Situated On Deep Lake Is Washington's State Park Paradise For Canoeing, Birding, And Camping

There's nothing quite like camping beneath the towering pines in a lush old growth forest where thick blankets of moss cover the knotted trunks. Same goes for swimming in the rippling waters of a wide lake or paddling your canoe through the reflections of the surrounding trees. The active among us relish the feeling of the wooden boardwalk under your hiking boots as you trek between waving wetland grasses, listening for the calls of ospreys and woodpeckers knocking on the trees. All of this can be found in Washington state's Millersylvania State Park. About two-and-a-half hours on Interstate 5 from the "Soul of Seattle", Pike Place Market, with its beloved flying fish and polarizing Gum Wall, this surprisingly quiet little natural oasis is just waiting to be explored.

While Millersylvania State Park's gorgeous natural swimming beaches can be packed on hot summer days the trails through the forest are generally pretty quiet all year long. So, even if you come during the busy season you probably won't have to worry too much about having the sounds of other hikers scaring away the birds you were hoping to see along the trail. If you really want to see the best that Millersylvania State Park has to offer, however, you should consider spending the night at one of the park's many campsites. It's a great park for stargazing and you'll get a head start to snag the best beach spots — or just explore the trails and canoe on Deep Lake when there's nobody else around.

The heart of Millersylvania State Park is Deep Lake. The pines reflected in the misty surface of the water are certainly the most beautiful sight waiting for you within the park, and the best way to see it might just be gliding through the water on an early morning canoe trip. There are boat launches that you're free to use if you have your own boat ready to go, but if not, there is also a convenient family owned boat rental stand in the park called Lakefront Boats and Bites where you can take out everything from canoes to pedal boats and explore Deep Lake for yourself.

If you want to get out on the water early to watch the sunrise or reach the beaches before the crowds, your best bet is to camp inside the park. There are more than 130 tent camping sites in the park, as well as some designed for RVs, some group camping sites, and one attractive lakeside cabin. The standard tent campsites might be your best option if you're looking for a classic camping experience. Between the impressively wide tree trunks and in the shade of the lush tree canopy, these sites look like pretty woodland clearings. Be warned, however, there are a lot of campsites here and during the busy season you're not going to feel like you're alone in the wilderness. It can be noisy and you will definitely see and hear your fellow campers if you spend any time in or around your tent. For some, this will ruin the experience, but for extroverts, those who love sharing their campfire cooking, and people solo camping to find an antidote to loneliness, it might be the perfect fit.

If you want to explore Millersylvania State Park on foot rather than from a canoe, you're in luck. There are plenty of hiking trails to explore in the park, and the best ones don't require a lot of effort, years of experience, or specialized equipment to hike. The Millersylvania Northwest Loop, which takes around an hour and a half to get you back to where you started, is the most popular in the park, taking you through the woods and along the shores of Deep Lake. If you're hoping to see wildlife, consider the equally easy Perimeter and Maple Hollow Loop to explore wetlands. This is one of the best places for birdwatching in the area so keep your eyes and ears open for signs of life. You might spot beavers and muskrats here, too.

The most exciting bird to look for in Millersylvania State Park isn't a shorebird, though. In the woods, there are pileated woodpeckers. These red-crested birds are startlingly large and find food by knocking holes into dead trees. One of the best ways to find them is to listen for the sounds of them driving their beaks into trees and simply follow the noise. Even if you don't get a chance to see a woodpecker, you may see the places where they've excavated large sections of rotting wood out of logs along the trail in search of tasty bugs. While it's a little more challenging, you might want to consider hiking the entire Maple Hollow Loop to hike through the lushest, densest parts of the forested areas and look for birds flying between the mossy tree trunks.