Washington state parks

Lime Kiln Point State Park – state parks quest #53

by Lauren Danner

Five things

#1. Located on the west side of San Juan Island fronting Haro Strait, this is probably the best land-based whale-watching spot in all the San Juan Islands. Bring a picnic, find a good spot on the rocks, and settle in.

Whether you're picnicking on shore or kayaking the water, the views of Haro Strait are magnificent. (Lauren Danner photo)
Whether you’re picnicking on shore or kayaking the water, the views of Haro Strait are magnificent. (Lauren Danner photo)

#2. Volunteers from the Friends of Lime Kiln Society operate a research station inside the 1919 lighthouse, where visitors can learn more about whales and other marine mammals that frequent Haro Strait.

The best land-based whale watching site in the San Juans and maybe anywhere. Even if you don’t see whales, the view can’t be beat. (Lauren Danner photo)

#3. You won’t see endangered Puget Sound resident orcas. You probably won’t see any orcas at all, honestly. The research volunteers monitor whale sightings in Haro Strait and the large whiteboard chart is pretty bare of orcas. But you will see seals, porpoises, other whales, and maybe sea otters if you’re lucky, have a scope, and can spend some time looking. You will also see whale-watching boats tearing past on Haro Strait. They use radar to locate whales, then hustle to get their clients within view.

On the chart inside the lighthouse research center, the big red zeroes mark resident orca sightings, while the blue lettering denotes other marine mammals spotted on a given day. (Lauren Danner photo)
Dense kelp beds are a promising place to spot sea otters, either from a kayak or on shore. (Lauren Danner photo)

#4. The park is surrounded by 200 acres of county land with numerous trails to extend your hike.

#5. Most of the limestone mined here from 1860 to 1920 was processed in a kiln (State Parks preserved one, which you can see by hiking a trail in the north of the park) and shipped around the Pacific Northwest and to Hawaii and California, where it was used in construction and paper and sugar manufacturing.

Take a break from gazing at Haro Strait and head into the trees to the old lime kiln and more trails. (Lauren Danner photo)

Fast Facts about Lime Kiln Point State Park

  • 41-acre day-use park, open year-round
  • Restrooms
  • 12 picnic tables
  • 1.6 miles of hiking trails, beach exploration, birding, wildlife viewing
  • The Lime Kiln Point Interpretive Center occupies a former Coast Guard garage and is an excellent place to learn more about marine life and buy a stuffed orca toy in the store
  • saltwater fishing, diving (experts only; the currents are very powerful here)
  • Discover Pass required, $10 daily or, for a very reasonable $30, purchase an annual pass
  • park brochure
  • park map

Land Acknowledgment

Lime Kiln Point State Park occupies the traditional, ancestral, and unceded lands of the Semiahmoo, S’Klallam, Samish, W̱SÁNEĆ, and Coast Salish peoples who have lived and travelled here since time immemorial.

5 thoughts on “Lime Kiln Point State Park – state parks quest #53”

  1. 25 years ago after a scuba dive along the rocks below the lighthouse, we had a lone orca circle in from the pod out in the straits, turn on its side and look up at us warming ourselves on the rocks above. Very intelligent and curious friends of the sea!

    1. Oh, that must have been glorious! What an amazing experience. Here’s hoping the orcas roam Puget Sound for centuries to come. Thank you for commenting!

  2. Fast Facts for Lime Kiln Park on San Juan Is. I don’t think there’s a Campground in this park, or showers that I know of.
    Nearby is San Juan County Park Campground. It’s not in the Park.
    Please book way ahead!! San Juan Island has very few campgrounds!

    1. Megan, thank you for catching that! It’s not supposed to be there at all–I use a placeholder to remind me of things that might be needed in the Fast Facts section. I’ve taken it out and appreciate the heads-up. I can’t imagine how crowded the island gets in the summer, and I know there’s pretty scant camping. Good advice to book way in advance. Thanks again.

  3. Lauren, I have live on San Juan Is. for well over 40 years. That is why I wrote the previous note about SJ Lime Kiln Park lack of a Campground.
    I cross paths with MANY folks that have come over in summer thinking they can camp without a previous reservation some where. Even Shoulder Seasons the few Campgrounds are full!!
    Which means a ferry back to the Mainland!
    Please edit your Fast Facts, Thank you SO MUCH!!
    Megan

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