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State Parks

The State of Washington provides recreational opportunities in the San Juans at more than a dozen parks. Camping reservations may be made 8 a.m.-5 p.m. through Reservations Northwest: 1-800-452-5687. Reservations may also be made by fax and e-mail. Forms and details and other information are available on the State Parks Commission’s Web site.

Questions about the best fishing hole, sandiest beach, or most scenic hike, can be answered by calling the Information Center at 1-800-233-0321, or use the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf at (360) 664-3133. The Information Center line is available from 7 a.m. through 7 p.m. daily.

Lime Kiln State Park Off West Side Road, on the west side of San Juan Island. 36.32 acres with 2,550 feet saltwater waterfront. Day-use park with whale watching, picnicking, hiking. Recently improved access for people of all abilities and new viewing platform. Lighthouse a favorite photographic subject. Vault toilets. 360.378.2044.

Moran State Park Six miles southeast of Eastsound, Orcas Island. 5,176 acres with 1,800 feet of saltwater shoreline on Georgia Strait and 45,300 feet of freshwater shoreline on 171-acre Cascade Lake, 198 acre-Mountain Lake, 8- and 3-acre Twin Lakes, 12-acre Summit Lake, Cascade Creek, and Cold Creek. Forest covers most of park. Civilian Conservation Corps-built lookout tower on 2,409-foot high Mt. Constitution offers 360-degree views of the San Juans, the Cascades, the Olympics, and Northern Puget Sound. Also, picnicking, camping, swimming, environmental learning center, hiking and nature trails, boat launch, fishing.

54 day-use sites, parking for 85 vehicles, 5 kitchen shelters 1 day-use comfort station, 31.07 miles of foot trails, concession stand, 2 interpretive displays, 2 unguarded swimming beaches - total of 356 feet, 1 swimming float, 2 bathhouses, 2 boat launch areas, 2 boat docks with boat rental, 136 campsites with 15 primitive bicycle sites, trailer dumping station, 5 camp area comfort stations, 2 pit toilets, 4 vault toilets (2 locations), and one Adirondack shelter in bike campground. Environmental Learning Center. 360.376.2326.

Spencer Spit State Park Off Baker View Rd., northeast side of Lopez Island. 129.6 acres with 7,840 feet of saltwater shoreline in Lopez Sound, including tidelands at the ¼-mile Spencer Spit and to the north. Vehicle and walk-in camping, picnicking, saltwater fishing and clamming, beachcombing, bird watching.

34 standard campsites (including 9 walk-in sites), 3 emergency primitive sites, 2 Adirondack sites, 1 10-site group camp, 1 3-site group camp, 1, 26 picnic sites, 16 offshore moorage buoys, 1 vault toilet, and a log cabin (1913 vintage) used as a picnic shelter. 2 comfort stations, trailer dump, and a 4-table cooking shelter, plus the remnant of the Spencer's old house, now a covered picnic shelter. Also, two reservable group-camp areas. 360.468.2251.

State Marine Parks

Boaters can visit a dozen marine parks in the San Juans operated by Washington State. Moorage permits for Washington State parks are available online.

The parks – on Blind, Clark, Doe, James, Jones, Matia, Patos, Posey Stuart and Turn islands plus Spencer Spit on Lopez Island – range in size from a 4-acre isle with four campsites to a 200-acre island with a dock and classic lighthouse.

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