Jarrell Cove State Park

This is a relatively small and quiet state park in the southern part of Puget Sound. Sites 8 and 10 have electricity at the site. Site 8 is probably the best site for RVs. It is a pull through site with some view of the salt water through the trees. Fun to watch the boating activity from the two docks and to talk with the boaters who come ashore. A portion of the entrance road leading to the park is quite narrow and you would not want to meet an oncoming vehicle. We could not get a working Verizon signal even with a booster at the campsite. The signal was somewhat better on the docks.

We consider ourselves locals and have camped here many times with our boat, our kayaks, as a group camper and most recently as a tent camper. It's a nice little campground, but $32 is a bit steep for essentially primitive camping, with flush toilets.

This is a small state park with 22 sites. with water access to Jarrell Cove. There are 2 sets of docks for overnight boaters and numerous mooring buoys, and a pump out on the smaller dock. This park is part of the Marine Park Water Trail system and has one site designated for hand powered boat campers, site 22. No boat launch, but there is a public boat launch just before you cross the bridge to the island. You can launch your kayaks and other paddling devices by carrying them down to the dock/beach area.

About 1/2 the sites are really geared to tents/vans/truck campers, some are walk in sites down from your parking area. Some sites can accommodate larger rigs (site 2, 8 and 11), several others can accommodate rigs under 30'. Some sites are first come, first served, some can be reserved. (On the reservation site, you can get the specifics on each site, like size and whether a site can be reserved). Sites have a fire pit and table, not all sites are level, some sites have power. Some sites have full on sun, others have no sun exposure at all.

Restrooms were nice and very clean, perhaps recently remodeled and reconfigured. One shower, 50¢ for a 3 minute shower. Water, trash and recycling available. Maybe a mile of walking trails. No real beach, but plenty of beach when the tide is out. Usually there is a camp host. There was no litter to be picked up that we saw. You will hear the occasional commercial air plane overhead. Little to no Verizon cell coverage.

There is a gate that is closed from 10 pm until 8 am, but it was not locked. A ranger's residence is just outside the park's entrance.

There is a private marina across from the park a short paddle or a short drive. They is a small store, fuel at the dock and by the store, pump out, moorage and overnight camping.

You are about 10 minutes from a great bakery, a restaurant, and a mini market at Spencer Lake. On Saturday's during the season there is a Farmers Market at the nearby community center. If you like oysters, you can access a public oyster bed by hiking from Hartstine Island State Park not too far away. You will need a Discover Pass.