Saltwater State Park — Attraction in Des Moines

Great park! Nestled in a forested valley, channeling a fresh water fish stream carving it's outlet to mingle with the Pacific Ocean's tidal beach stretching along the rocky edges Puget Sound Inlet. Seems there's always plenty of parking on the one-way asphalt drive through the wide grassy fields. There are amenity facilities, and plenty receptacle cans help keep the park safe and sound for users friendly recreation, gathering, play, and exploration. The $10.00 day pass or the fantastic $30.00 - 365 day year "DISCOVERY PASS" allowing day parking any space that fits a single vehicle with whatever's towed, free use of any amenities (if unreserved) and currently open and maintained throuout WA parks. SALTWATER maintains restroom facility, abundant picnic tables, many with barbeque grills, a few concrete slabs, large enough for partiers covered under roof with built in grill stations. Fresh water spouts worked as well as the open shower at the beach. The overnight camping section and RV dumping and fresh water station was still closed "out-of-season* and blocked to keep vehicles out. Signs are posted at trailheads leading foot pathways strolling among Nature's abundant flora and fauna roaming upstream through the valley. Downstream, the Park opens in a wide grassy swath reaching the stretching huge rock sea retainers edge without any easy access, forcing a treacherous trip leaping rock to rock down for explorations at the low tide flats below, and back up to the walkways and benches giving water views across the Sounds distant mountains and islands. There are restroom facilities at the beach and some playground apparatus for the youngster. Hoping for a few nights there at an RV...

No fire pits. Huge bummer that. Otherwise, decent campground if not for the planes taking off from Sea-Tac. Yes, they subside dramatically at night and you do get used to it, but you still find yourself pausing conversations to allow participants to be heard after the jet passes by.

Pay showers are nice (1$ for 3 tokens, each token is 3 minutes of water), out houses are functional. I do like the dense forest feel one gets here too. The beach is your typical Washington beach though. Don't go barefoot, way too many rocks =).

We did have an issue where campers were still in our spot when we arrived well after our check in time though but I don't fault the park for that. Once I got ahold of someone on the phone, they sent a ranger over quite quickly to take care of the situation so kudos to them for that. However, seems like the kind of thing that could have been avoided had they done some rounds shortly after check out time each day. Maybe I'm being too picky but at 34$ a night, I...

Saltwater State Park is a picturesque 137-acre park located in Des Moines, Washington, offering visitors a unique blend of natural beauty and recreational activities. This park, situated only two miles from Interstate 5, features a sandy beach, forested campsites along a bubbling creek, and an artificial underwater reef that’s a haven for scuba divers. Visitors can enjoy beach exploration, bird watching, fishing, and hiking among other activities. The park’s amenities include accessible campsites, fire pits, and restrooms, ensuring a comfortable visit for all. Notably, Saltwater State Park is the only state park with an underwater artificial reef, providing a vibrant habitat for marine life such as sea stars, urchins, anemones, scallops, rockfish, and the impressive ling cod. Whether you’re wading in the shallows, building sandcastles, or exploring the tide pools, Saltwater State Park offers a serene escape and a memorable experience for nature enthusiasts and...