If you are looking to find some great hikes on Orcas Island, then you will not be disappointed.
This little island is packed with enough trails to keep you busy every day for a week and then still have one or two to do on a return trip.
There are steep hikes with stunning views and flat loop trails with views nearly as stunning. And while there are plenty of great things to do in Orcas Island, hiking is the best.
Get a Discover Pass
Several of the hikes on Orcas Island are located within Washington State Parks. This means that in order to park your car at the different trailheads, you will need to have a Discover Pass.
If you live in Washington, you will no doubt already have one and you just need to display it on your review mirror.
If you are only visiting the San Juan Islands and are coming in from out of state, you can either get a Discover Pass online before you leave home or you can purchase a day pass once you arrive to the island.
It is $11.50 for a day pass and $35 for a Discover Pass, so if you plan to spend more than 3 days hiking in Orcas Island or you are going to go to any other Washington State Parks within the next 365 days, then it’s a pretty good investment.
Hiking on Orcas Island
1. Mt. Constitution
Mt. Constitution is the most famous of all of the hikes on Orcas Island. It is the highest point on Orcas Island and at 2,407 ft (734m) it is also the highest point in all of the San Juan Islands.
There is a fantastic loop trail that starts at the Twin Lakes Trailhead. You can park here (be sure to have your Discover Pass on display!) and head up on the trail easily from here.
The loop trail is 7 miles and takes about 4 hours to complete. Of course, once you get to the top of the mountain you’ll want to take in the views back over Bellingham, Vancouver Island, Vancouver, Mt. Baker, and if you’re really lucky, Mt. Rainier is still just about in view.
There is a tower at the top that you can climb up for a totally unobstructed 360-degree view. There are picnic benches, bathrooms, water fountains, and garbage cans at the top if you are planning to pack your lunch with you.
There is also a parking lot. You don’t have to hike to the top to enjoy the views. You can also drive to the top. But since you’re looking for great hikes, this one remains one of the best.
I recommend taking the loop in a clockwise direction.
This way you have a lot of great views along the way and then on the way back down you go mostly through the forest in a steep descent and you can stop at Twin Lakes at the end of the journey for a little rest. From Twin Lakes, it is a flat walk back to the parking lot.
If you choose to do the loop counter-clockwise, you will have a steep ascent and then you can take in the views along the way on the way back. It depends on how much of a challenge you are looking for. AllTrails has the best map for this and allows you to track yourself along the way so you know you’re on the right trail.
The forests on Orcas Island remind you just how small we are in this world.
2. Obstruction Pass State Park
Pack your bathing suit and a towel for this easy one-mile loop hike on Orcas Island.
About halfway through this loop you’ll find yourself at a small campsite. You can pay a few dollars to set up your tent and camp next to the beach or you can just walk through the campground until you get to a set of stairs that takes you down to the small beach here.
The beach at Obstruction Pass State Park is one of my personal favorite spots to spend a sunny afternoon on the entire island. Although it’s not at all a strenuous hike, it does require a little bit more effort than just parking next to it, so that keeps it relatively quiet compared to the other public beaches on the island.
There are a few trails throughout the park if you want to extend your hike. Trail runners will enjoy the ability to take a few laps and then head to the beach for a cold dip!
Obstruction Pass is a Washington state park, so you will need to display your Discover Pass here.
The loop trail at Obstruction Pass State Park is small, but the beaches that await you on the other side are mighty!
3. Cascade Lake
This Orcas Island Hike is located inside Moran State Park. It is an easy, flat 2.6-mile trail that takes you around the perimeter of Cascade Lake.
Cascade Lake is a stunning place to spend some time while you are visiting Orcas Island. It has a small beach for swimming. There is a rental business where you can hire kayaks or canoes to explore the lake.
There are a few other great, quieter access points to the lake if you want to go swimming away from the busier beach area. Pack a bag with lunch, snacks, and water so that you can spend a few hours circling the lake and stopping along the way to hang out.
There are a few detours you can take while you are on this Orcas Island hike. You can follow signs to Cascade Falls.
It’s about a 15-20 minute one-way detour from the Cascade Lake trail, but it is well sign-posted and worth it, especially if you are visiting in spring or early summer when there is still plenty of water gushing down the falls.
There is also a side trail that takes you up to Sunrise Rock. This little detour is short, but steep. It takes a mere 10 minutes to go up this trail and the views from the top are breathtaking.
You’ll be able to see almost all of Cascade Lake below you and much of the treeline in the surrounding area. This is the ideal spot to unpack your lunch and enjoy a meal.
Cascade Falls is a beautiful place to explore on a hike around Cascade Lake.
4. Mountain Lake
If you like the idea of a flat trail, but want something longer than Cascade Lake, Mountain Lake trail is a good option. The loop around this larger lake is 3.9 miles and has a touch of up and down hill along the way, but nothing too strenuous.
If you are feeling particularly great after hiking Mt. Constitution, you can add this loop to your hike for a longer day out on the trails. Of course, they do not have to be done together and you can explore each trail on separate days.
Mountain Lake is more peaceful than Cascade Lake since the beach here is smaller and doesn’t have as many amenities around. However, there are still bathrooms and a camping area near the parking lot. There are water fountains where you can refill your bottles and a nice entry point if you want to swim in the lake.
However, like Cascade Lake, the best areas are once you start walking around the trail. You’ll find several easy entry points where you can enjoy a little bit of solitude as you take a dip in the lake or simply sit back and enjoy the views of those stunning evergreens in every direction.
Mountain Lake is also located inside Moran State Park, so you will need a Discover Pass in order to park here.
Mountain Lake is one of the most beautiful places to sit back and relax when you visit Orcas Island.
5. Turtleback Mountain to Orcas Knob
Turtleback Mountain is one of the most beautiful areas to explore on a trip to Orcas Island. A local preserve, there are nearly 9 miles of forest trails to hike here. There are two parking lots to choose from, one in the north and one in the south.
Both offer access to all of the trails, but you’ll want to park in the north parking lot to access this particular hike on Orcas Island. It is a 6-mile out-and-back trail that takes you through the northern part of the preserve.
It is flat at the start of the trail, but as you get further along the last push is quite a steep incline. The ground here is firm and flat. There aren’t many rocks to worry about on the ascent or descent, so you can leave your poles at home unless you feel you really need them.
Be sure to follow the signs for the turtlehead lookout point. It’s one of the best views on the island and if its not too windy, is a nice place to sit and have lunch. See a map of the trail here.
The views from Turtleback Mountain Preserve are some of the best you’ll see on the whole island.
6. Turtleback Mountain South Trail
If you want to explore the southern part of Turtleback Mountain, head to the south parking lot inside the preserve.
At just over 6 miles, this out-and-back hiking trail takes about 3.5 hours to complete. It offers some great views out over the surrounding San Juan Islands and you’ll often find yourself a lone on the trails here.
The trails inside Turtleback Mountain offer a lot of nice shade and coverage thanks to being tucked away under the trees, but the top opens up to stunning vistas, so you’ll still want to have sun protection on hand. See the full trail map on AllTrails.
Turtleback Mountain is a locally funded preserve, not a state park, so you do not need a Discover Pass to park here.