Illahee State Park

Introduction of Illahee State Park

Locals and visitors from all over flock to Illahee State Park to enjoy its 1,785-foot shoreline. This 82-acre park near Bremerton on Port Orchard Bay in Washington’s Puget Sound region combines water access and large day-use areas with a small campground nestled among ancient old-growth trees. Because of the high rainfall in this area, the park has some of the healthiest plants and animals. The massive trees tower over 100 feet, moss-covered above and lush green plants sprouting below.

This good health extends to life in the park’s saltwater bay, which is teeming with birds, seals, fish, and shellfish. A boat launch and fishing pier allow visitors to get up close and personal with the abundant wildlife. Although everyone gives it a shot, the beach here isn’t really suitable for walking because it is mostly submerged at least twice a day during high tide. It’s also rocky and strewn with oysters and clamshells. When summer arrives, kids and families can still be found swimming and floating on tubes or paddleboards.

The campground is small and primarily intended for campers who do not require electricity or sewer hookups. However, even in the summer, the campground is relatively uncrowded, making it ideal for an off-the-grid camping RV vacation. Trailers and smaller motorhomes can also fit here with some creative parking and blocking. By the restrooms with showers, there is a dump station and drinking water.

Illahee State Park Camping

With a total of 25 campsites available by reservation only, the Illahee State Park Campground is small but charming. RVers should be aware that only two of these sites have full hookups, with the remainder being standard campsites with no hookups. When making a reservation, make sure that an RV-friendly site is chosen because some of these sites are better suited for larger vans than RVs and trailers. This campground can accommodate rigs up to 40 feet long.

The campground is peaceful and scenic, with plenty of shade to rest under on a hot summer day, because the sites are all located under very large and very old cedar and fir trees. Each site includes large picnic tables and fire rings. The camping loop also has modern restrooms and coin-operated showers, as well as a dumping station. All campers are also provided with drinking water. A metal playground slide and a sports field are both nearby.

Illahee State Park Activities

Play Horseshoes

For those looking for a more difficult sport, the park has three horseshoe pits where guests can challenge each other to a game of horseshoes, testing their strength and tossing skills. Historians believe that horseshoes was invented around 2,000 years ago, and it has remained a popular spectator sport ever since. Guests of all ages will enjoy the thrill of attempting to throw the perfect horseshoe around the stake.

Picnicking

Despite the fact that the park is popular and frequently visited by locals, there is plenty of space and it never feels crowded. This is an excellent location for a picnic. There are 90 extra-large, unsheltered picnic tables scattered throughout the park. Some are located in deep wooded areas that are shady and cool, while others are located on the shore in sunny, grassy areas. Several of these locations include fire rings and BBQ grills. These 90 picnic areas are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations are required for the four sheltered picnic areas with electricity. There are also kitchen shelters that can be reserved for larger gatherings.

Pier Fishing

Illahee State Park is an excellent location for fishing. Visitors can catch passing Chinook salmon, steelhead, and cutthroat trout from the 360-foot dock. The shallow waters of Puget Sound provide ideal feeding grounds for large, healthy fish, and visitors will be surprised to find trout up to 20 inches long and salmon weighing more than 15 pounds. With plenty of space to spread out, the pier is ideal for even the most inexperienced angler to cast their line and catch something big.

Swimming

During the summer, temperatures in this area can reach 90 degrees, and swimming in the refreshing saltwater Port Orchard Bay is a popular way to cool off. In the restrooms, coin showers are available for rinsing off. There are also picnic tables and a grassy area where you can lay down and let your clothes dry. The beach has a lot of rocks and sharp oyster shells, so guests should wear some kind of foot protection before going in.

Illahee State Park Location

Illahee State Park is less than an hour from Tacoma and less than two hours from Seattle. You can also take a day trip to see the 8,000-foot Mount Olympus at Olympic National Park or the lesser-known Olympic National Forest, which has 600,000 acres of forests to explore with breathtaking waterfalls.

The Tacoma Narrows and Hood Canal bridge provide easy access into and out of the Bremerton area, so campers should have no trouble finding and driving to Illahee State Park. However, once inside the park, visitors should exercise extreme caution. The roads are narrow, and both the park and the campground are in very uneven and hilly terrain.

Despite the paved campsite pads, any RVs will require more blocking than usual to level out. Because the trees are old and very tall, clearance should not be an issue, but don’t expect much sun exposure or satellite dish signal. Guests who plan to arrive by water should be aware that trailers and motorhomes are expensive to transport on Washington State Ferries.

Parking

Parking is available

Public Transport

Public transport is not available