Overview
Saltwater State Park is an 88-acre marine camping park with 1,445 feet of saltwater shoreline on Puget Sound. The park is located halfway between the cities of Tacoma and Seattle. The cities jointly and literally buried a hatchet in the park as a symbol of an end to their mutual competition. The park offers beautiful views and wildlife-watching opportunities. .

Hours
Summer: 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Winter: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The park is open year-round for day use.

Camping:
Check-in time, 2:30 p.m.
Check-out time, 1 p.m.
Quiet hours: 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.

Facilities
The park provides two kitchen shelters without electricity, plus 147 unsheltered picnic tables. Most picnic sites are near the beach or along McSorley Creek.

The kitchen shelters are reservable by calling the park office at (253) 661-4956.

The park has 50 tent spaces, one dump station, four restrooms (one ADA) and two showers (both ADA). All standard sites are in McSorley gulch, next to the creek. Sites have no hook-ups. Maximum site length is 60 feet (may have limited availability). The park is in the flight path of Seatac Airport and, during certain hours, planes land or take off over the park every 15 minutes. All campsites are first-come, first-served.

The group camp is on a bluff overlooking Puget Sound, with a view of Vashon Island and the Olympic Mountains. The camp has its own picnic shelter that accommodates up to 64 people with a restroom nearby. Fees vary with size of the group. For reservations or information, call the park at (253) 661-4956.

Activities
Diving, fishing (saltwater), swimming, beachcombing, bird watching, sailboarding, two volleyball fields, wildlife viewing, sailboarding., horseshoe pit.

The park has an underwater, artificial reef on Puget Sound. The area is often used for scuba diving and fishing.

The park offers three trails for hiking and biking. The park can be noisy, as it is located in the flight path of a major airport.

Directions
Located two miles south of Des Moines, Wash., near Sea-Tac International Airport.

From the south:
Take exit #147 off I-5. Follow signs west, and turn right on 16th St. past the Safeway store (sign missing). Then follow signs to park. Turn on Marine View Dr., which runs through the park. Turn left into the park.

From the north:
Take exit #149 off of I-5, go west, then turn south on Hwy. 99 (sign missing). Follow the signs into the park. Turn right on 240th at the Midway Drive-in. Turn left on Marine View Dr. and turn right into the park.

Information Courtesy Of Washington State Parks