Tiny Blind Island is full of intrigue. Can you imagine finding a chunk of rock in the middle of a salty strait, staking a claim and planting an orchard there? A cluster of 19th-century sour apple trees and two formerly freshwater wells offer evidence of early farming on Blind Island.
This marine state park is an unassuming mound in the San Juan Islands. In high season, the isle is a popular stop for kayak groups, including youth groups. In off-times, it is the perfect spot for contemplation. The park offers two campsites at the top of the island, among the fruit trees now choked with grasses and brush. Each site has a 360-degree vista of Shaw and Orcas islands and the narrow channel between them. Stunning Mount Baker shows itself on clear days, and big skies full of clouds offer changing views when the mountain is hiding.
So, beach your dinghy or kayak, bust out your camp chair and maybe a maritime tale, and prepare to enjoy this unique state park.
Park features
Accessible only by boat, Blind Island is a 3-acre marine camping park near Blind Bay, Shaw Island. Year-round moorage is available. Because the park is part of the Cascadia Marine Trail (PDF), its campsites are only available for boaters arriving by human- or wind-powered watercraft. There is no potable water on Blind Island; the wells, now dry or stagnant, do not have fresh water. Visitors must pack out what they pack in.
Recreational crabbing in Blind Bay can be excellent. For more information about harvesting crab, obtaining the proper license and catch reporting guidelines, visit the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife website.
