Cranberry Lake (Swimming Area)
Oak Harbor, Washington · on Cranberry Lake · Deception Pass
Verified · 5 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $10 per day
- SEASON
- Varies by conditions
About Cranberry Lake (Swimming Area)
Cranberry Lake is a small freshwater lake inside Deception Pass State Park on Whidbey Island, Washington, developed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps as an official bathing and picnic area. A stone seawall built by the CCC still defines the historic swimming hole at the lake's east end, alongside surviving CCC comfort stations, kitchen shelters, and a pump house.
The lake sits at the northwest end of Whidbey Island within the roughly 3,854-acre Deception Pass State Park. Its east end was cleared by CCC Company 266 (based at Camp SP-3) into an open grassy area fronting the lake, studded with mature evergreens, and the surrounding historic district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2019 as the 'Deception Pass State Park-Cranberry Lake Bathing and Picnic Area Historic District.'
Swimming at Cranberry Lake (Swimming Area)
Official and historical sources describe designated lake swimming at a bathing area bounded by a CCC-era stone seawall; the park's general rule restricts swimming to designated areas, and this lake is one of the areas historically developed and equipped for that purpose (bathhouse-type comfort stations, kitchens for picnicking swimmers). No first-hand trip reports describing current water clarity, depth, or bottom conditions were found.
How to get to this swimming hole
Parking: A dedicated Cranberry Lake area exists with a boat launch; the park notes that trailers, motorhomes, buses, or other vehicles over 25 feet are not allowed in the West Beach parking area, a restriction that also covers the Cranberry Lake boat launch area.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. No trail hike is needed. The roped swim zone sits directly beside the Cranberry Lake parking/boat-launch lot within the developed CCC-era bathing and picnic historic district, it's a short, flat walk from the car to the water. (Deception Pass State Park has ~40 miles of trails elsewhere in the park, but none are described as required to reach this swim area.)
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
Good for kids
The swim zone is a designated area sectioned off with ropes and floating buoys right next to the parking/boat-launch lot in the historic CCC-built bathing area; multiple independent sources describe it as a 'family friendly roped off swimming beach' with picnic tables nearby, and Wikipedia calls it a 'family-friendly lake for paddling and swimming.' No hazards (cliffs, strong current, waterfall) are documented for this lake.
Parking
Paid, $10/day or $45/year (Washington Discover Pass, required park-wide, not a separate lake fee)
Dedicated parking/boat-launch area directly adjacent to the lake and swim zone. Trailers, motorhomes, buses, or other vehicles over 25 feet are not allowed in this lot (same restriction as the West Beach lot).
Restrooms
Yes
Historic CCC-built comfort stations sit at the lake's east end as part of the 1930s bathing/picnic historic district; visitor snippets also describe public showers and bathrooms near the designated swim section.
Hours
Park-wide: 6:30 a.m.-dusk in summer, 8 a.m.-dusk in winter. Seasonal Lake Store: Fridays and Saturdays April to mid-June, then daily until Labor Day. Campstuff Coffee (espresso) also operates seasonally near the lake.
On the water
Restrictions: No motorized boats allowed on Cranberry Lake (non-motorized/human-powered craft only). The boat launch/parking area also bars trailers, motorhomes, buses, or other vehicles over 25 feet.
Wikipedia notes the lake historically 'offers swimming and boat rentals.' The official park page confirms kayak, paddleboard, and canoe access via the boat launch.
Rentals nearby
Sit-on-top kayak rentals and stand-up paddleboard rentals, plus guided sea-kayak tours (1.5-hr, 3-hr, 5-hr, and multi-day trips) including a popular Deception Pass tour launched from Bowman Bay within Deception Pass State Park
Business address 2009 Skyline Way, Anacortes, WA 98221 (~9-10 miles from Cranberry Lake); tours/rentals launch from Bowman Bay, also inside Deception Pass State Park · Extended seasonal summer hours (daily); specific hours not published on the site
What regulars say
Visitors describe Cranberry Lake as a family-friendly lake for paddling and swimming, with the swim zone roped and buoyed off, picnic tables nearby, and public showers and bathrooms close to the beach. One description calls it 'Whidbey Island's loveliest freshwater swimming hole on the western shore.' A notable natural detail repeated across accounts: the lake's fresh water is separated from the adjacent saltwater of Puget Sound and Deception Pass by only a thin sand barrier.
Backstory
The lake's bathing and picnic infrastructure -- three kitchens, two comfort stations, a pump house, and the stone seawall marking the swim area -- was built 1933-1938 by CCC Company 266 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 4, 2019 as the Deception Pass State Park-Cranberry Lake Bathing and Picnic Area Historic District (NRIS #100004770). Cranberry Lake is also regularly stocked with trout for fishing.
Cranberry Lake (Swimming Area): FAQ
Does Cranberry Lake (Swimming Area) charge a fee?
A Washington Discover Pass is required for park entry/parking ($10 per day or $45 annual, per the official park page).
Is Cranberry Lake (Swimming Area) kid friendly?
The swim zone is a designated area sectioned off with ropes and floating buoys right next to the parking/boat-launch lot in the historic CCC-built bathing area; multiple independent sources describe it as a 'family friendly roped off swimming beach' with picnic tables nearby, and Wikipedia calls it a 'family-friendly lake for paddling and swimming.' No hazards (cliffs, strong current, waterfall) are documented for this lake.
Do I need to hike to reach Cranberry Lake (Swimming Area)?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Cranberry Lake (Swimming Area)?
Dedicated parking/boat-launch area directly adjacent to the lake and swim zone. Trailers, motorhomes, buses, or other vehicles over 25 feet are not allowed in this lot (same restriction as the West Beach lot).
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Cranberry Lake (Swimming Area)?
Wikipedia notes the lake historically 'offers swimming and boat rentals.' The official park page confirms kayak, paddleboard, and canoe access via the boat launch.
What are the rules at Cranberry Lake (Swimming Area)?
Park-wide rule: 'Swimming is allowed in designated areas only.' No pets allowed in tide pool areas (a separate, unrelated shoreline rule noted on the same official page).
What water body is Cranberry Lake (Swimming Area) on?
Cranberry Lake (Swimming Area) is on Cranberry Lake, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
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