Hike· Stuart· Salish Sea — San Juans, Gulf Islands & Desolation Sound
Turn Point Lighthouse Hike (Stuart Island)
48° 41.3′ N · 123° 14.2′ W
The 1893 light station at the western tip of Stuart Island looks straight down Haro Strait and across to Canada. Orcas and bald eagles are often seen from the point, and you may spot the non-native mouflon sheep on the way.
Practical
Coordinate is the OSM lighthouse. Walk about 2 miles each way from the state park dock at Reid Harbor (BLM); from Prevost Harbor join the same road. Open year-round; the light station buildings open July to September when volunteer docents of the Turn Point Lighthouse Preservation Society are present. Stay on existing routes and bare shoreline (BLM monument rule). No vehicles past the BLM boundary. Bring water: there is none on the island in the off-season. Watching from the point: 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
Whale watching from shore and a classic island walk
Season
Year-round; docent tours Jul-Sep
Itineraries that stop here
Nearby
- Prevost Harbor (Stuart Island)1.7 NM away
- Reid Harbor (Stuart Island)2 NM away
- Bedwell Harbour Customs Dock (South Pender)3.6 NM away
- Poets Cove Marina (Bedwell Harbour)3.6 NM away
- Beaumont Buoys (South Pender)3.8 NM away
- Pender Island Vessel Restricted Zone (Swanson Channel)4.1 NM away
- Mount Norman Trail (South Pender)4.2 NM away
- Port Browning (North Pender)4.9 NM away
Place data includes © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).