| Kopachuck State Park is a 109-acre marine and camping park with 5,600 feet of saltwater shoreline on Henderson Bay. One portion of the park, Cutts Island (or "Deadman's Island") is a half mile from shore and reachable only by boat. The park provides scenic views of sunsets, the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound. This beautiful park has a western exposure with spectacular sunsets, sandy beaches and a panoramic view of the snow-capped Olympic Mountains. There is a large field suitable for volleyball, but equipment is not provided. Most of the activities at Kopachuck center are on the beach. During low tide, the sun warms the sand, which in turn warms the water brought in by the tide. The sandy beach is ideal for wading, sand-castle building, and exploring the marine habitat. The most popular day-use area is the beach. Getting there requires a short 1/8-mile walk down a hill. People with limited mobility may drive or be driven to the beach. Contact park staff to make such transportation arrangements. The name "Kopachuck" originated from "Chinook Jargon," the trade language of the Pacific Coastal Indians. Kopachuck is a merging of two words: "Kopa" meaning "at," and "chuck" meaning "water." This scenic park was once a seasonal fishing and clamming site of the Puyallup and Nisqually tribes. Cutts Island, which sets in the water a half mile away from the park proper, is also known as "Deadman's Island." The latter name derives from 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. |
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