Overview

A Green Jewel at the Edge of America
Each of the four San Juan Islands that mark the watery border of the Pacific Northwest has its own character, but Orcas - the largest at more than 55 square miles, is the most spectacular scenically - and has the widest range of ways to play.

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Car ferry lines can be several hours long in summer, so if you're the active/outdoors type, the best bet is to arrive not in an SUV but on a bike. B&Bs are the mainstay here, but there are a couple of noted resorts, even a nicely maintained 9-hole golf course. Still, this is an island nature-made for hikers, kayakers, and campers.

There's really no town, just a few scattered hamlets. Among them, Eastsound, on the north end of the horseshoe-shaped island, is a good place to rent a bike if you didn't bring one, enjoy a taste of Pacific Northwest cuisine, and look for a small, hand- crafted work from the many artists and craftsmen who have put down roots here.

Whether you bike, hike, or drive to the 2,409-foot summit of Mount Constitution in Moran State Park, you'll always remember the view. From the stone observation tower here (the highest point in the San Juans), a mosaic of islands stretches north to Vancouver, south to the Olympic Peninsula and east to the Cascades. It just may be the most stunning panorama in the Pacific Northwest.

Orcas Island is on our list of the Best Islands to Live On

 Plan Your Trip

KAYAKING

Doe Bay, at the southeast tip of the island, is a wonderful spot to launch a kayak for a shoreline tour: Look one way and you'll spot seals and starfish, eagles and deer, and look the other for a view stretching across Rosario Strait to the Cascade Mountains of the mainland. The bonus? After the paddle, you can warm up with a dip in the clothing-optional outdoor hot tubs at the free-spirited Doe Bay resort.

HIKING

More than 30 miles of trails lace Moran State Park, winding through some old growth forest and past several lakes (hike to Twin Lakes for backcountry swimming). Several of the trails start about half- way up the 2,409-foot summit of Mount Constitution, including a local favorite, the Cascade Creek Trail. This quarter-mile jaunt leads to a waterfall that (depending on which account you believe) drops 40, or 70, or 100 feet into a pool.

BICYCLING

Orcas has more up-and-down terrain than sister isle Lopez (a favorite with bike tours) but great rides for those willing to pedal a little harder. Start from Orcas Landing (wait until the all the cars are off and on their way, then head to West Sound. There, head west on Deer Harbor Road, one of the prettiest in these islands, six miles or so to the Deer Harbor Resort, where the road ends with a view of the tiny Wasp Islands.

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