School Field Trips & Groups Visits
Support from the Foundation has enabled the park to continue offering guided visits for schools and groups. Deception Pass is a great place for field trips and the park has a lot to offer:
- Rosario Beach Tide Pools
- West Beach Sand Dunes
- Old Growth Forests
- Sandy Beaches
- Freshwater Lakes
- The Civilian Conservation Corps Interpretive Center
We have downloadable activities for various areas of the park, though groups are encouraged to contact Interpretive Services to schedule a visit. (click on the link below)
Rosario Tide Pools
The Rosario Beach Tide Pools are one of the most popular places for groups and classes to visit in the park. During the spring and summer, thousands of people flock to this small and fragile ecosystem, making it challenging to preserve them for everyone to enjoy. The tide pools are beloved, but have not always been taken care of. They are still recovering from past abuse. For this reason, a reservation is required for groups of 10 people or more visiting the tide pools. Groups are rarely turned away. Reservations help us to spread out large numbers of visitors over multiple days and decrease the impact of big groups.
- Due to excessive trampling in the past, we have installed a rope trail system at the tide pools. It is important that all members of your group stay on the trail. Please ensure that your students/group members understand this, and (if necessary) that you have enough chaperones to keep your group under control.
- View tide tables for Deception Pass (the tide pools are best viewed at a -2 or lower).
- The tide pools are an excellent outdoor classroom. Additionally, there is now an indoor classroom adjacent to the tide pools equipped with microscopes and other educational tools. Please contact Interpretive Services if you are interested in using the Rosario Classroom during your visit.
- Because the tide pools are very popular, the park cannot guarantee your first choice of date/time, especially in May and June. The sooner you book, the better. We prefer to have all scheduling completed by April 1.
If you’re interested in scheduling a group visit or have any questions, please click here for more information.
