Manchester State Park
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Follow Beach Drive from Port Orchard for a scenic approach to Manchester State Park (360/871-4065 or 888/226-7688, www.parks.wa.gov), six miles away at the entrance to Sinclair Inlet. The park’s 111 acres include campsites ($17 tent, $24 RV hookups, $7 extra reservation fee), hiking and interpretive trails, plus swimming, fishing, and scuba diving in Rich Passage.
The main attractions here are various century-old military structures, built to protect the Bremerton Naval Shipyard from attack. These include a brick warehouse once used to store underwater mines (now it’s an oversized picnic shelter) and a control center where the mines could be set off remotely if enemy warships intruded.
Fortunately, the mines were never deployed, and the fort was abandoned and turned into a state park. The park is open from late April to early September.
© Ericka Chickowski from Moon Washington, 8th edition
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