Last year, when we visited San Juan Island, we had hoped to get to Orcas Island, one of the islands in the Strait of San Juan de Fuca that comprise the San Juan Islands, but did not have time. We decided then that we would go back to camp on Orcas Island since a large part of the island is state park. On Memorial Day weekend, we had our opportunity to take this long-awaited camping trip.
Orcas Island is a little like two bells connected by a thin cord. The Washington State Ferry arrives on the west side of the island in the town of Orcas and Moran State Park is on the east side. The town of Orcas is very small, but has the essentials - a few gift shops, grocery store, and restaurants - which made our long wait for the ferry leaving the island more bearable despite the drizzle. On the way to Moran, we passed through Eastsound, the largest town on the island. This was a quaint village with some resorts and some artisan shops. It was great to have this as an option on the morning of the trip that it really rained.
The state park really provided plenty of activity options with so many miles of hiking trails. On one afternoon, we hiked to Cascade Falls. It was a two mile moderate hike from our campground. The falls were not terribly large, but the lush green surroundings they were nestled into made them worth the trip. Another day, we hiked up Mt. Constitution, the highest point in the San Juan Islands. The hike was difficult at first in that it was a very steep grade. Eventually, the trail began to wind along the face of the mountain then continued up to the summit. The top was very crowded as there is a road to the summit; however, the clouds were so thick there was hardly anything to see anyway. There is a stone observation tower, but that did not improve the view. The descent was much easier, obviously. The trail took us to Twin Lakes then Mountain Lake, where we walked along the shores directly back to our campsite.
By far the most exciting part of the weekend was kayaking. We had been kayaking in the San Juan Islands before, but this time, we stayed very close to shore, which allowed us to see the sea life on the rocky cliffs of the island. We saw many purple star fish and some seals. Though the best visitor by far was a bald eagle. On our previous kayaking trip in the San Juans, we saw many bald eagles from a distance. On this trip, the eagle was perched on a rock close to the water and did not move for several minutes despite our group's approach. It was a clear illustration of why kayaking is one of the most perfect ways to watch wildlife.
Despite a little rain and chilly northwest temperatures, it was a great trip. Hopefully, we will some day return to this area for more northwest camping. Of course, the chilly weather did not stop me from taking a dip in Mountain Lake. It wouldn't be a vacation without swimming!
Orcas Island is a little like two bells connected by a thin cord. The Washington State Ferry arrives on the west side of the island in the town of Orcas and Moran State Park is on the east side. The town of Orcas is very small, but has the essentials - a few gift shops, grocery store, and restaurants - which made our long wait for the ferry leaving the island more bearable despite the drizzle. On the way to Moran, we passed through Eastsound, the largest town on the island. This was a quaint village with some resorts and some artisan shops. It was great to have this as an option on the morning of the trip that it really rained.
The state park really provided plenty of activity options with so many miles of hiking trails. On one afternoon, we hiked to Cascade Falls. It was a two mile moderate hike from our campground. The falls were not terribly large, but the lush green surroundings they were nestled into made them worth the trip. Another day, we hiked up Mt. Constitution, the highest point in the San Juan Islands. The hike was difficult at first in that it was a very steep grade. Eventually, the trail began to wind along the face of the mountain then continued up to the summit. The top was very crowded as there is a road to the summit; however, the clouds were so thick there was hardly anything to see anyway. There is a stone observation tower, but that did not improve the view. The descent was much easier, obviously. The trail took us to Twin Lakes then Mountain Lake, where we walked along the shores directly back to our campsite.
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| Cascade Falls Photo by E. Pittinger |
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| View from the top of Mt. Constitution Photo by E. Pittinger |
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| Photo by E. Pittinger |
Photo by E. Pittinger
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