View· San Juan· Salish Sea — San Juans, Gulf Islands & Desolation Sound
Lime Kiln Point State Park (San Juan Island)
48° 31.0′ N · 123° 9.1′ W
A rocky point on the west side of San Juan Island with a 1919 lighthouse, often called one of the best places in the world to watch orcas from shore. Orcas, porpoises and sometimes gray whales pass close in along Haro Strait from spring through fall. It is a day-use park reached by road.
Practical
Coordinate is the OSM lighthouse. There is no moorage: the west shore is steep-to and too deep to anchor (Coast Pilot); visit by car or bike from Friday Harbor or Roche Harbor. Lighthouse open Thursday to Sunday, 12 pm to 4 pm; interpretive centre 11 am to 4 pm daily from about Memorial Day to Labor Day. Day use 8 am to dusk; a Discover Pass ($10 a day, $45 a year) is needed for parking. No fires. Hydrophones off the point feed a whale alert system. Boaters passing along this coast: Orca rules: since January 1, 2025 Washington law says keep 1,000 yards (about half a nautical mile) from Southern Resident orcas. If they come within 400 yards, take the engine out of gear, luff the sails or stop paddling until they pass; between 400 and 1,000 yards, move away at 7 knots or less. WDFW asks you to treat any orca you cannot identify as a Southern Resident. The federal rule still applies too: no closer than 200 yards to any killer whale, and never park in their path.
Best for
Watching orcas from shore and seeing the west-side rules in action
Season
Year-round; best whale odds May-Oct
Nearby
- Snug Harbor Resort, Mitchell Bay (San Juan Island)3.4 NM away
- Garrison Bay and English Camp (San Juan Island)4.2 NM away
- Westcott Bay (San Juan Island)5 NM away
- Friday Harbor Groceries (San Juan Island)5.5 NM away
- The Whale Museum (Friday Harbor)5.5 NM away
- Port of Friday Harbor Marina (San Juan Island)5.6 NM away
- Roche Harbor Anchorage (San Juan Island)5.6 NM away
- Roche Harbor Resort Marina (San Juan Island)5.6 NM away
Place data includes © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).