| Description: 5252 acres on Orcas Island, one of the San Juan Islands. The inland park contains five lakes around Mount Constitution (2409 feet), the highest point in the San Juans. This park was developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. At the summit of Mount Constitution, the CCC built a stone tower, which rewards the hiker with fantastic views of the surrounding islands, the Cascades, & Canada. Elsewhere in the park, visitors can hike, bike, & ride horses, on over 30 miles of trails. Boating & swimming in the lakes, also fishing for rainbow & cutthroat trout, & kokanee salmon. Bird watching is great here, for raptors, shorebirds, waterfowl, & songbirds.
Five campgrounds contain a total of 151 sites, including 15 primitive hike-in or bike-in campsites on Mount Constitution. The Moran Environmental Learning Center is available for groups of up to 144 people, & the Vacation House, which holds ten people, is also available for rent. A group shelter, also built by the CCC, is also reservable.
Location: From Anacortes, take the Washington State Ferry (San Juan/ Sidney, BC) to Orcas. Turn left (north) out of the ferry, & take Horseshoe Highway north & east about 14 miles.
Season: year round; gates close at dusk.
Reservations: camping: call 800-452-5687; ELC & Vacation House 360-902-8600 |
Campground: Moran State Park in Olympia Washington *