Cutts Island Marine State Park
🏆🏆🏆🏆 Puget Sound Island — Tiny island marine park in southern Puget Sound — accessible only by boat, offering kayaking and beachcombing
Cutts Island Marine State Park is a small island park in Carr Inlet of southern Puget Sound — accessible only by boat or kayak. The park is part of Washington’s unique system of marine state parks — a network of island and shoreline parks that provides boaters and kayakers with camping and recreation along the intricate waterways of Puget Sound. Puget Sound is one of the world’s largest estuaries — a 100-mile-long fjord carved by glaciers during the last Ice Age. The Sound’s cold, nutrient-rich water supports over 200 species of fish, 100+ species of seabirds, and iconic orca whales.
Visitor Information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Carr Inlet, Puget Sound, WA |
| Entry Fee | Discover Pass required |
| Access | Boat/kayak ONLY! |
| Sound | 100-mile glacial fjord! |
About Cutts Island
Cutts Island Marine State Park (also known as Deadman Island) is a tiny 5-acre island in Carr Inlet of southern Puget Sound near Longbranch. Accessible only by boat, the island offers a primitive camping experience surrounded by the calm waters of the Sound. Harbor seals haul out on nearby rocks, and bald eagles nest in the shoreline trees.
Things to Do
Boat-in camping (primitive sites), kayaking around the island, fishing, crabbing, and shellfish harvesting (in season with license). The surrounding waters of Carr Inlet are excellent for paddling. Birdwatching for eagles, herons, and kingfishers.
Insider Tips
South Puget Sound: Cutts Island is a small island accessible at low tide in Carr Inlet — part of Puget Sound’s intricate marine landscape. Pro tip: Walk to the island at low tide, but watch the tide tables carefully — getting stranded is a real risk. Puget Sound: Puget Sound is a complex fjord system carved by glaciers — 1,332 miles of shoreline with hundreds of islands, bays, and inlets.
Best Time to Visit
Summer: Best tides and weather for island access. Spring: Lowest tides of the year for exploring. Fall: Quiet shoulder season. Winter: Dramatic storms from shore.
Frequently Asked Questions
How was Puget Sound formed?
Puget Sound was carved by a massive glacier (3,000+ feet thick) during the last Ice Age — the ice sheet advanced south from Canada and gouged deep troughs in the bedrock. When the ice melted 15,000 years ago, seawater flooded the troughs, creating the Sound. The result is a fjord-like inland sea — 100 miles long, up to 930 feet deep, with 1,332 miles of shoreline.
🚣 Visit Cutts Island Marine SP
Puget Sound island — boat-only access, 100-mile glacial fjord!
Wildlife & Nature
Cutts Island Marine State Park — a small boat-access-only island (also called Deadman’s Island) in southern Puget Sound near Longbranch — offers primitive beachside camping and beachcombing along its gravel shoreline. The island is connected to the mainland by a tombolo (sand spit) walkable at low tide — making it technically accessible on foot during minus tides. Harbor seals rest on nearby rocks. Bald eagles perch in the mature Douglas firs. The surrounding waters of Carr Inlet support Dungeness crab, spot shrimp, and Pacific oysters. Great blue herons fish the shallows.
Nearby Attractions
Penrose Point State Park is 5 miles north. Joemma Beach State Park is 3 miles east with boat launch access. Key Peninsula offers rural scenery and small farms. Tacoma is 30 miles north.
