When on island time I love to seek out a high viewpoint. Our hike on Turtleback Mountain had some…read moreof the most breathtaking views we had. There are two parking lots, one at the South trailhead and the other at the North. We took the South Trail to the West Overlook to the Ridge trail and stayed on it to the Ravens Ridge trail and the outside of Center Loop trail to return. The South Trail starts in the woods as it goes up and up to the ridge and mountaintop. The first mile and the early part of the hike were tough, it felt like walking on my elliptical with the ramp all the way up. You'll be quickly rewarded with stunning views of the surrounding islands. Did you pack a lunch or a beer? This was a perfect break spot. Carry on through the woods, fields and cliffs and complete your loop. Wildflowers were blooming anywhere the sunlight found it's way through the canopy. Simply stunning. Take a photo of the map at the trailhead Pack a lunch and beer You're going through the woods and exposed at the top, you need bug spray and sunblock Pack it in, pack it

Second Stop: "A Perfect Day on Orcas island" Collection…read morehttps://www.yelp.com/collection/Bgd9G40BjYMmHuJoM5MpHw Well this is an awesome hiking trail system with spectacular views. We did the short 1.5 mile to Ship Peak. 931" straight up and 931' straight down. That ham and egg omelet was sitting pretty heavy on the way up. LOL We have done other trails and they are all awesome. Check it out.

La Conner Marina is a great place for boaters and visitors…read more The marina features extensive covered moorage on 8 docks, two large guest docks, clean and comfortable restrooms, large laundry facility, two pumpout machines (one on each guest dock) and expensive outdoor/lawn/picnic space. Most of the slips feature finger piers on both sides of the boat, making this a very desirable location for covered moorage. As such, expect a long waitlist that could have you waiting for two or three years. Plenty of parking even when they host large events like the 4th of July celebration. Staff is friendly, courteous and very responsive to inquiries and issues. I haven't reviewed the RV park, as I haven't stayed there, but as a casual observer, the park is clean, reasonably lit without being too bright, close to the restrooms and laundry, and a short walk from town.

I'm updating my previous review of the La Conner Marina (see below) to now include having spent two…read morefun weekends at the adjacent RV Park. The first weekend was last summer, and the second one was this past weekend when we "glamped" there to once again meet up with friends who were docked at the marina for the weekend. The RV park is definitely no frills. The sites are close together, the trees are few and far between, and the sites don't include picnic tables or firepits. But they are all full-hookup, the park is well maintained and quiet, and you can't beat the sweet streets of downtown La Conner being just a quick walk (or even quicker drive) down the street. There's also a bathhouse with toilets and showers, all of which were immaculately clean. (You can get the door code from the campground host at RV Site #1.)

There are really no words to describe how amazing it is to live a mere half-hour boat ride from…read morethis tiny little island state park where you can drop an anchor in its secluded harbor, find a waterfront campsite, and spend the weekend patting yourself on the back for how damn lucky you are to live here. Patos is one of the smaller of the public islands in the San Juans, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in stunning sunsets and beautiful, easy-to-access beaches full of driftwood and tide pools. The level path around the island can be easily walked in well under an hour, and there's a quaint, historic lighthouse you can tour when it's open on weekends. There are even pit toilets in a couple of spots around the island, and each campsite features a picnic table and fire ring for the low-low price of $12/night. What the island doesn't have is running water of any kind, so be sure to come prepared.

One of my favorite camping islands in the San Juans…read more The main camping area is located at the west end of the island near the cove between Patos island and Little Patos island. At the east end of the island there are a couple of small coves that you can anchor in, but there are no campsites on the east end of the island. I have been coming to Patos Island for over 20 years, and it has changed very little in that time. Sure they have installed new vault toilets that are much nicer than the old ones, and the old dock that was quite unstable has been torn down. The old military barracks that were out by the lighthouse have been removed, and the lighthouse has been opened up for tours now. Besides that the camp sites and general feel of the island is the same. The only way to get to this island is by boat, there are no houses (besides the lighthouse) on the island, no roads, no cars, and no running water. This island has quite a history, much of that is covered in a book called The Light On The Island which is an great read if you are visiting the island. The book was written in the 1950's by the daughter of the lighthouse keeper who lived there from 1905 to 1930. The harbor between Patos island and Little Patos can be a challenge to anchor in (I haven't had a problem but I have seen others have trouble). There are 2 buoys that you can pay a fee to tie up to, or you can drop your own anchor. As the tide comes and goes, the current can get quite strong closer to beach area by the campsites. On more than one occasion I have seen someone anchor close to the beach with a rope running to shore tied to a tree or log. Not such a good idea because people who do that usually end up with their boat on the beach when the tide goes out. The harbor is very shallow at low tide, 4 to 5 feet deep in many areas, but as you get out towards the anchoring buoys it gets deeper. From the campground you can see a variety of wildlife, some amazing eagles, or annoying wasps and yellow jackets. One night while camping we awoke to Orcas splashing in the water right next to the campsite. You may occasionally spot a river otter in the bay, or porpoise off shore. Be sure to take the short walk to the lighthouse, it can be amazing at sunset. As you approach the lighthouse in the large grassy field, you may notice some cement footings from old buildings, the ones right near the cement Patos Island sign are the footings from the original lighthouse keepers house which burnt down years ago. Any cement footings at the edge of the grassy field by the trees are of the old military barracks that where on the island. Scuba diving is amazing along the south side of the island, with amazing sea life to be seen. Beware of the currents, it can get a bit strong, but if you are up for a drift dive with a live boat, it can be an amazing ride. Keep in mind that there is no running water on the island so you need to bring fresh water with you. The closest place to refill if you need more water is on Sucia island.

One of my favorite parks in the San Juans for hiking, kayaking and boating. Beautiful views all…read morearound, and the wildlife from eagles to seals to whales is awe-inspiring. If you have an opportunity to travel here, go for it!

If you have a boat (or, even better, a friend with a boat) and you live anywhere in the vicinity of…read morethe San Juan Islands then fill 'er up and head on over to Sucia Island State Park. I recently was invited out with some friends on their new boat (did I mention how lucky I feel sometimes?) and we had an AMAZING day tied up at the main dock, barbecuing fresh salmon, tossing back a few cold ones, playing some cards, and enjoying a nice relaxing Sunday on the island. There's a lot to love about Sucia. It's isolated (accessible only by boat), uncrowded (because, let's face it, not everybody has a boat), unscathed, and beautiful...yet still has a few "creature comforts" that we semi-outdoorsy types love (like pit toilets, picnic tables, and even cell phone service). If you don't have a boat you can catch one from Orcas or another nearby island - some will even haul your kayak over, too, so you can enjoy some quality time paddling around the island and its beautiful inlets and bays. There are also several lovely campsites right by the main boating dock - can't wait to get back here with my tent, my kayak, and a good book or two. Just remember, if you go on a weekend day get here early for the best spot at the dock!

We did some hiking around here, checked out Cattle Point Lighthouse, and generally creeped on…read morefoxes. Definitely a success on all points. The hiking was great, the water views and beaches were lovely and not packed, the foxes adorable. We look forward to returning adhesion next spring.

Wow! Only one review, and it's two stars? This wrong must be righted…read more Californians unimpressed? Ho hum. Don't come back, and don't send any of your friends up here to mess the place up. Just repeat '2 star' like you're ordering mediocre Thai food: Not so hot. They'll get the picture. Olympic National park just average? Compared to which temperate rainforest? Rainer? Just a big hunk of rock and ice, and it's always behind the clouds. How about North Cascades? Just wannabe alps. It's like the Yelpers who gave a 1 star rating to Death Valley complaining that it was too hot, or that the Grand Canyon is just a big hole in the ground. Not helpful. San Juan islands have a lot to offer, and San Juan in particular has a lot of interest, but you need to get out of your car to enjoy it. Hike, bike, kayak, go whale watching, drop some crab pots, maybe tour the historic parks too. Sail, fish, go to the beach. You could also spend a lazy afternoon shucking and eating fresh oysters on the bluff at Westcott bay. You're here for island life mon. Watching whales off Lime Kiln point? Seen them on PBS. Orcas breaching In the Sound? We have some of those at Sea world. Argh. Spending a couple of hours shuttling between the mainland and the island, then driving around the island in your car? Yeah, that sounds boring. You missed it all. Now get off my lawn. Phew! I feel better.

Awesome ferry ride over to the islands. With Beautiful views. Entering was easy and quick.read more

I only got to visit the American Camp side of this park, but it was wonderful!…read more Driving along Cattle Point Road you'll see signs to enter multiple different sites at the park. I mainly stopped at three locations: Cattle Point Interpretive Area: You can either take the steps down to the pebbly beach to feel more connected to the water, or go up the mossy mound to get a high ground view of... well, everything. I saw water, cliffs, islands, ducks, eagles, seals... unfortunately, no whales, though, prob because this is not the time of year they are around much. Cattle Point Lighthouse: Walked on a cute trail to the lighthouse, where I saw a humongous red fox on a hill, looking like it was digging or pouncing on something! On the other side of the lighthouse are views of miles of open sky and water. South Beach: On the road leading to the beach, we actually saw a black fox just chilling, lying on the road. It moved to the fenced area as we approached, and my gosh it was beautiful. I didn't even know black foxes existed! The beach itself is wide and has views of endless water, with some driftwood hanging out near you. I know there's so much more to the park that we didn't see, but I was quite happy with the wildlife and incredible scenery. Especially the foxes... I've only seen like one other (that I can remember), so seeing the ones here were such a bonus. The trails and sites that we missed are even more reason to return to San Juan Island National Historical Park. I just hope I'm able to come out to this island again someday.

This is a lovely little waterfront park and a great place to spend an hour or two if you're…read morevisiting Anacortes. The weather was absolutely gorgeous when we were here so we ended up staying longer than we expected and enjoying the views and all that this park has to offer. There is a beautiful monument you can visit, if I remember correctly it is the Seafarers' Memorial and it is what the park is named for. It's dedicated to the people of the community who have lost their lives at sea. This community has deep ties to the water and the fishing industry and I found the memorial beautifully crafted and very moving. The park had a great atmosphere and we walked around as much as we could. There were children playing in the sand on the little beach area and dipping their toes into the water. There were families picnicking and lots of gorgeous green grass to enjoy. We sat in the grass with our dog for a while. Just enjoying the sunshine and the breeze. We also found a statue called the Lady of the Sea, which really spoke to me. Between the sculptures, memorials and boats in the water. There was plenty to see and enjoy. This is the kind of place you would find me most days if I lived in this area and it was a great place to learn about the community and experience for ourselves.

Seafarers Memorial Park has the quintessential marina, industry and ocean views that PNW folk tend…read moreto love. Clean single use bathrooms, water fill up, recycling and garbage. Perfect spot to stretch before the ferry!

When I think of a "stairway to heaven", this is probably something that comes to mind…read more We parked at Little Squalicum Park and walked down a short path to get here (there's a little steep section). Originally, we saw that there was a pier and thought to try crabbing here. I don't think this is a pier for fishing nor crabbing. The water depth is only a few feet even at the end - it's quite shallow, not deep enough for crabs or any serious fishing. We tried a few casts anyway and didn't come up with anything, unfortunately. But, it's an awesome long pier walk that really gets you some scenic views at the end of the surrounding areas. Great nature view. You really take the full force of the sun out there, so wear some sunscreen.

I was not expecting to be as impressed as I was by this brand new pier at Little Squalicum Beach…read more For decades, I've visited this rustic little beach park with family or friends, always gazing out at the long-dilapidated former shipping pier. Fast forward to just a few weeks ago, and they've transformed this creosote-scented landmark into a place of beauty. We were lucky to be there on a warm, sunny day. We walked out to the end and took it all in. From views of Lummi and Orcas Islands to the west, Mt. Baker to the east, and even some humongous-looking crabs wandering the shallow depths beneath the bridge, it was a delightful (and free!) way to spend some time in nature.