Lighthouse Park camping looking better but still not for sure

With one seasonal staffer on board and a candidate to fill the second position, the Whatcom County Parks and Recreation department is poised to have a limited opening of the Lighthouse Marine Park campground this year.

“We’re kind of heading in that direction,” said department director Michael McFarlane. The reservation system for the park remains unavailable until a final decision has been made, he said, which will be contingent on securing full staffing to maintain campground facilities and operation, along with more evidence the county is unlikely to fall back to more restrictive COVID restrictions.

The campground would open at 50 percent capacity and without showers due to COVID restrictions.

Despite the ongoing closure of the U.S./Canada border, McFarlane said he could see a possibility for more people looking for camping opportunities at the Point. The WA360 race will make two passes by the buoy off Lily Point and “that might bring some action up there,” he said.

McFarlane added that recent discussions with Bellingham/Whatcom Tourism CEO and president Sandy Ward had included avenues for people to come visit the Point without crossing the border and ways to get them around when they got here. “Transportation for visitors there will be critical.”