Bicycle Camping in the San Juan Island's Area

  Can you bicycle camp in the San Juan Islands?      

  Yes, yes, and yes, you can bicycle camp in the islands.  However, campsites are limited.  Basically, there are two choices.

 #1 spend some real money and go to a resort that has set up a campground which will likely be a lawn area behind some rental cabins or #2 go to a county or state  park that has set aside walk in sites. Most walk in are group sites where you will share with others but you can reserve private sites at all the parks.

       Here are the parks that are bicycle-friendly.  Many of the posts on this site refer to combining bike camping with boat camping.  Marine parks for boat camping are a click away. marine parks

      Hiker/biker/vehicle parks:

Washington Park in Anacortes. This city park is a five minute ride to the ferry terminal.         Tip. Consider reserving a campsite and leaving  your land cruiser and trailer at Wash. park while boating/biking the islands.
Odlin County Park on Lopez Island
Spencer Spit State Park on Lopez Island
San Juan County Park on San Juan Island
Moran State Park on Orcas Island
Shaw Island County Park
Obstruction Pass State Park on Orcas Island
Deception Pass State Park on the mainland

     Our family has enjoyed many multi generational, multi interest outings where we combine boating, biking, kayaking, hiking and car camping all in a week or two in the San Juan's. Think outside the box.  Often, we meet up with our children coming by bike or car and transport them and their gear to the marine parks. Days later we drop them off at a ferry landing or back to Washington Park. Remember,  inter-island ferry service is free for foot passengers and bikers. Kayaks on transport wheels may be charged a minimal fee if at all.

So, don't hesitate to embark on a bicycle camping adventure in the San Juan Islands. With the right planning and a spirit of adventure, you can have a fantastic experience exploring the islands by bike.

Search this website for "bicycle"

Click below for a satellite view of Smallpox Bay & SJ County Park

San Juan Island Ferry shedule

Will ferry wakes make boat camping dangerous?

No, surprisingly ferries do not make horrible wakes, but friendly boaters do!

When making your plans to visit places in or near the San Juan Islands, you will invariably end up dealing with the Washington ferry system in one way or another.

Boaters sometimes need to send someone home or meet an arrival. Simply avoiding a Friday Harbor traffic jam out on the water or on land is avoidable if you know when and where ferry's hang out. For most of us, the ferries are never an issue, we just give them plenty of room out on the water.

According to WSDOT the busiest ferry travel times are Thursday and Friday evenings westbound and Sunday afternoons eastbound.

  Peak travel times from Anacortes are Thursday and Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings. Peak travel times from the islands are all day Sunday and Monday mornings.

If you think about it, you will realize that commuters and vacationers share the same system. People are heading to work and coming home from work mixed in with tourists.

     Armed with a little ferry knowledge it is easy to work out a vacation schedule that minimizes or complements just about all visitor plans.

    Follow this link to the WSDOT ferry schedule page. 

Ferry schedule

How to Bicycle Between San Juan Island, Lopez Island, Shaw and Orcas Island Without a Car

       

  For most people, bicycling the San Juan's means arriving with your bike and gear in a car on a Ferry.

  But it doesn't have to be this way. Savvy cyclists leave their cars in Anacortes and ride the ferry to the San Juan Islands.  Once in the islands, bicycle travel and free ferry rides is the way to go.

First let's explore a likely scenario for those without a boat. Bear with me, this will get a little wordy:

      You drive to Anacortes and find a place to park for free for a week, maybe more. Or park at the ferry terminal long-term parking lot for about $40 per week. Next, jump on the ferry paying a small nominal fee for one passenger and a bicycle for a lift to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, or Orcas, or Lopez, or Shaw.  FYI: foot passengers and bicyclists never need reservations or need to wait in line like car travelers.

So far, so good!

     The day is still early, start touring (ride your bike). At the end of the day you will end up in a motel, B&B, campground, or any number of resorts.  You probably will be well advised to have some reservations lined up in advance. Oh, and bring a pocket full of cash because restaurants and beds aren't free. The next day tour around some more then jump on the free for foot and bicycle passengers Ferry to other Islands and repeat. Eventually, you will end up back in Anacortes where your car is waiting for the drive home.

      This is a great plan if you are into minimalist and don't have a boat, but there are a few weaknesses; number one, where is all my extra gear that I take when I travel, oh yeah its back in the car parked in Anacortes while I'm gallivanting around on an island with nothing but my pocket full of cash and what fits in my bike bags. (not good for some of us) Excellent plan if you're a hardcore bicyclist. Number two doesn't matter, I'm still back on number one.

Okay, here's the boating/bicycling scenario: