Fort Casey Historical State Park

Great views. Bring a discovery pass and a lunch or snacks. Really neat historical landmark to explore. Kids and adults alike seemed to love climbing the ladders and mysterious stairwells. We had a blast.

Fort Casey is awesome. There is so much to explore! Scary Hallways, creepy dark rooms and steep concrete staircases. There are also some pretty cool cannons. I kinda wish we had brought a picnic lunch with us. We would have stayed much longer. There are bathrooms there for your convenience as well.

One of the best Forts to check out in the Puget Sound. Old cannons, great views, deer, lighthouse… what more could you ask for?! The Lighthouse was closed when we went there (which was in November) but they do tours during the busier seasons. Great spot to take kids and adults as well!

Endicott era fort protecting the Puget Sound. So, I’ve seen an Endicott era fort on the east coast, Fort Mott, and on the west coast, Fort Casey. Did not see Fort Worden in Pirt Townsend where «Officer and a Gentleman» was filmed. Fort Casey is the one one that has disappearing breach loaders mounted. Not original weapons, but from a fort in the Philippines. That’s OK. The battlements are well maintained. Not much in the way of interpretive signs.

This place was way more fun than we anticipated for our family including our two 11 and 8 year old daughters. They had a great time climbing all over the fort and exploring and scaring each other in the pitch dark hallways of the fort (bring a flashlight!). I was glad my kids were a little older, the railings at an old military fort are not designed to be toddler-​safe. We were there for two hours, longer than we thought we would, and my 8 year old was still asking to come back again soon.
There is a really large field to play and run around on. People had frisbees and balls.
The free lighthouse within an easy walking distance was worth a quick visit as well. And the PNW scenery is beautiful too of course.

Super cool stop on the way to Deception Pass State Park! You can walk all over the grounds to check out the fort and some left over guns. There is also a lighthouse a short walk away you can check out as well. It’s right on the coast with gorgeous views and we saw a bald eagle while we were there.

One of my favorite places on the island, and until recently, free for much of the year. Discovery Pass aside, it’s still worth the trip. The views are magnificent from the bluffs, with eagles frequently catching the winds coming off the Sound, and exploring the ruins of the fort is fun for adults and kids alike. My advice, bring a flashlight so you can get into the unlit halways of the bunkers, although I used to enjoy going blindly thru them as a kid.
I’ve always preferred being there on cold, cloudy and windy days because it keeps the number of tourists down, and you can feel as if you have the place to yourself. But also because the place seems more alive and natural when you know the elements are part of the visit.

History buffs and military folks you will love this place. The park is very well maintained and has something for everyone in the family. We spent the better part of a day at the fort and didn’t see it all. The kids will love all the hidden passageways and tunnels throughout the fort. If you love light houses they have a really awesome one. It is amazing what you find in your own back yard. If you want something fun and educational to do. Do yourself a favor and visit Fort Casey. An added benefit is it is almost in walking distance to the ferry terminal on Widbey Island. If you like camping they have a campground just below the park next to the ferry terminal. From the looks of things you will have to wait a long time to get a spot there. It was packed full. The campground is right on the water. Once you are done visiting the fort run up the road to Coupeville. You won’t be disappointed.

We took at half day trip to Whidbey Island. We took a quick ferry ride from Mukilteo to Clinton. We made our way north towards Ft Casey, which is about a 20 – 25 minute drive. As others have stated, you will need to pay admission since this is a State Park. $ 10 a day or $ 30 a year, I highly recommend the year pass.
Once at the park, we encountered very clean and well maintained facilities. We observed several park rangers and other staff. The Fort is well laid out, everything is well mapped out and easy to navigate.
One of the coolest aspects of Fort Casey, is you can literally explore free range style. You aren’t forced to stay behind velvet ropes or stay out of restricted areas. You can openly wonder 90% of the eerie bunkers from room to room. You can even go up to the top of a small lighthouse!
If you’re on Whidbey Island, Fort Casey is a must!

Much fun had by all. Very well cared for location. We enjoy Storm watching during the winter months. Mother nature in your face, Magic.

This is a very pretty state park! It requires Discover Pass. However, there’s a schedule that posted on their official website showing pass free days for tourists.
My friends and I stopped by here on the way back to Seattle. They just finished a marathon. Therefore, they were not able to walk around. We picked a spot and got a nice group picture or two. And, we headed back.
Supposedly, you will be able to see eagles here. In addition, it’s a historical building of military or some sort. You can still see the partial from where the parking lot is! It’s very fascinating.
I would totally come back and visit when there are eagles around!

This park is great! Wander around to view the barracks and bunkers and imagine a time when this was a active military base. Climb up a lookout tower to gaze over the ocean and you might just see an approaching enemy vessel!

If you don’t mind boondocking a couple of days, Fort Casey State Park is a great place to stay. Spectacular views of Admiralty Bay off Puget Sound, plus you can watch the Keystone/​Port Townsend Ferries come and go. Open year round. If you have kids, they will enjoy playing around the remains of the Army Fort. The Admiralty Lighthouse is interesting. There is a restaurant nearby, Keystone Café, but it’s closed Tues and Wednesday. You don’t need the Discover Pass if you are staying at the camping park.

The need for major restoration has shuttered most of the more haunting spaces, the dark corridors navigated by nervously outstretched hands, the booming acoustics that explode into the vast darkness; yet as my wife pointed out, restoration would ruin the patina of the ruin. Then again, no splendid ruin will remain unless a conscious effort of maintenance is adopted. Costly as this would be, this phenomenal monument of the past deserves to be preserved. I miss the Switchboard.

You need a Washington state Discover Pass to park at Fort Casey. $ 10/​day seems a little spendy but $ 30 for an annual pass seems very reasonable, especially considering how many places there are, on just Whidbey Island alone, where you can use the pass.
We decided to explore Whidbey Island a little bit this past Saturday, having never really been south of Deception Pass before. What a gorgeous place. Because most of Whidbey Island is in the Olympic Mountains rain shadow, the terrain is more wide open, its beauty enhanced by occasional pockets of red-​barked madrona trees. Very nice view of the Olympics here.
Fort Casey State Park is tucked into the southwest corner of this long narrow island. Fort Casey was built in 1897, and in active use until the end of World War I. It was mothballed until World II, when it was re-​activated for training purposes. Fort Casey was permanently deactivated in 1953. As part of the construction of Fort Casey’s gun battery, an existing lighthouse was dismantled and moved to a location several hundred feet to the north.
Upon entry to the park, when you first glimpse the remains of the gun battery, your first thought is, not knowing what it is that you are looking at, but boy, that two-​story apartment building is run down. Closer inspection reveals that this is not an apartment building, especially when you catch sight of the fixed cannons atop the roof.
Even on a brilliant sunshiny July day, this park with abundant manicured green grass is not crowded (though I did note a sign indicating the adjacent campground was full). The park has lots of places to explore. I have to marvel a bit at Whidbey Island’s climate. Despite it being a July afternoon, and despite the blazing sun, because Whidbey Island is surrounded by the chilly waters of Puget Sound, the air temperature struggles to climb over 60 degrees. You wanna escape the summer heat, come to Fort Casey.
Oh, on a summer weekend evening, prepare for a 2 hour plus wait to grab the ferry from nearby Clinton to Mukilteo on the mainland. Upon seeing the long line of cars waiting to board the ferry, you might be tempted to turn around and exit the island via the Deception Pass bridge (35 miles to the north), but you still probably won’t save much time compared to just waiting for a ferry (that is, if you’re headed south towards Seattle).

I was gently spanked by a wonderful islander about places to eat on the Island. I wanted to update. We drove straight thru to the Fort and didnt go into Downtown Coupeville, which I hear is about 2 miles away from the Fort on this beautiful island AND I hear has some great eateries. Next time we will def venture to that area to explore what it has to offer..

Fort Casey is a great historical park that offers lots visually stunning scenery. Lots of awesome WW2 history and plenty of forest trails to explore for hours. Sometimes you’ll stumble across a random abandoned building in the middle of the woods, or a great vista/​cliff to look out at the water. Whether you’re there with kids, pets or a date there’s a lot to love about Fort Casey.

Beautiful historic spot to visit. You’ll need a Discovery Pass ($ 10/​day or $ 30/​year) but it’s so worth it. You should go and check out all the cool nooks and crannies! Take a flash light and wear sturdy shoes that have good grip! If you’re taking the little ones, keep close watch and hold their hands at all times, it’s not the safest place for little kids! Outstanding views and beautiful scenery. Take a good camera and maybe pack a little picnic. it’s really a cool place to enjoy on a nice sunny day!

Great views! Wonderful history! Nice place to explore with the beautiful grounds and historical sense… forts and lighthouse are nice to mill around. Really, really enjoyed this gem of a park in Washington!

Fort Casey was just as I remembered it as a child, including the wind! super fun place to explore and bring kids (however small children need to careful with climbing around).Being that it was February and very cold we limited our visit to about an hour, taking photographs and walking around. Great space for picnics on nice days, a game of soccer or a game of frisbee. I will for sure go back this summer.