Days
<1
Motors Allowed?
Yes
Difficulty
Easy / Class A
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

San Juan Island’s Cattle Point is located on Cape San Juan, which is on the southeastern tip of the island. Paddling between the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Griffin Bay, you’ll have expansive views of the rocky shorelines and the Cattle Point Lighthouse – one of the most photographed lighthouses in the state of Washington. For the wildlife enthusiast, this could possibly be one of the best paddling areas in the Pacific Northwest: eagles and other birds of prey, whales, sea lions, seals, porpoises, jellyfish and a variety of other sights are abundant in this location. Nearly a mile off shore, you’ll find a large rock almost completely covered by sea lions; if you paddle out to this area, be sure to keep an eye out for the commuting ferries and other large shipping and fishing vessels.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Spring
Summer
Fall

Congestion

Moderate

Parking Pass

Washington Discovery Pass

Pros

Abundant wildlife. Whale watching. Great views.

Cons

Limited parking. Requires ferry access.

Features

Fishing
Picnic tables
Whale watching
Wildlife
Bird watching
Wildlife

Site characteristics: Water

Sound/Strait

Portage required

No

Location

Comments

Have updates, photos, alerts, or just want to leave a comment?
Sign In and share them.