September 21, 2021
Paddleboarding at Washington State Parks is a great way to spend the day outside and unwind. It is also budget-friendly too if you know where to go! This is where the Washington State Parks comes in 🙂
Paddle boarding at Washington State Parks? You will need to get a day pass or have your Discover pass!
Things to keep in mind… The water is always cold in the Hood Canal, Puget Sound, or the Salish Sea. I recommend wearing neoprene pants and maybe scuba socks in the colder water. Carry a waterproof jacket in a dry bag, too, just in case. After falling into the Salish Sea, I got a seawater spa treatment, but I also got super cold fast! I was thankful to have that jacket.
3253 US-2, East Wenatchee, WA 98802
LRSP is on the Columbia River, which I would not usually recommend, but this park is next to a Damn, so the current is pretty calm and an accessible area of the river to float around. This park has a few places to launch from and is a great open place to float around. It was also not too crowded and has quite a few things to do from the park, including water sports, rentals of boats and sea-doos, bike trails, and walking trails. It has a nice swim area for the kids and plenty of open places for picnics and hanging out.
Lincoln Rock has camping spots for tents, RV campers, and cabins, and you can make group reservations for larger groups. This campground is a prime location, not too far from Wenatchee, so if you need supplies, no worries, you’re close to town!
Leavenworth, WA 98826
Lake Wenatchee is a large lake in a valley and is fun to explore, with plenty of sandy beachy areas to hang out on or launch from. We loved that it is close to Leavenworth and surrounded by the forest.
It can get windy, making it more challenging to ride the waves when paddle boarding or kayaking, so you may want to watch out for that; if it is too windy, take a break and go on a hike or make a reservation for a horseback ride on trails right in the state park. While near Leavenworth, maybe check out ziplining or the reindeer farm. Plenty to do!
is in my backyard so that I may be biased, but it is one of my go-to places. The water is usually pretty calm. The swimming area is generally pretty crowded, but I launch from the boat launch and float away! The wind can pick up, so know that, but generally, even on windy days, it is pretty easy to get around. The lake is so small you can not go too far! The west end is filled with lily pads which can attract birds. I love it when nature is hanging out with me on the water. I have seen eagles on many occasions; I think there is a nest somewhere at the park itself.
Only electric motors are allowed on the lake, so it is nice not to worry about too many boats going to fast.
873 WA-122, Silver Creek, WA 98585
Ike Kinswa is a campground on Mayfield lake and one of my favorite places to launch and paddle around. There are also places you can float to and get out, like a little waterfall near the boat launch. It is also extremely clear and pretty shallow, close to shore. You have complete visibility of the river bottom, and it is a leisurely paddle with little current. This location gave me the idea that I should start fishing from my paddleboard.
Some campgrounds are right off the water, so you can launch your Kayak or Paddleboard right from your campground if you book ahead. Usually, it’s pretty popular in the summer months, so if you are unsuccessful in getting a camping reservation, it is still worth going for the day!
Port Townsend is one of my favorite places to camp, but it does fill up fast. We camped there in February, but tall good, I still took my board! I just made sure I had warm clothes! I have scuba pants and socks, so I will head out anyways. There is an excellent place to launch from Fort Worden. The one thing I will recommend is to watch the wind. The wind can make it challenging to get around. I would also recommend staying in the bay area, so the waves from passing ships and ferries do not get too overwhelming.
Sequim State Park is located right off Sequim Bay, which is such a fun place to float. There is plenty of sea life to see while cruising up and down the bay. We usually go up toward the open water, against the current, and float back. Even when the wind is not picking up, it can be challenging to go against the current. Again this is the Salish Sea, so be prepared for cold water!
Always have a life jacket; this is important, especially because even if you swim well and it is easy to get yourself on the paddleboard., the water can still be cold, and you can go into shock! Staying safe is a priority! Luckily this is not something I learned the hard way, but something that happened to a friend in Seattle.
Keep water shoes on your board or in your bag. I have an old pair of keens that I keep with me. This was one of those hard lessons. When I was on the Columbia River, I almost got sucked into another river, and it was VERY shallow water. If I had shoes, I could have hopped off and walked on the sharp rocks to get back in the water in a safer place, but I did not have shoes. It sucked!
Keep your phone on a lanyard. Even if you keep it tucked away. Sometimes you may want to take it out to check the time or take a photo. If it is on a lanyard, you are less likely to lose it. I fell in the Salish Sea, and it luckily stayed on my neck, and the phone never stopped working! It would have retired in the Salish Sea with the fishies and orcas if not for the lanyard.
Keep water with you if it is a hot day and you float longer than expected.
So the last thing is not a “thing” but a suggestion. Practice getting back on your board in deeper water. Head out floating in deep water; get in the water where you can not touch the ground close to shore. Now try to hop back on the board! Make sure you can get back on the board if you fall off. There are several ways to get on your board, from behind and from the side. It was a struggle for me, and I realized people need to practice this. Falling off the board is probably inevitable at some point, so better safe than sorry!
Thats about it!
If you need a discover pass, here is the link
Enjoy paddleboarding at Washington State parks !!!! 🙂
Paddleboarding at Washington State Parks is a great way to spend the day outside and unwind. It is also budget-friendly too if you know where to go! This is where the Washington State Parks comes in 🙂
Paddle boarding at Washington State Parks? You will need to get a day pass or have your Discover pass!
Things to keep in mind… The water is always cold in the Hood Canal, Puget Sound, or the Salish Sea. I recommend wearing neoprene pants and maybe scuba socks in the colder water. Carry a waterproof jacket in a dry bag, too, just in case. After falling into the Salish Sea, I got a seawater spa treatment, but I also got super cold fast! I was thankful to have that jacket.
3253 US-2, East Wenatchee, WA 98802
LRSP is on the Columbia River, which I would not usually recommend, but this park is next to a Damn, so the current is pretty calm and an accessible area of the river to float around. This park has a few places to launch from and is a great open place to float around. It was also not too crowded and has quite a few things to do from the park, including water sports, rentals of boats and sea-doos, bike trails, and walking trails. It has a nice swim area for the kids and plenty of open places for picnics and hanging out.
Lincoln Rock has camping spots for tents, RV campers, and cabins, and you can make group reservations for larger groups. This campground is a prime location, not too far from Wenatchee, so if you need supplies, no worries, you’re close to town!
Leavenworth, WA 98826
Lake Wenatchee is a large lake in a valley and is fun to explore, with plenty of sandy beachy areas to hang out on or launch from. We loved that it is close to Leavenworth and surrounded by the forest.
It can get windy, making it more challenging to ride the waves when paddle boarding or kayaking, so you may want to watch out for that; if it is too windy, take a break and go on a hike or make a reservation for a horseback ride on trails right in the state park. While near Leavenworth, maybe check out ziplining or the reindeer farm. Plenty to do!
is in my backyard so that I may be biased, but it is one of my go-to places. The water is usually pretty calm. The swimming area is generally pretty crowded, but I launch from the boat launch and float away! The wind can pick up, so know that, but generally, even on windy days, it is pretty easy to get around. The lake is so small you can not go too far! The west end is filled with lily pads which can attract birds. I love it when nature is hanging out with me on the water. I have seen eagles on many occasions; I think there is a nest somewhere at the park itself.
Only electric motors are allowed on the lake, so it is nice not to worry about too many boats going to fast.
873 WA-122, Silver Creek, WA 98585
Ike Kinswa is a campground on Mayfield lake and one of my favorite places to launch and paddle around. There are also places you can float to and get out, like a little waterfall near the boat launch. It is also extremely clear and pretty shallow, close to shore. You have complete visibility of the river bottom, and it is a leisurely paddle with little current. This location gave me the idea that I should start fishing from my paddleboard.
Some campgrounds are right off the water, so you can launch your Kayak or Paddleboard right from your campground if you book ahead. Usually, it’s pretty popular in the summer months, so if you are unsuccessful in getting a camping reservation, it is still worth going for the day!
Port Townsend is one of my favorite places to camp, but it does fill up fast. We camped there in February, but tall good, I still took my board! I just made sure I had warm clothes! I have scuba pants and socks, so I will head out anyways. There is an excellent place to launch from Fort Worden. The one thing I will recommend is to watch the wind. The wind can make it challenging to get around. I would also recommend staying in the bay area, so the waves from passing ships and ferries do not get too overwhelming.
Sequim State Park is located right off Sequim Bay, which is such a fun place to float. There is plenty of sea life to see while cruising up and down the bay. We usually go up toward the open water, against the current, and float back. Even when the wind is not picking up, it can be challenging to go against the current. Again this is the Salish Sea, so be prepared for cold water!
Always have a life jacket; this is important, especially because even if you swim well and it is easy to get yourself on the paddleboard., the water can still be cold, and you can go into shock! Staying safe is a priority! Luckily this is not something I learned the hard way, but something that happened to a friend in Seattle.
Keep water shoes on your board or in your bag. I have an old pair of keens that I keep with me. This was one of those hard lessons. When I was on the Columbia River, I almost got sucked into another river, and it was VERY shallow water. If I had shoes, I could have hopped off and walked on the sharp rocks to get back in the water in a safer place, but I did not have shoes. It sucked!
Keep your phone on a lanyard. Even if you keep it tucked away. Sometimes you may want to take it out to check the time or take a photo. If it is on a lanyard, you are less likely to lose it. I fell in the Salish Sea, and it luckily stayed on my neck, and the phone never stopped working! It would have retired in the Salish Sea with the fishies and orcas if not for the lanyard.
Keep water with you if it is a hot day and you float longer than expected.
So the last thing is not a “thing” but a suggestion. Practice getting back on your board in deeper water. Head out floating in deep water; get in the water where you can not touch the ground close to shore. Now try to hop back on the board! Make sure you can get back on the board if you fall off. There are several ways to get on your board, from behind and from the side. It was a struggle for me, and I realized people need to practice this. Falling off the board is probably inevitable at some point, so better safe than sorry!
Thats about it!
If you need a discover pass, here is the link
Enjoy paddleboarding at Washington State parks !!!! 🙂
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