Skip to Main Content

JavaScript must be enabled

Page will not work without JavaScript enabled

Washington

Two-Island Trek: Great Coastal Hikes in the San Juan Islands

Program No. 16296RJ

Enjoy coastal and forest hikes and explore unique ecosystems while learning about conservation efforts and wildlife preservation efforts on two of the San Juan Islands.

Wishlist

National Parks Walking/Hiking Outdoor Adventures Regional Studies Small Group

Enroll with Confidence

We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. Learn more

Protecting the Environment

We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Learn more

7 days

6 nights

16 meals

6B 5L 5D

Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner

Seattle

Deception Pass Gorge, Fidalgo Island, to San Juan Island

Friday Harbor, San Juan Island

San Juan Islands National Park Wildlife & Hike American Camp

Friday Harbor, San Juan Island

Orcas Island Hiking, Moran State Park

Friday Harbor, San Juan Island

Hike San Juan Island, Mt. Young, British Camp, Roche Harbor

Friday Harbor, San Juan Island

San Juan Island Coastal Hike, Wildlife, Free Time

Friday Harbor, San Juan Island

Program Concludes

Friday Harbor, San Juan Island

View Full Itinerary

At a Glance

Revel in the seascapes of untold beauty with expert naturalists, marine educators and environmentalists who lead you into their backyard world of the San Juan Islands and Salish Sea. Consider the environmental issues of the prairie bluff, beach, mountain and old-growth forest ecosystems. Journey by ferry to Orcas Island to witness the profusion of life and the fragility of beauty along Washington’s fabled diamonds of the emerald seas.

Activity Level

Outdoor: Spirited

Walking 2-6 miles daily on varied terrain and boarding vans.

Small Group

Small Group

Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

Enjoy coastal and wooded hikes on San Juan Island with views of the beach and mountains.
Hike the old-growth forest on Orcas Island and around mountain lakes of Moran State Park and Mount Constitution.
Search for Orcas and other marine mammals of the Salish Sea from the vantage point of the Limekiln Lighthouse.

Featured Expert

All trip experts

Cindy Hansen

Cindy Hansen, born in Gary, Indiana, received a bachelor’s degree in zoology from the University of Washington and previously worked as a whale watch naturalist, education curator for The Whale Museum, and an expert at a gray whale camp at Laguna San Ignacio in Baja. She is currently the education and advocacy coordinator for Orca Network, and volunteers for the research organizations Orca Behavior Institute and Wild Orca. She also volunteers for Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center and with the local animal shelter.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Cindy Hansen View biography

Cindy Hansen, born in Gary, Indiana, received a bachelor’s degree in zoology from the University of Washington and previously worked as a whale watch naturalist, education curator for The Whale Museum, and an expert at a gray whale camp at Laguna San Ignacio in Baja. She is currently the education and advocacy coordinator for Orca Network, and volunteers for the research organizations Orca Behavior Institute and Wild Orca. She also volunteers for Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center and with the local animal shelter.

Shona Aitken View biography

Shona Aitken is the education coordinator at Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, and has worked in education and rehabilitation positions at the center for over three decades. Born and raised in Scotland, she has a degree in ecology and environmental science from Stirling University and worked in a range of ecology and wildlife-based positions in Scotland and Sweden before coming to the U.S. Shona teaches about local wildlife and increases awareness of the impacts of human activities on these animals and their habitats.

Bill Engle View biography

Bill Engle is a retired postmaster of Shaw Island. He grew with a mountain-climbing father and a gardening, birding, environmental activist mother, and has always had a passion for the outdoors. He has lived in the San Juan Islands for more than 30 years and is the founding president of the San Juan Islands Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society. Before becoming postmaster, his role as a part-time flex clerk placed him in every post office in San Juan County.

Kathleen Foley Lewis View biography

Kathleen Foley is the Stewardship Manager of the San Juan Preservation Trust and has been a staff member since 2005. In this role, she oversees the management of 30+ different nature preserves, conducts annual monitoring visits, and coordinates restoration activities and youth education. She is a Washington native with a long history of exploring the San Juan Islands and enjoys a wide variety of outdoor pursuits. Kathleen lives with her son, Evan, and partner, Bill, near the lovely False Bay on San Juan Island.

Suggested Reading List (9 books)

Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop

You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.

Search for a Title

Two-Island Trek: Great Coastal Hikes in the San Juan Islands

Program Number: 16296

Friday Harbor

by Mike Vouri, San Juan Historical Society, Julia Vouri

A book that reviews the rich history and residents of Friday Harbor throughout the past 100 years.

Wild Plants of the San Juan Islands (second edition)

by Scott Atkinson & Fred Sharpe

This wonderful field guide illustrates and describes more than 190 species of wildflowers, shrubs, trees and weeds that occur commonly throughout the San Juan Islands as well as the Gulf Islands of near Vancouver Island, Canada. The text also includes information on how the climate, topography and geology of the Islands affect plant life.

A Field Guide to Coastal Flowers of the Pacific Northwest

by Phillipa Hudson

With gorgeous full-colour photos arranged in an easy-to-use colour coded chart for quick identification, the pocket-sized format is perfect for taking along on walks and hikes through both the Pacific Northwest countryside as well as the urban wilds of West Coast cities. Supplying English and Latin names, the distribution range of each species and average plant height and flower size, Phillipa Hudson shares her knowledge of coast flora gained through over 30 years as an active amateur botanist.

Birding in the San Juan Islands

by Mark G. Lewis and Fred A. Sharpe

Handy guide for visitor's and residents alike to learn more about Island birds, seasonality, local "hot spots", and how the insular ecosystems affects bird behavior.

San Juan Islands Wildlife: A Handbook for Exploring Nature

by Evelyn Adams

Natural beauty and a rich diversity of wildlife draw thousands of visitors annually to Washington's San Juan Islands. Until now, there has never been a book that provides an overview of natural life in this beautiful archipelago. San Juan Islands Wildlife is an informative and affectionate look at the habits and habitats of the flora and fauna found within the unique environment of the region.

Hiking the San Juan Islands

by Ken Wilcox

The famed San Juan Islands of Northwest Washington State offer some of the most charming, scenic and naturally diverse landscapes and seascapes anywhere in the Pacific Northwest. A host of parks, trails, beaches, and protected wildlands are available to enjoy for hiking. This guide includes listings and maps for the surround archipelago, including Whidbey, Camano, Fidalgo, Cypress, and land-based counties near the San Juan Islands.

Trees and Shrubs for Pacific Northwest Gardens

by John A. Grant, Carol L. Grant

Northwest gardeners have relied on the solid information found in various editions of this book for more than 50 years. This greatly enlarged 1990 edition reflects the vast increase in suitable plants for the region now available from area nurseries

North Puget Sound: Afoot and Afloat

by Marge & Ted Mueller

An insiders guide to the North Puget Sound region of Washington State.

Plants Of The Pacific Northwest Coast: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia & Alaska

by Jim Pojar

This easy-to-use field guide features 794 species of plants commonly found along the Pacific coast from Oregon to Alaska, including trees, shrubs, wildflowers, aquatic plants, grasses, ferns, mosses and lichens. PLANTS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST COAST covers the coastal region from shoreline to alpine, including the western Cascades. Includes wonder photos, range maps, and more! Rich and engaging notes on each species describe aboriginal and other local uses of plants for food, medicine and implements, along with unique characteristics of the plants and the origins of their names. For both amateurs and professionals, this is the best, most accessible, most up-to-date guide of its kind.

Start Enrolling

Recommended For You