Whidbey Island’s largest city, Oak Harbor, hosts a 30-acre sprawling grassy park and beach that lie adjacent to the city’s original downtown commercial area.
While this site isn’t a beautiful destination such as Anderson Island or one of the sites in the San Juan Islands, it does serve as a stopping place to resupply and/or have dinner at a local restaurant. It satisfies the goal of having a site every three hours in case one needs to take a break.
They have kindly asked us to use a reservation system for Oak Harbor as we do at Anderson and Vashon Islands. This will help them delineate our members from others who may want to walk-in and camp. Our campsites are only available to those who approach by water in human powered craft.
Please use the following system.
Thank you Karen Borell for documenting the history of this site. We appreciate the work you have put-in on various sites.
Location: On the Oak Harbor waterfront at the west end of the City Beach Park. West of the boat launch ramp.
Hazards:
Sites: 1
Water: Bring your own water.
Sanitation: Restrooms open during hours of operation.
Overflow: None
Fires: No open fires
Extras:
Fees: None at this time.
Special Considerations: This is a great spot for re-supply, with stores a short walk away. Small site.
Natural History: The Skwdab subgroup of the Skagit tribe lived in this area and named it Klatoletsche. In 1983, a burial mound of bone and clamshells was discovered in downtown Oak Harbor. These mounds lay within rock cairns suggesting the burial of a chief or other important person. Tidal erosion caused their exposure and some bones date back nearly 10,000 years.
Max People: 4
Max Nights: 1
Reservations: Yes
Latitude: 48.2836
Longitude: -122.65645