San Juan Island Scenic Byway Tour (South & West)
Driftwood beaches, a lighthouse, and a lavender farm make this driving or bicycling tour a stunning route on San Juan Island. Find more information on each stop below.
Jackson Beach is a long, sandy beach just two miles from downtown Friday Harbor - 5 minutes by car, or a 20-minute walk. Take a stroll among the driftwood, enjoy a picnic, or make a bonfire and watch the sunset. A boat launch and small dock make it an easy place to get a small boat in the water.
To get to Jackson Beach from downtown Friday Harbor though a Spring Street and take a left onto Argyle Street (the main three way intersection in town) and follow it up and down a hill past the fairgrounds. Take a left onto Pear Point Road and follow it for roughly one half mile... you will see Jackson Beach and Peninsula on your right hand side. If you don't turn off to Jackson Beach you can continue on the scenic drive around Pear Point which will put you back in Friday Harbor.
American Camp, San Juan Island National Historical Park
British and American troops jointly occupied San Juan Island from 1859 to 1871 in The Pig War standoff, while the two nations argued over ownership of the islands. U.S. Army troops lived at American Camp at the south end of the island. Today, this day-use park includes prairie, forest and South Beach, the longest beach on the island.
The Department of Natural Resource's Cattle Point Interpretive Area is just past the Cattle Point Lighthouse. Cattle appeared at the point in 1853, when the Hudson's Bay Company established a ranch on the southern end of the island. This lighthouse was built in 1935, but a navigational lantern has been on watch here since 1888. Look for deer, eagles and marine mammals such as seals and sea lions from the shelter, picnic area and beach below. Please use designated vehicle and bike parking.
Stroll through the organically-certified fields (be sure to bring your camera), shop handcrafted lavender products at the Alchemy Art Farm Store, and discover artwork by more than 50 local artists. Peek into artist studios where artists work daily and see their creative process in real time.
Also known as Whale Watch Park, Lime Kiln Point State Park is a 36-acre day-use park with an iconic lighthouse set on the west side of San Juan Island. The park is considered one of the best places in the world to view whales from land. The shoreline viewpoint is about a 300-yard walk from the parking lot, restrooms, and seasonal interpretive center. Orca whales are common in the waters off Lime Kiln.
On the island’s west side, about 10 miles from Friday Harbor or Roche Harbor, you’ll find the popular 12-acre San Juan County Park, where you can camp on the coast of Haro Strait and enjoy views of the Olympic Peninsula and Vancouver Island. Find your own rocky bluff, explore the gravel beaches and tide pools, watch for whales, picnic and play in the meadow or the short cliffside trails, or launch your kayak in the waters of Smallpox Bay, where First Peoples waded to cool their fevers. (More recently, Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock starred in scenes shot here for the film Practical Magic.) There are twenty campsites, with amenities including water, flush toilets, a small picnic shelter, picnic tables, a beach, and boat launch. Reservations are strongly recommended from May to September.
