Kopachuck State Park
Encyclopedia
Kopachuck State Park, situated on Henderson Bay in Puget Sound
, is a 109 acre (0.44110774 km²) marine and camping park with over a mile of saltwater shoreline. The park also includes Cutts Island
also known locally as "Deadman's Island". The island is about half mile from shore and reachable only by boat. The park provides sweeping views of sunsets, the Olympic Mountains
and Puget Sound.
The park has four kitchen shelters complete with electricity in addition to 16 sheltered and 76 unsheltered picnic tables. Camping is a popular recreation at Kopachuck with campsites nestled in a forest of Douglas firs. Other common recreation activities include swimming and kayaking
. The normally steep rocky beach becomes a level sandbar at low tide and is a popular place for kids to play in the sand.
Cutts Island has had many different names throughout the years. One of the names for the island: "Deadman's Island" alludes to the belief that the island was used by saltwater tribes who buried their dead in canoes placed in the forks of trees. It is unknown how the island acquired the name "Cutts Island". Prior to its current popular names, the place was called "Crow Island," for the large quantity of crows explorer Peter Puget
discovered there in 1792, and later "Scotts Island," in honor of Thomas Scott, quartermaster of the 1841 Wilkes expedition.
A recent rally of neighbors has brought attention to an effort to save the park, doomed for closure. The neighbors formed a group called Preserve Our Park.
The group already has the support of at least one Washington state legislator. State Senator Derek Kilmer
said he and others live in the Gig Harbor area because of the park. “This park and other parks (the governor has listed 12 others for possible closure) are a big park of our quality of life.” He said the challenge is great, given an $8.5 billion budget deficit, but he maintained something must be done to save parks for citizens to enjoy.
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
, is a 109 acre (0.44110774 km²) marine and camping park with over a mile of saltwater shoreline. The park also includes Cutts Island
Cutts Island State Park
Cutts Island State Park in Pierce County, Washington is a marine park in the Washington State Park System. It comprises the entirety of Cutts Island in Carr Inlet, offshore from Kopachuck State Park, and is accessible only by water. Available activities include boating and diving.-References:...
also known locally as "Deadman's Island". The island is about half mile from shore and reachable only by boat. The park provides sweeping views of sunsets, the Olympic Mountains
Olympic Mountains
The Olympic Mountains is a mountain range on the Olympic Peninsula of western Washington in the United States. The mountains, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, are not especially high - Mount Olympus is the highest at - but the western slopes of the Olympics rise directly out of the Pacific...
and Puget Sound.
The park has four kitchen shelters complete with electricity in addition to 16 sheltered and 76 unsheltered picnic tables. Camping is a popular recreation at Kopachuck with campsites nestled in a forest of Douglas firs. Other common recreation activities include swimming and kayaking
Kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...
. The normally steep rocky beach becomes a level sandbar at low tide and is a popular place for kids to play in the sand.
History
Kopachuck State Park bears a name whose origin derives from the language of the Chinook Tribe, a band of Pacific Coastal Indians. Kopachuck is a blend of two words: “kopa,” meaning “at,” and “chuck” meaning “water.” The Puyallup and Nisqually Indian Tribes used the area around the park for seasonal fishing and clam gatherings.Cutts Island has had many different names throughout the years. One of the names for the island: "Deadman's Island" alludes to the belief that the island was used by saltwater tribes who buried their dead in canoes placed in the forks of trees. It is unknown how the island acquired the name "Cutts Island". Prior to its current popular names, the place was called "Crow Island," for the large quantity of crows explorer Peter Puget
Peter Puget
Peter Puget was an officer in the Royal Navy, best known for his exploration of Puget Sound.-Mr. Midshipman Puget:Puget's ancestors had fled France for Britain during Louis XIV's persecution of the Huguenots. His father, John, was a successful merchant and banker, but died in 1767, leaving Puget's...
discovered there in 1792, and later "Scotts Island," in honor of Thomas Scott, quartermaster of the 1841 Wilkes expedition.
Recent Proposed Closure
Kopachuck has been tagged for closure by Washington Governor Chris Gregoire as part of budget cutbacks in the wake of hard economic times.A recent rally of neighbors has brought attention to an effort to save the park, doomed for closure. The neighbors formed a group called Preserve Our Park.
The group already has the support of at least one Washington state legislator. State Senator Derek Kilmer
Derek Kilmer
Derek Kilmer is a Democratic member of the Washington State Senate, representing the 26th district since 2007. His district covers Bremerton, Port Orchard, Key Peninsula, and Gig Harbor...
said he and others live in the Gig Harbor area because of the park. “This park and other parks (the governor has listed 12 others for possible closure) are a big park of our quality of life.” He said the challenge is great, given an $8.5 billion budget deficit, but he maintained something must be done to save parks for citizens to enjoy.