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.

I went down Lopez Sound Road the opposite way of the directions provided on the San Juan County…read moreLand Bank website (from Mud Bay Road) and recommend following the directions provided. The roads were rocky and it had rained recently so there were puddles of standing water and thick mud patches. What does this mean? It means you have a good chance of getting stuck in the mud or bottoming your car out if it is not built for those kinds of roads. I have been back-roading before in a Jeep Wrangler, but alas I was in my trusty steed of a Toyota Corolla named Lepton this time. It made it through, but the bottom of the car did scrape on rocks a number of times and mud and muddy water splashed along the front, sides, and up and over the top of the car. Luckily I didn't get stuck and the car didn't bottom out too bad. There is a small entry road off Lopez Sound Road that is marked with a Lopez Hill Preserve sign that leads to the trailhead. At the end of the entry road is a small parking lot to hold a handful of cars, I'd guess 5 cars. One other car was parked in the lot when I arrived. A small covered area contains some posted information about etiquette in the Preserve and a map of the trail system. There are lots of forks in the trails, so I recommend either taking a picture of the trail maps or printing out the handout on the website with the trails labeled. I printed out the handout from the San Juan County Land Bank website and consulted it at every fork I reached in the path. The trail was quiet and very green and tree-y! On occasion there were horse poops along the trail, so watch the path ahead of you as you walk. They don't smell too bad. I spent about an hour and a half exploring the Preserve and only covered a fraction of the trails. I ventured to the left at the first fork to the trail marked with a fishhook, the other option was what appeared to be a steaming stump. At the second fork in the trail marked with a red and orange arch I took a left. That trail intersects with Lopez Sound Road and continues after venturing a short way along the road. You can also turn around and walk back to the small entry road off Lopez Sound Road from this point. I chose to loop back around on Lopez Sound Road (which at this location runs along the edge of the Preserve) to see the roads my Lepton and I had surmounted. There were no cars in the parking lot other than my own when I departed for the Lopez Island Ferry Terminal. The Lopez Hill Preserve is a magical place. Yay, for the tall trees, but also the ambience was just a bit magical. Vegetation along the trail changed from shrubbery to green trees to trees without leaves to bog-like ground cover. There were abandoned wooden buildings that had collapsed or whose roof was no longer there. The bog-like ground cover was cool (though I like ground cover that reminds me of the bogs of Scotland), and the natural feature landmarks such as a tree arch and partial wall of tree roots along the side of the trail made the place feel otherworldly. A captivating place to take some time to explore and adventure!

I visited here several years ago, and I would say it was the highlight of my trip to San Juan…read moreIsland. It was such a wonderful place to visit - a delight for all the senses. You really must sample the lavender treats! The ice cream was surprising and delicious, as were the lemonade and shortbread cookies. Double check the blooming season schedule, and watch out for our friends, the bees! While you're visiting here, make your way around the island. So many fun and interesting discoveries! If you're visiting the Seattle area, the island and this wonderful place are worth the day (or overnight or weekend) trip via the ferry! You'll enjoy the visit and create some great memories -- and get some great souvenirs for dear ones (and yourself!).

Go for the photo opp and the heavenly scent and stay for the snacks…read more The farm came highly suggested on a few travel blogs and I can't resist a stunning photo opp. The farm is really easy to find and is listed on Apple Maps. The moment you get out of the car your nose is tickled with the delicate and subtle lavender scent floating through the air. It's pure heaven. You can either pick your own or cruise around the farm. We loved seeing all the happy, fuzzy, fat bees pollinating and living their best bee lives. Not to worry bumble bees don't sting and left us alone completely. After getting some instagram-able photos we popped into the shop. If the budget had allowed I would have purchased one of everything. We ended up with dog treats and linen spray. The candles and the berry compote are next on my list. The back patio is not to be missed. They have stunning lavender plants in many sizes for purchase as well as fresh made snacks. We tried the lemon lavender sorbet and the lavender lemonade. Both were amazing and not overwhelmingly floral. It was a warm day and these were refreshing ....... And devoured. Basically don't miss this little gem on your next trip to San Juan Island

Deadman Bay Preserve is situated north of the Westside Preserve and southeast of Lime Kiln Point…read moreState Park along West Side Road. A sign reading 'Deadman Bay Preserve' faces the road at the top of the trail that leads down to the beach. There is one small parking lot (2-3 vehicles) next to the main sign and two small parking areas across the road that hold about 2-3 vehicles each as well. Signage with rules, trail/preserve maps, and background information about the preserve are well-placed in the preserve as well as a restroom. The restroom is a small building that has a pit toilet and was well-stocked and cleanly when I visited. There are a few trails that lead to different places: one to the beach, one to the state park, and one to Limekiln Preserve. I explored the one to the beach, the beach, and ventured along part of the one that leads to the state park. The beach had beautiful rocks. There are abundant greywacke and lawsonite cobbles that are fun to look at (no collecting!). Some beautiful rock exposures border the water. Portions of these rocks are partially covered with seaweed and have tide pools. Salt crystals had formed on some of the rock where salt water had evaporated. The beach is sloped down to the water. Driftwood is plentiful higher on the beach and makes for a good bench or back support if you want to rest at the beach. Trees at the top of the beach provided cool shade while I ate my lunch. I ate lunch here on Friday the 22nd of May 2020 then did some exploring around the preserve. A fun place to take in the beauty of nature.

Lovely beach! Great expansive views! Saw some bald eagles…read moreflying around here. Such a peaceful place to just kick back and listen to the waves. Bathrooms were relatively clean.

Loved our visit to South Beach at San Juan. It's certainly not your lay in the sun beach, but there…read moreare beautiful meadows around you, vast beaches with almost no one around, and the crisp island air all around you. What could be better? You could easily spend 30 minutes or a whole day here.

Mount Grant Preserve was everything I could ask for and more. There is road access to the summit of…read morethe mountain with different hours the gate is open depending on the season. The San Juan County Land Bank's website provides more details about gate hours if you want to know when it is going to be open in advance of your visit. Driving west on West Valley Road the turn-off to parking for Mount Grant Preserve is on Richard Lee Lane. 'No Parking' signs along the road and parking area explicitly label where not to park. There are a few parking spaces to the right of the mailboxes (facing the mailboxes) and behind the mailboxes where you can park before you reach the main gate. The day I visited the gate was not open, this meant non-motorized (I chose foot) access to the summit. I did not know if I would make it to the top or not. I injured my knee about two months ago and this was the first trail I was attempting summit and back. The hike starts off along a paved road. There are a few different trails you can hike in the Preserve, I chose to take the Greywacke Trail and then the Lawsonite Trail to the summit of Mount Grant. My knee wasn't bothering me by the time I got to the non-motorized trail, so I decided to continue on. The Greywacke Trail was comparatively flat and the signage provided some information on the rock called greywacke and why the trail was named after the rock (I am a geologist so I loved this). The Lawsonite trail branches off from the Greywacke Trail and is steep in places. I stopped to take pictures, which also allowed me to catch my breath. Nearing the top of the hike to the summit you start to pass views out over the surrounding through the tree branches. This is a very beautiful place with gorgeous scenery. I reached the summit without my knee bothering me (the first time this has happened for a steep trail since my injury)! At the summit the foot trail reconnects with the motorized access road to the summit. There are some short walking trails around the summit so you can fully take in the scenery. These trails are flat, which is perfect if you want to bring a grandparent here who struggles with hills and uneven terrain. There are also a number of benches and picnic tables in addition to a very clean restroom (port-a-potti). I decided to go back down the Lawsonite and Greywacke Trails on my way down the mountain though you could have also walked down the road if you wanted to that day. A bicyclist had made it to the summit while I was walking around and exploring. I encountered one other group pulling in and parking as I got back to my car to depart for the day. My knee had been giving me pain/discomfort while going down steep inclines before this hike, but on this hike I didn't even have slight discomfort. Hooray for successful knee strengthening! If the hike had been longer, I am not sure if the results would have been the same. I hiked about 2-3 miles (there are almost 5 miles total) of the trail system with about 700 feet of elevation gain. I found this to be a satisfying hike in length and intensity. A quiet hike with great rocks, plants, and the potential to see some neat wildlife.

Another cool must see besides the lighthouse. The Stuart Island State Park school. It is closed…read moredown but has an old school that allows you to check out your own books and bring them back on the honor system. Everything on this remote island is in the honor system. Just look at the pictures and captions. This is another bucket list. Get good directions so you do not get lost. Remember private property so don't trespass.

This review is about the San Juan Island in total, not just the Parks and Recreation…read more One of the most wonderful places I have ever been. I have traveled the ENTIRE United States, and a handful of other countries. I lived in the Seattle area from 1979 to 2010 and this island is simply spectacular. Drive to the top by the light house. Visit the resorts. Bike it, hike it, camp it. I've seen countless eagles, dozens of deer, Orcas, sea lions, and so many other critters. The plant life is incredible. It is at least a two-day event, if not more. Orcas Island is wonderful too. If you live in the area and have young children, you simply HAVE to enroll them in Camp Orkila for a summer session. I was a camp counselor there and to this day am SO impressed at what they do there. Why this with a review of San Juan? As a counselor the curriculum included SO much about the island life. MUST DO - MUST DO

There are so many great parks on the Island! Te only trouble after getting here is which one to…read morespend your time at. My favorite one is on the south side of the island and offers an unobstructed view of the Straight of Juan de Fuca and the Olympics looking south. It's probably one of the most beautiful views you can attain. If you come here be sure to bring your camera.