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Fort Worden Historical State Park
Fort Worden Historical State Park is a 434-acre multi-use park with over two miles of saltwater shoreline and a wide variety of services and facilities. The park rests on a high bluff overlooking Puget Sound. Many historic buildings remain at this 19th century military fort.
This historic fort offers a full-service conference center, an ideal setting for seminars, conferences, retreats, and family reunions.
This historic fort offers a full-service conference center, an ideal setting for seminars, conferences, retreats, and family reunions.
Historic 100-year Victorian parlors, spacious carpeted dormitories, and hook-up campsites can meet the needs of most any small or large conference group. The center has a dining facility and a wide range of meeting rooms. The park has a pleasantly informal atmosphere in a historically formal setting.
The Fort Worden Advisory Committee was created by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission in 1973 to provide assistance and recommendations for the development and operation of Fort Worden State Park. Specifically, the committee provides a venue for public input and advice to executive leadership on matters relating to the operation and management of Fort Worden State Park. The committee has 11 voting members and 7 ex officio members. It meets the third Thursday of every month. To contact a committee member, please see the committee roster. The approved bylaws are available for review. Meeting agendas and minutes are posted below.
Most Recent Agenda, Items & Actions | View All Agendas and Actions
Discover Pass: A Discover Pass is required for vehicle access to state parks for day use. At Fort Worden a Discover Pass is required to visit at a campsite, in the beach area and at the main trailheads for day use parking. For more information about the Discover Pass and exemptions, please visit the Discover Pass web page.
Automated pay station: This park is equipped with an automated pay station for visitors to purchase a one-day or annual Discover Pass and boat launch permit.
Public Development Authority
The Fort Worden Lifelong Learning Center, located in the park’s main campus, is operated by the Fort Worden Public Development Authority (PDA). Information about food, lodging, programs and events at the learning center can be found on the PDA's website
Fort Worden Advisory Committee
The Fort Worden Advisory Committee was created by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission in 1973 to provide assistance and recommendations for the development and operation of Fort Worden State Park. Specifically, the committee provides a venue for public input and advice to executive leadership on matters relating to the operation and management of Fort Worden State Park. The committee has 11 voting members and 7 ex officio members. It meets the third Thursday of every month. To contact a committee member, please see the committee roster. The approved bylaws are available for review. Meeting agendas and minutes are posted below.
Most Recent Agenda, Items & Actions | View All Agendas and Actions
ADA Amenities/Facilities
Fort Worden offers dozens of outstanding day-use and picnic areas. Whether overlooking the high centennial cliffs of Artillery Hill, the often wild Straights of Juan de Fuca, or a placid vista encompassing the distant Mt. Baker, framed by Port Wilson Lighthouse and the Port Townsend Marine Science Center on the end of the pier. Numerous day-use picnic tables and fire boxes provide for an excellent picnic spot. The Cable House Canteen is an on-site food and convenience store, offering sundries, delicious burgers, or hot breakfast entrées.
Activities
Trails
Water Activities & Features
- Campground
- Restroom
- Hiking trail
Fort Worden offers dozens of outstanding day-use and picnic areas. Whether overlooking the high centennial cliffs of Artillery Hill, the often wild Straights of Juan de Fuca, or a placid vista encompassing the distant Mt. Baker, framed by Port Wilson Lighthouse and the Port Townsend Marine Science Center on the end of the pier. Numerous day-use picnic tables and fire boxes provide for an excellent picnic spot. The Cable House Canteen is an on-site food and convenience store, offering sundries, delicious burgers, or hot breakfast entrées.
Activities
Trails
- 5 miles of ADA hiking trails
- 12 miles of biking trails
- 12 miles of hiking trails
- 120-feet of dock
- 6 moorage buoys
- Boating
- Crabbing
- Diving
- Personal watercraft
- Saltwater fishing
- Swimming
- Two boat ramps
- Water skiing
Other Activities & Features
Interpretative Opportunities
The Coast Artillery Museum was established to preserve and interpret coast artillery history with special emphasis on the harbor defenses of Puget Sound as they existed and functioned from the late 1800s to the end of World War II. Among the collections and artifacts, visitors will see a three-dimensional scale model of Battery Kinzie showing the design and structure of the massive fortifications and the emplacements for the two 12-inch disappearing guns that were kept in readiness for possible attack from 1910 to 1943. The museum is open daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with extended hours on Fridays and Saturdays, Memorial Day through Labor Day, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Commanding Officer's Quarters overlooks Admiralty Inlet with the Cascades in the background. Completed in 1904, 33 families called this place home during the days of the fort. The building has been restored and furnished in keeping with the late Victorian period (1890 - 1910), providing a glimpse into the life of an officer and his family in the first decade of this century. Special tours can be arranged by calling 360-385-1003. Admission is $2 for adults, free for children under age 12. The Commanding Officer's Quarters is open daily April 1 through September 30 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday in October and November from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Rothschild House is open May 1 through September 30 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
The Port Townsend Marine Science Center is open April 1 through October 31.
- Alternative fitness classes
- Baseball / softball field
- Beachcombing
- Bird watching
- Kayak and bike rentals
- Mountain biking
- Museums
- Two fire circles
- Two tennis courts
- Visitor center and gift shop
The Coast Artillery Museum was established to preserve and interpret coast artillery history with special emphasis on the harbor defenses of Puget Sound as they existed and functioned from the late 1800s to the end of World War II. Among the collections and artifacts, visitors will see a three-dimensional scale model of Battery Kinzie showing the design and structure of the massive fortifications and the emplacements for the two 12-inch disappearing guns that were kept in readiness for possible attack from 1910 to 1943. The museum is open daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with extended hours on Fridays and Saturdays, Memorial Day through Labor Day, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Commanding Officer's Quarters overlooks Admiralty Inlet with the Cascades in the background. Completed in 1904, 33 families called this place home during the days of the fort. The building has been restored and furnished in keeping with the late Victorian period (1890 - 1910), providing a glimpse into the life of an officer and his family in the first decade of this century. Special tours can be arranged by calling 360-385-1003. Admission is $2 for adults, free for children under age 12. The Commanding Officer's Quarters is open daily April 1 through September 30 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday in October and November from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Rothschild House is open May 1 through September 30 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
The Port Townsend Marine Science Center is open April 1 through October 31.
Additional Information
- There are several golf courses nearby.
- Visit the fascinating historic town of Port Townsend.
- The Olympic Mountains rise majestically nearby.
- From nearly everywhere, you can hear the cry of the gull and the call of the sea.
- Rent kayaks (singles) for $25 first hour, $10 each additional hour. A variety of kayaks and rowboats are available.
Campsite Information
Campers may enjoy this scenic and historic fort at two delightful campgrounds with 80 campsites that may be reserved up to one year in advance. Both campgrounds have restrooms with showers. Maximum site length is 75-feet (limited availability).
Beach campground features 50 full-service (water, electric, and sewer) hookup sites tucked between the bluffs and the beaches of Point Wilson. The sites are level, spacious, and open. Most sites have an amazing view of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Upper campground features 30 sites with water, electricity, and a sewer dump station nearby. The campsites are mostly forested, some with privacy. They are fairly level, and quite long. This campground offers easy access to miles of trails.
Campsites are popular and fill quickly year-round. Reservations are highly recommended.
Campgrounds convert to winter water after Thanksgiving until before Presidents’ Day Weekend (subject to weather). Insulated winter water sources are available in each campground during this time.
Reservations
Individual campsite reservations can be made online or by calling 360-344-4400.
Overnight Accommodations
With 456 bedrooms, Fort Worden offers a wide variety of overnight accommodations for family vacations, conferences, reunions, and retreats. Visitors may choose from century-old officers' housing, a castle, special one-room houses, and large dormitories. All accommodations are located on beautiful state park grounds that have miles of trails, sandy beaches, and unparalleled views of the Cascades and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
There are 35 housing units available for renting year-round. Houses range from six-bedroom to single-bedroom units with living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens. All the houses have fully equipped kitchens (coffee makers, utensils, dinnerware, and cookware), and have full linen service. These houses are very popular with conferences and travelers. Visit the Vacation Houses section for additional information.
Fort Worden Governance
The Washington State Parks Commission unanimously adopted a lease and co-management agreement with the Fort Worden Lifelong Learning Center PDA. The agreement was the result of years of public process, discussion, research and negotiation. The documents related to the public process are included on this page. If you would like more information or need documents in an alternative format,
please call 360-902-8626 or email.
Related Documents
- Agenda Item E3 and Appendices 1-6
- Agenda Item E3 and Fort Worden Future Governance
- Agenda Item E3 and Memorandum of Understanding with Centrum
- Agenda Item E5 and Appendices 1-5
- Agenda Item E5 and Appendix 3
- Agenda Item E6 and Appendix 1
- Agenda Item E7 and Appendices 1-3
- Agenda Item E7 and Appendices 1-5
- Agenda Item E7 and Appendices 4-5
- Agenda Item E9 and Appendices 1-3
- Agenda Item E11 and Memorandum of Understanding with Centrum
- Fort Worden-PDA Master Lease
- Memo to Staff and Partners-Discover Pass 2013
- Resolution Regarding the Transfer of Ft Worden-PDA
Historical Information
Fort Worden, along with the heavy batteries of Fort Flagler and Fort Casey, once guarded nautical entrance to Puget Sound. These posts, established in the late 1890s, became the first line of a fortification system designed to prevent a hostile fleet from reaching such targets as the Bremerton Naval Yard and the cities of Seattle, Tacoma, and Everett. Construction began in 1897 and continued in one form or another until the fort was closed in 1953. The property was purchased as a state park in 1955. Fort Worden is named after Rear Admiral John L. Worden.