This past month I’ve been settling into my new life in Friday Harbor, WA on San Juan Island. I’ll be living here for the school year doing an internship and finishing my graduate degree. This month I’ve had a chance to do a lot of hiking and exploring the island. Here are a few of the beautiful places I’ve gotten to check out.
Friday Harbor
Let’s start with my new town, Friday Harbor, the downtown has a lot of cool shops, restaurants, and coffee shops. The most beautiful place to be, though, especially at sunset is by the water. Right when you get off the ferry here, you’re in town and can take in all these gorgeous views.
Lime Kiln State Park
Beginning in the 1860s, this area was used as a limestone quarry and lime production area. The stone was burned in kilns on site, before being loaded onto boats and shipped off. Today the area is a Washington State Park, where you can day hike, check out the lighthouse, and hopefully see a whale (sadly I didn’t get to do the last part.)
San Juan Island National Historical Park - American Camp
The San Juan Island NHP has two parts on the island the American and English camps. In 1859, both sides set up camp here and almost went to war, while disputing ownership of the island. I have yet to visit the English camp but did some day hiking at American Camp one day. There are a lot of beautiful wooded areas, ocean views, and rolling grassy hills.
American Camp Trail
If you’re looking for a nice long day hike on the island, the American Camp Trail starts near the Friday Harbor airport and ends at the visitor center of the American Camp. Round trip is about 11 miles.
Jackson Beach
A beautiful area here in Friday Harbor, Jackson Beach is covered by driftwood. There’s places to BBQ and play volleyball here, as well as a paddleboard rental place, which you can take out to the island nearby.
