Fort Casey Historical State Park

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Close your eyes and imagine Fort Casey as it must have been 100 years ago, filled with eager young soldiers, officers, mechanics and staff. Stand at the Admiralty Head lighthouse or in a cliff-side gun battery and scan the horizon, as the enlisted men must have done during World Wars I and II.

Fort Casey, Fort Worden and Fort Flagler together were known as the "Triangle of Fire," a trio of strategically placed fortifications defending the entrance to the Puget Sound at the turn of the 20th Century. 

Constructed in the late 1800s, Fort Casey was equipped for defense and used as a training facility up to the mid-1940s. The fort houses a pair of rare 10-inch disappearing guns. While the guns were the height of technology in the early 1900s, improvements in warships and the advent of airplanes soon rendered them obsolete. Two additional 3-inch mounted guns are also on display in their original emplacements. You can explore these batteries to your heart’s content.

So round up your family, friends and history buffs, and step back in time to Fort Casey Historical State Park. From the romantic 1903-vintage lighthouse, with its own interpretive center and gift shop, to the catacomb-like bunkers and batteries, this historic military fort is sure to ignite curiosity.

Park features

Fort Casey Historical State Park is a 999-acre marine camping park with 10,810 feet of saltwater shoreline on Puget Sound (Admiralty Inlet); it includes Keystone Spit, a 2-mile stretch of land separating Admiralty Bay and Crocket Lake.

Automated pay station: This park is equipped with an automated pay station for visitors to purchase a one-day or annual Discover Pass.

Please note: U.S. Navy jets from nearby Naval Air Station Whidbey Island may fly over the campground at any time for several hours. Navy personnel conduct training missions at various times during the day and night. Depending on the direction of the wind, their flight pattern may put them above the park, creating noisy conditions for campers. Although State Parks cannot be responsible for the jet noise, we do share visitor concerns with representatives of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. Flight Schedule

  1. Activities
  2. Boating
  3. Camping
  4. History
  5. Maps

ADA AMENITIES/FACILITIES

  • Restroom
  • Picnic area

Use our interactive ADA recreation map to search for other state parks with ADA amenities and facilities.

PICNIC & DAY-USE FACILITIES

The park offers 68 unsheltered picnic tables. Picnic sites are first come, first served.

Note: An additional Special Activity Permit is required for group activities and events with 25 or more people such as wedding ceremonies, races, other sports events, etc. For additional information and a permit, call the park at (360) 678-4519 or send an email.

TRAILS

  • 1.8 miles of hiking trails

The Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail (PNT) is a 1,200-mile-long footpath through some of the most spectacular and scenic terrain in the United States. It stretches between the shores of the Pacific Ocean in Olympic National Park and the Rocky Mountains in Montana, connecting the varied landscapes and communities of the Pacific Northwest.

While visiting Fort Casey State Park, you can hike along the shores of the Admiralty Head Marine Preserve on the Pacific Northwest Trail. You might be inspired to visit the PNT in four other Washington state parks, or even to see it all! Every year, adventurous backpackers from around the world attempt to walk the entire trail. In summer, these thru-hikers will spend an evening camping in the state park before continuing on their long-distance journeys. To plan your trip on the Pacific Northwest Trail, visit online www.pnt.org.

WATER ACTIVITIES & FEATURES

Construction is planned to begin in September or October to replace the breakwater structure and docks at the Keystone Boat Launch. An actual start date will be dependent upon the supply-chain availability of materials. Construction will last several months and will intermittently impact use of the boat launch. Specific details about temporary closures will be announced as construction contracting and scheduling is finalized.

  • Boating
  • Diving at Keystone Underwater Dive Park
  • Fishing (saltwater)
  • Watercraft launch

OTHER ACTIVITIES & FEATURES

  • Park store
  • Beach exploration
  • Bird watching

ADMIRALTY HEAD LIGHTHOUSE AND GIFT SHOP HOURS

  • Hours Noon - 4pm for following months:
    • MARCH - Saturday and Sunday
    • APRIL - Friday through Monday
    • MAY - Thursday through Monday
    • JUNE, JULY, AUGUST - 7 days a week
    • SEPTEMBER - Friday through Monday
    • OCTOBER - Saturday and Sunday
    • NOVEMBER - 25th, 26th, and 27th
    • DECEMBER - First three weekends plus Dec 27-30
  • Entry into the lighthouse is controlled by staff and volunteers and is limited to ten (four in the tower) socially-distanced visitors (or one family group) at a time. Docents are available to share information.

INTERPRETIVE OPPORTUNITIES

SCHOOL GROUP TOURS AND ACTIVITIES

The calendar for school tours for the 2023-2024 school year will be added soon for sign up. 

For groups over 100, please contact CentralWhidbeyInterpretation@parks.wa.gov.

Have other questions? Please email CentralWhidbeyInterpretation@parks.wa.gov.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

SERVICES & SUPPLIES

Firewood and ice are available for sale in the campground. Snacks, water, t-shirts and souvenirs are available for sale at the park office.