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Islands Adventurer Camping Tour
Cost: $999 per person plus sales tax
2025 Trip Dates: July 4-7, July 21-24, August 1-4, August 11-14
Start: 9:00 AM
End: Return to kiosk between 2:00-3:00 pm
Distance: 37 miles (7, 9, 10 and 11 miles on consecutive days)
Minimum Age: 14
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
This brand-new itinerary is something to get excited about! As the decreasing number of Chinook salmon have sent Resident orcas elsewhere looking for food, we decided it is time to take advantage of the quiet, beautiful, and highly underrated east side of San Juan Island. We start with a mellow first day paddle before setting up camp and heading south for a short hike in American Camp National Historical Park with breath-taking views of the Olympic Mountains. After waking up to a gorgeous sunrise over Mount Baker and enjoying hot coffee and superb camp cuisine, we head over to Shaw County Park to continue to avoid the crowds. We spend the third day searching the Shaw Island coastline for critters before setting up camp on Jones Island, accessible only by boat. By the time the last day rolls around, you will be wishing you had four more!
We begin at our kiosk at 25 Nichols Street on the morning of your tour. If you are on the ferry that morning, catch the earliest possible ferry from Anacortes. Please call if you have any questions.
Shuttle to Griffin Bay launch site for detailed instruction and packing before launch.
Paddle south to Griffin Bay Campground and set up camp before heading to American Camp National Historical Park for a nice hike to the Cattle Point Lighthouse.
Return to camp, relax then enjoy delicious dinner
Day 2Savor a mocha with a scrumptious breakfast, break camp.
Cross Griffin Bay to Pear Point and follow the shoreline around to Turn Island for lunch.
Cross San Juan Channel and arrive at Shaw Island County Park in Indian Cove where reserved campsites are waiting for you.
Explore the quiet, virtually unpopulated Shaw Island or relax by the water before dinner.
Day 3Break camp and launch kayaks.
Follow the Shaw Island coastline around and stop on tiny Blind Island for lunch.
Continue through Wasp Passage and island hop over to Jones Island Marine State Park.
Setup camp and enjoy beautiful hiking trails all around the island.
Have dinner and head over to the westside of the island to enjoy a beautiful sunset over the Canadian Gulf Islands.
Day 4Have breakfast and break camp.
Stop for a hike on Yellow Island, managed by The Nature Conservancy and inhabited by many species of wildflowers.
Continue south to Turn Island to have lunch before following the San Juan coastline back to Jackson Beach where it all began.
Transport back to Friday Harbor in time to catch an afternoon or early evening ferry back to Anacortes or to your accommodation in town.
Food is extremely important for energy, mood, and community! We do our best to source locally when possible and most of our meals use fresh ingredients. There are inherently more canned beans involved then local grass-fed beef when you are carrying all your food for five days with no refrigeration, but we strive to optimize nutrition and make meals fun
Breakfast typically includes local coffee and some combination of yogurt, eggs, oats, fresh fruit, and granola. We often don’t have a ton of time as we have a tide schedule to follow, so pancakes and bacon are only sometimes an option…
Lunches are typically charcuterie style with some combination of salami, salmon, nuts, cheeses, fruits, veggies, and hummus. Often we will make tuna and chickpea salad with our local, sustainably caught tuna.
Dinner is often a highlight where we can reflect on the day and put some time and love into a big meal. Some popular dinner menu options are as follows:
Please give us a call if you have any concerns about food! We can easily accommodate vegan, vegetarian, gluten or dairy-free diets. Bringing treats to share is encouraged and our guides will often bring desserts or local beer or wine to share 😊
Ready to book or have more questions?
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Our four-day adventure exceeded all expectations: The trip was well-organized and worry-free. The boats and gear were of the highest quality. The route was spectacular, diverse, challenging, and ultimately relaxing. Capping all: our guide’s competence and knowledge was extensive (of course), but his joy and zeal was absolutely infectious. It’s obvious that this company has done this before. I unreservedly recommend. – Matt967
