Fort Ward Park, Bainbridge Island
Fort Ward on Bainbridge is 137 acres on Rich Passage — gun batteries, a rocky beach, scuba, a two-lane boat ramp, picnic tables, 8 a.m. to dusk. It is not the Fort Ward Park in Alexandria, Virginia. Google will try to send you there. You want 2241 Pleasant Beach, Bainbridge Island, Washington.
South end. Not a walk from the ferry. Island-wide clocks: visitor guide.
At a glance
Address
2241 Pleasant Beach. Upper lot off Fort Ward Hill Road NE.
Hours
8 a.m. to dusk, year round.
From Winslow
About fifteen minutes south. Not a walk. Car, or a booked ride.
Lower picnic
Along Rich Passage, foot-only. Upper picnic is the one you can drive to.
Boat ramp
Two lanes, free. Scuba at the underwater park. Kayakers on the Cascadia Marine Trail (a Puget Sound water trail) can camp here overnight — not car camping.
Directions
Address and map: Fort Ward listing. This page is how to visit.
If the map says Virginia, you have the wrong Fort Ward.
Island park. Rich Passage. Bainbridge. The other one is a different state and a different war story.
Batteries, beach, boat ramp
Commissioned in 1903 to protect the Bremerton Naval Shipyard. Two gun batteries are still in the park. In World War II the Navy ran a radio school here and stretched a submarine net across Rich Passage — you can still watch Bremerton ferries (and, sometimes, Navy hardware) slide through that gap. Decommissioned 1958, State Parks, then the Island Park District in 2011.
4,300 feet of saltwater shoreline. Rocky beach. Twelve picnic tables with grills, first come, first served. One overnight spot for people who arrive by kayak or on foot — not a car-camping loop. That is Fay. Bird blinds at the south end if that is why you came: bird blinds on Bainbridge.
Restrooms: south and north. Printable maps: biparks.org.
Kindred Spirit mailbox
Upper Fort Ward has a community mailbox on a wooded walk where people leave handwritten notes for whoever finds them next. It is easy to miss if you do not know what you are looking for. Read the mailbox story before you go — that piece lives on this site, not on a Parks brochure. South end; you already needed a car for the park.
Getting there from the ferry
From NE Country Club Road, take Fort Ward Hill Road NE for about a mile and a half to the marked entrance, then down to the upper lot. The lower picnic area on the water is a walk from there. Highway 305 backs up when a boat unloads.
BI Ride is not a promise to this gate. Book a taxi, Uber, or Lyft and the ride back, or bring a car. Natural pair: Lynwood Center for food. Getting around.
The Explore Bainbridge app
Live ferry, map from the dock, itineraries. Free. Download it on the boat. explorebainbridge.com.
FAQ
Is this the Fort Ward Park in Virginia?
No. This is Fort Ward Park on Bainbridge Island, Washington — 137 acres on Rich Passage at 2241 Pleasant Beach. The bigger Google volume is Alexandria. You want the island one.
What are the hours?
8 a.m. to dusk, year round. Upper lot is off Fort Ward Hill Road NE. Lower picnic area along Rich Passage is foot-only.
What is there to do?
Rocky beach, two historic gun batteries, scuba at the underwater park, a two-lane boat ramp (free), picnic tables, and a Cascadia Marine Trail water-trail campsite for people who arrive by paddle or on foot.
Where is the Kindred Spirit mailbox?
Upper Fort Ward, a short walk from the park if you already came south. Read the mailbox story before you go so you know what you are looking for.
Do I need a car?
Yes, or a booked ride. About 15 minutes from Winslow. BI Ride is not a promise to this gate.