Fort Casey State Park closed now, will soon offer electric hookups

Western Washington's Fort Casey State Park will soon offer electrical hook-up campsites. But for now, stay away: the campground is closed for the upgrade. It is expected to reopen Oct. 20, 2011. The day-use areas will remain open during the construction.

The project, which includes the installation of underground electrical and water line repairs will upgrade 14 standard campsites to electrical hook-up campsites.

“We have had numerous requests from our park visitors to provide this amenity,” said Park Ranger Ken Hageman. “The hook-up sites also will allow year round use of the campground.”

Fort Casey State Park is a 467-acre marine park located near Coupeville on Whidbey Island and features a lighthouse and sweeping views of Admiralty Inlet and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Campsites are available first come, first served. A coast artillery post features two 10-inch and two 3-inch historic guns on display. The park features 10,810 feet of saltwater shoreline on Puget Sound (Admiralty Inlet), and includes Keystone Spit, a two-mile-plus stretch of land separating Admiralty Inlet and Crocket Lake.

The park campground has one restroom and shower. The maximum size RV is 40 feet. Campsites are located next to the Keystone ferry terminal, which makes walking on the ferry for a visit to pretty Port Townsend a snap. Camping fees range from a primitive site for $12 a night to $27 for partial hookups. The dump fee is free to campers, $5 for others.

Camp hosts always needed at Washington State Parks

Volunteers play a vital role in sustaining Washington State Parks, providing more than 300,000 hours of service each year. Opportunities are available across the state for a variety of short- and long-term projects.

Volunteers serve as camp hosts, assist in visitor centers and answer questions from the public; maintain and restore trails; give museum tours and interpret history; and provide routine maintenance such as mowing lawns.

The Camp Host program is of particular interest to many RVers. The positions offerenthusiastic and interested volunteers the chance to stay and have fun in beautiful and diverse park settings while gaining experience in park operations and visitor services. Hosts are needed year round in most Washington state parks.

They greet campers, answer questions and perform light maintenance particular to the park. This may include litter pick up, raking campsites or lawn mowing. Hosts may assist with other projects around the park based on the parks needs and the hosts’ skills and interests.

Hosts receive free camping and hookups in exchange for performing these duties. A typical host assignment is 30 days. This may be extended up to 90 days at the park manager’s discretion. Hosts must provide their own RV and equipment. Hosts should enjoy working with the public, have the desire to accept new challenges and possess the willingness to learn about Washington state parks.

Learn more at the Washington State Park website.