Hiking in Cama Beach Historical State Park
Marine View Loop Trail & Bluff Trail
Native Americans fished and hunted for centuries in the Cama Beach area before logging took over in the mid-1800s. After that, cottages and fishing resorts were built and Muriel and Lee Risk operated one such resort between 1934 and 1989. Around 1990 Washington State Parks began to acquire land through family donations and purchased other parts of it. Today the park offers visitors a restful and relaxing getaway. It also includes learning the history and culture of native people from the area. There's a Center for Wooden Boats where you may learn about boat building. The park includes numerous cabins for overnight stays along the waterfront with a park store nearby that offers groceries, snacks, supplies, and much more.
“Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children.”
Hiking Along the Bluff
The trails through the park wind through the woods and along the bluff. There are peek-a-boo views of the waters of Saratoga Passage. Numerous varieties of wildflowers adorned the borders of the paths. Blossoms on berry bushes, blossoms on vines and blossoms on low growing, ground cover were all around. There had been recent rains. The air was slightly chilled and the dampness of the forest embraced us. The scents of damp earth and nature repossessing remnants of leaves, limbs and other vegetation were heavy in the air.
The feel and smell of the forest has a welcoming comfort that speaks to something in us that is older than we are. Birds were flitting branch to branch, singing, chirping and twittering overhead and all around. Snails, slugs and the occasional squirrel escorted us along each path. We spent several minutes completely captivated by a Downy woodpecker mere feet from the trail. We gawked in wonder as he hammered away, searching out his next meal.
While the trails themselves didn't yield any sweeping views of majesty, they did lead to the waterfront and to Cranberry Lake. Beach combing brings to light many tiny treasures. Brightly colored shells, tiny shells of crabs, barnacle covered rocks and driftwood....the more you look, the more you find.
The cabins that line the beach and the remnants of old pier posts had a postcard quality. There were children building tiny boats at the Center for Wooden Boats, giddy with anticipation to test the seaworthiness of their creations.
As we made our way back into the treeline, the wind picked up and the rain began. We drove to Camano Island State Park, but the wind and rain dissuaded us from hiking there....next time.
Final Thoughts
We'll go back and stay in the cabins over a weekend. This park was serene and peaceful. A great place to leisurely stroll trails, sit on the beach and appreciate the push and pull of the tide. An early morning of walking the shell covered beach for newly deposited beauty and a sunrise over the water are all easy to imagine here and equally easy to be enjoyed. As we were leaving we stopped at the gift shop, there were people checking in for the cabins. They were there for a wedding. This is a great setting. Go to relax and unite with nature, go to devote yourself and unite with your true love, the possibilities are of your choosing.
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Helpful Information for Visiting Cama Beach State Park
Park Coordinates: 48°08'42.8"N 122°30'37.3"W
Pass Required: Discover Pass
Trail Length: ~2.5 Miles
Trail Difficulty: Easy
Wildlife Seen: Squirrels, Seagulls, Slug Snails, Downy Woodpecker, eagles (on drive to park)
Follow along on our wanderings around the Pacific Northwest.
The only thing better would be being there yourself!
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