fort Flagler.
• Take a historical tour. Free guided tours are offered several times a week during the peak summer season. We enjoyed both the gun emplacement tour and the historical hospital tour. Check the Washington State Parks event calendar for these and other events.
• Enjoy a treat at the Beachcomber Cafe. This seasonal cafe offers a small menu of burgers and sandwiches as well as delicious soft serve ice cream. Firewood is sold here, along with a small selection of camping and beach gear.
• Harvest shellfish or go crabbing. Check license requirements and current regulations before you go.

NEARBY & NOTABLE

• Port Townsend is just 18 miles from Fort Flagler State Park by car (and much closer as the crow flies). This historic Victorian seaport charms visitors with its distinctive architecture, good food, and more outdoor fun at Fort Worden Historical State Park.
• Finnriver Farm & Cidery in nearby Chimacum is one of my favorite places to relax on a beautiful summer evening. With a tasty variety of fruit ciders (and some good nonalcoholic options), local food, ice cream, a play yard for the kids, and live music on weekends, it’s the very essence of summer on the peninsula.
• Olympic National Park is the dominant force drawing most visitors to this corner of Washington. Even on a short trip, it’s possible to visit a few prime sights in the national park together with Fort Flagler State Park. To get started, check out my hiking guide for the Olympic Peninsula or take a tour around stunning Lake Crescent.

THE VERDICT

Looking for a fun place to camp with the family? Look no further than Fort Flagler Historical State Park. With opportunities for biking, hiking, beach combing, and kayaking, not to mention historical sites to explore, there’s something for everyone. You even get to pick your own camping style. Will it be open RV sites with full hookups by the beach? Or secluded tent sites under the shade of massive evergreens? Take your pick! Just be sure to check the site information and map when making online reservations, as the size and surroundings of different sites vary significantly.

We stayed in one of the wooded campsites, #24, in the upper campground. Personally, I love camping in the forest. Here, we were surrounded by mostly tent campers, along with a few other small trailers and vans. With campfires blazing at night, kids riding their bikes around the loop, and nary a generator to be heard, it was a classic camp experience. There is only one restroom for the entire loop, but the interior was well kept, sporting a recent coat of paint and many new fixtures. The lone shower in the women’s restroom wasn’t so new and shiny, but hey, it’s free!

From the upper campground, a stairway leads down to the beach. The lower campground, day use area, and boat dock are only a ten minute walk down the road. It’s possible to hike or bike to Fort Flagler’s many historic buildings and bunkers, or drive if you prefer. Check the schedules posted around the park for information about tours, events, and other programs.

As you may have gathered, Fort Flagler Historical State Park gets a big thumbs up from our family. For a quick camping getaway in Western Washington, we highly recommend it.

Memorial Day weekend in Western Washington is a little like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get. Fortunately for us, this Memorial Day weekend was a delightfully delicious confection of sunny bike rides, blue water views, and campfire cookouts at beautiful Fort Flagler Historical State Park.

Nearly six months earlier, we and our friends managed to reserve adjacent campsites in the upper campground at Fort Flagler State Park. We arrived at site #24 on Friday evening, and quickly set up camp before enjoying a simple dinner. Tucked away under the trees, our site wasn’t one of the premium view sites, but we were happy to have the extra space and privacy. The campsites at the west end of the upper loop have fantastic views, but are packed in like sardines. Personally, I’ll stick to the woods.

Our friends weren’t scheduled to arrive until Saturday afternoon, so we spent Saturday morning biking the trails. The Bluff Trail is the best bike route in the park, and is open to hikers as well. There are a few short hilly sections, but the wide dirt and gravel path is generally easy to navigate. Of course, we had to stop by some of the old military bunkers for a little exploring.

By the time we returned to our campsite for lunch, our friends were already setting up camp. We enjoyed lunch together at our site before heading back out on the bikes. This time, our goal was to check out the small historical museum at Fort Flagler and join a guided tour of the gun emplacements.

Both the museum and the tour provided a detailed look into daily life at Fort Flagler during its military heyday. Together with Fort Worden and Fort Casey (also both Washington State Parks that are well worth a visit), For Flagler guarded the entrance to Admiralty Inlet. Fortunately, like other Pacific Northwest military installations, it never faced attack.

Evening found us at Finnriver Cider, enjoying sunny skies alongside wood-fired pizzas as music from a local band wafted from the stage. Summer had officially arrived.

The next morning brought more sunshine, although low clouds on the horizon blocked the view of the Olympic Mountains. The adults joined the morning tour for the former military hospital, while the kids headed for the bunkers. Afternoon meant beach time down on the sand spit. And although no one wanted to kayak with me, I really can’t complain. The chance to get out on the water on my own was magical.

We ended the day roasting sausages over the campfire. It took some time to light the fire, but to our relief, it finally crackled to life. By the time we finished the evening with a round of ghost stories, it was well after dark.

On Monday morning, it was time to pack up and head for home. Fortunately, Fort Flagler is a short drive from Seattle, so there was no rush to get out on the road. Of course, the ferry wait can be unpredictable. We waited about an hour, and had just enough time to grab a coffee in Kingston before boarding. Sadly, our weekend trip was drawing to an end. But when all you can wish for is a little more time, you know it’s been a good trip. By that measure, our trip to Fort Flagler State Park was outstanding.