Camping at Fort Worden State Park
We went camping at Fort Worden State park last February because we wanted to stay in the rain shadow and get a break from the rain. Our daughters had the option to do school online so we took our hot spot and went for the week!
Fort Worden State Park is at the tip of Port Townsend with water on two sides. So many places to get water views and enjoy the Salish Sea and the Soundand!!
It was an easy and scenic drive to get there on highway 101. The Camping spots were very spacious for our 32 feet trailer and were very well kept.
Fort Worden History
Over 100 years ago Fort Worden was constructed to protect Washington State/ Puget Sound from possible attacks during the first world war. Fort Casey, Fort Worden, and Fort Flager were known as “The Triangle of Fire.” which was all constructed between 1898 and 1917; on the other side of the water is Fort Casey on Whidbey Island. Thankfully, the Forts were never needed, but they are an important part of Washington history!
After things settled Washington State Park partnered with Fort Worden and it was converted to a campground and community area. . Now it’s a great place to see some history and adventure through the massive park, including the concrete Fort!
The Fort is all concrete and a labyrinth of tunnels so the soldiers could get around. Parts of the Fort are underground, and the large bunker area is all open to roam around. There can be water down some passageways, so I suggest rubber boots. It can get dark even during the day, so have a flashlight and headlamp.
The heavy doors are welded open, which is nice so that nobody can get trapped or stuck.
Washington State Parks has two campgrounds on Fort Worden.
Some of or go-to camping goods
![GearLight LED Headlamp Flashlight S500 [2 Pack]](https://aimeedanielson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-27-at-3.19.06-PM-1024x831.png)
Upper Forest Campground
This campground is on the southwest part of the Fort and is more sheltered and tucked away. You have a little more privacy at this campground by being in the trees and plants, which are more open than the beach campground. There are 5 primitive sites, and the rest have hookups available. As always, the restrooms have showers and are centrally located.
There are several trails right out of the campsite, so exploring without getting in your car is easy. You can even walk to restaurants, beaches, coffee shops, commons or museums right on the fort.
Beach Campground
This is the campground we stayed in when we did winter camping. It was the only one open at the time, and I wanted to be closer to the beach and the Fort anyways. We were a 30-second walk to the beach, and we could hear it from the trailer, so it was a perfect place. The trail to the Fort was next to the trailer, so we explored the Fort a few times. We even did a night tour because it is fun to tour a 100-year-old fort in the middle of the night with teens 😉
Through the friends of Fort Worden website you can book other accommodations
You can book group stays, retreats, events, and more. You can even rent a mini castle.
- 434 acres with 12 miles of forested hiking trails,
- two miles of walkable saltwater beaches
- Paddleboarding and kayaking right from the park
- Glamping tents
- Views of the Olympic and Cascade mountains and views across the Strait of Juan De Fuca to the San Juan Islands.
- 73 historic buildings
- 4 museums and creative spaces for art and educational programs, yoga, woodworking, etc.
Last fun fact – ‘An Officer And A Gentleman’ was filmed here
About Port Townsend
Port Townsend has iconic buildings, and it feels like you stepped back into history. The buildings are historical buildings with a Victorian town feel.
Port Townsend was supposed to be the Terminus for the Northern Pacific Railroad, but Tacoma ended up being the terminus.
Port Townsend’sunique aesthetic and Victorian style has its own vibe! It was fun to walk down the sidewalk and see when the buildings were built and the name of the business on the building.
They also have an underground area you can usually go under and explore, but due to covid, it was closed when we went.
The town is supposed to be cursed, haunted and heavy, but I never felt that.
Camping at Fort Worden State Park
We went camping at Fort Worden State park last February because we wanted to stay in the rain shadow and get a break from the rain. Our daughters had the option to do school online so we took our hot spot and went for the week!
Fort Worden State Park is at the tip of Port Townsend with water on two sides. So many places to get water views and enjoy the Salish Sea and the Soundand!!
It was an easy and scenic drive to get there on highway 101. The Camping spots were very spacious for our 32 feet trailer and were very well kept.
Fort Worden History
Over 100 years ago Fort Worden was constructed to protect Washington State/ Puget Sound from possible attacks during the first world war. Fort Casey, Fort Worden, and Fort Flager were known as “The Triangle of Fire.” which was all constructed between 1898 and 1917; on the other side of the water is Fort Casey on Whidbey Island. Thankfully, the Forts were never needed, but they are an important part of Washington history!
After things settled Washington State Park partnered with Fort Worden and it was converted to a campground and community area. . Now it’s a great place to see some history and adventure through the massive park, including the concrete Fort!
The Fort is all concrete and a labyrinth of tunnels so the soldiers could get around. Parts of the Fort are underground, and the large bunker area is all open to roam around. There can be water down some passageways, so I suggest rubber boots. It can get dark even during the day, so have a flashlight and headlamp.
The heavy doors are welded open, which is nice so that nobody can get trapped or stuck.
Washington State Parks has two campgrounds on Fort Worden.
Some of or go-to camping goods
Upper Forest Campground
This campground is on the southwest part of the Fort and is more sheltered and tucked away. You have a little more privacy at this campground by being in the trees and plants, which are more open than the beach campground. There are 5 primitive sites, and the rest have hookups available. As always, the restrooms have showers and are centrally located.
There are several trails right out of the campsite, so exploring without getting in your car is easy. You can even walk to restaurants, beaches, coffee shops, commons or museums right on the fort.
Beach Campground
This is the campground we stayed in when we did winter camping. It was the only one open at the time, and I wanted to be closer to the beach and the Fort anyways. We were a 30-second walk to the beach, and we could hear it from the trailer, so it was a perfect place. The trail to the Fort was next to the trailer, so we explored the Fort a few times. We even did a night tour because it is fun to tour a 100-year-old fort in the middle of the night with teens 😉
Through the friends of Fort Worden website you can book other accommodations
You can book group stays, retreats, events, and more. You can even rent a mini castle.
- 434 acres with 12 miles of forested hiking trails,
- two miles of walkable saltwater beaches
- Paddleboarding and kayaking right from the park
- Glamping tents
- Views of the Olympic and Cascade mountains and views across the Strait of Juan De Fuca to the San Juan Islands.
- 73 historic buildings
- 4 museums and creative spaces for art and educational programs, yoga, woodworking, etc.
Last fun fact – ‘An Officer And A Gentleman’ was filmed here
About Port Townsend
Port Townsend has iconic buildings, and it feels like you stepped back into history. The buildings are historical buildings with a Victorian town feel.
Port Townsend was supposed to be the Terminus for the Northern Pacific Railroad, but Tacoma ended up being the terminus.
Port Townsend’sunique aesthetic and Victorian style has its own vibe! It was fun to walk down the sidewalk and see when the buildings were built and the name of the business on the building.
They also have an underground area you can usually go under and explore, but due to covid, it was closed when we went.
The town is supposed to be cursed, haunted and heavy, but I never felt that.
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