Sand Dunes Trail (Deception Pass State Park)

This has got to be one of the most spectacular paved, wheelchair accessible trails in Western Washington. Weaving through sand dunes and by 750 year old trees, while also being so close to the Puget Sound, with amazing views of the Olympic mountains in the distance… you really can’t beat it.

There are some drawbacks. It tends to be windy so even on a sunny spring day we were very bundled up. And supposedly it gets really crowded in the summer, which is an issue during pandemic times — and in general if you’re looking for solitude. Oh, and speaking of solitude (or lack of it) the jet planes periodically flying over from the nearby naval base are really annoying.

To arrive at the beach you turn off highway 20 about a mile south of the Deception Pass bridge into Deception Pass State Park. Follow the signs for West Beach — the parking lot is past the campgrounds near the edge of Cranberry Lake (which sometimes floods into the parking lot).

Key stats:

Distance: The paved ADA loop trail is 1.2 miles long.

Wheelchair accessible parking? Yes, two spots on the south end of the lot right near the trail head.

Wheelchair accessible bathrooms? Yes

Trail condition? It’s mostly paved and about 6 feet wide. There is a section at the beginning that’s hard packed gravel, and a 25 foot section later on that is boardwalk (which gets you to the edge of the beach.) Also, there are a few places at the far end of the loop where you have to traverse around large cracks in the pavement made by tree roots (see pictures below). But most of the trail is clear sailing.

Highlights?

As mentioned before, the views are spectacular, and there’s great beach access too (though not beyond the end of the boardwalk if you’re in a wheelchair). Birds and other wildlife are all around, and the sand dune ecology is really unique.

More information about the Sand Dunes Trail here and here.