Rasar State Park – state parks quest #35

Everything about the Skagit River is big. It starts in Canada, 80 miles upstream of Rasar State Park, and flows another 40 miles past the park into Puget Sound. Providing 30 percent of Puget Sound’s water, the Skagit is the largest river draining into Washington’s inland sea. Its 1.7 million-acre watershed is larger than Delaware. By water volume, the Skagit is the third-largest river in the contiguous United States. It supports steelhead, all five native salmon species, and one of the largest populations of bull trout in the country. More than 60 percent of the wild Chinook salmon in Puget Sound, the primary food source of the critically endangered southern resident orca, come from the Skagit. From November to February each year, thousands of bald eagles, one of the largest wintering populations in the United States, converge on the river to feast on salmon. Bundled against the cold and rain, tens of thousands of visitors flock to the river to watch the fierce-looking birds during eagle season. That includes about 20,000 people who visit Rasar State Park, which has direct river access and excellent views.

Wild and Scenic, and protected

Fifty-eight miles of the Skagit, including the portion that flows past the park, and a combined 100 miles of three tributaries — the Sauk, Suiattle, and Cascade rivers — are part of the Skagit Wild and Scenic River System, designated by Congress in 1978 to protect the rivers’ fish, wildlife, and scenic values. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act into law on October 2, 1968, the same day he signed legislation creating nearby North Cascades National Park. Standing on the Skagit’s sandy shore on an early spring day, I’m grateful the river is protected and that Rasar State Park provides easy access to it.

In the Skagit Wild and Scenic River System, half of the land is privately owned, and another 44 percent is within the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, the lead managing agency. The rest, including Rasar, is owned by the state or other agencies. Two dozen federal, state, local, and tribal agencies work cooperatively to manage the system. 

The park pizza paid for

In 1986, Dan Rasar donated 128 acres of land along the Skagit River for a state park honoring his grandfather, Peter Rasar. Peter had emigrated to the Skagit Valley from Tennessee in the 1880s, settling on the flats near Padilla Bay at the mouth of the river, making a living as a lumberman and dairyman, and founding a family that has deep roots in the area. 

Grandson Daniel Rasar, born in 1932, was a businessman who owned 25 Shakey’s Pizza outlets from south of Seattle to Alaska. At the park’s dedication ceremony in 1997 (it took ten years to raise the funds to develop the park), Rasar quipped, “Everybody that chomped on a Shakey’s Pizza from the late ‘60s to 1985 helped build the park.” Mr. Adventure has fond memories of special family pizza dinners at Shakey’s in Portland. Although he didn’t eat at one of Rasar’s pizza parlors, and can’t claim any credit for helping to fund the park, he was tickled to learn of the connection.

Riverfront park

Rasar’s 180 acres (the state purchased more land for the park in 1992 and 2017) offer plenty of river frontage to hike, fish, or just watch the river mesmerizingly roll by. Trails parallel the river along the park boundary and branch off into field and forest. We walked the river trail from end to end, stopping to admire the blue kaleidoscope of water in the early spring sunshine.

Winter’s last snow had dusted the mountaintops the day before, but today the clouds drifted overhead, casting occasional shadows but no flakes. Due west, white-capped Sauk Mountain gleamed. A surprisingly sandy beach made walking easy, at least until we came to a section of large cobbles.

Along the way, we spotted an empty interpretive sign frame, then another and another. We were puzzled until we realized these likely display information during eagle-watching season.

Old stumps, new clearcuts

The west end of the river trail goes through a forested section, where old stumps lean precariously over the water or squat in the middle of the path, remnants of the region’s early logging days. Across the river, clearcuts are visible in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Evidence of recent timber sales, the bare parcels are a reminder that the river flows through a working national forest.

In the park, two large tree rounds are labeled to show historical events that occurred while the trees still stood. And park facilities, including the park entrance station, interpretive kiosks, and restrooms, were built using timber and stone from park land.

Luxe cabins, forest camping

Cape Horn Road splits the park into two sections. The larger portion, south of the road, includes most of the camping, picnic shelters, a playground, interpretive signage, an amphitheater, and the river. North of the road are three large group camps and five stunning new cabins. Set in the forest, the cabins are outfitted with log furniture and locally crafted ironwork, and feature outdoor fire pits and bathrooms with showers. Luxury! I envy the lucky people who get to stay in those cabins any time, but especially during eagle-watching season. Between 15 and 20 percent of the park’s visitors come during the November-February period, when a cozy cabin would be a perfect base camp for eagle viewing.

Eagle viewing, fishing, hiking, or just relaxing, any time of year, Rasar is a gem on the wild and scenic Skagit.

Fast facts about Rasar State Park

• 180-acre camping park, open year-round
• 4000’ of freshwater shoreline on the Skagit River
• Discover Pass required, $10 daily or, for a very reasonable $30, purchase an annual pass
• 49 campsites (18 standard, 20 partial hookup, 10 walk-in sites (two with Adirondack shelters), 3 hiker-biker), three group camps and five cabins, reservable online or by calling 888-CAMPOUT
• restrooms, showers
• picnic tables, playground, grills, one kitchen shelter (reservable online)
• hiking, wildlife viewing, interpretive signs, seasonal interpretive programs, amphitheater
• fishing (license required)
• park brochure
• park metal detecting map
• park map

---