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Copyright © Craig Romano/The Mountaineers Books

South Indian Island

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Featured In: Day Hiking: Olympic Peninsula, by Craig Romano.
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Hike through a forest of madronas and Doug-firs to a long sandy beach with impressive views of Mount Rainier towering in the distance. Walk out on a narrow spit. Explore a lagoon flourishing with birds. Watch playful seals ply harbor waters or comb the shoreline of this delightful maritime park. Jefferson County's South Indian Island Park is one of the best-kept secrets on the Olympic Peninsula.

Once connected to the Quimper Peninsula by a low stretch of land, Indian Island was cut off in 1913 when Port Townsend merchants had a channel dredged. But it was the U.S. Navy that cut most of this landmass off from the public by establishing an ammunition storage depot here. Fortunately, a narrow strip along the south shore of the island has been established as parkland. And what a park!

From the grassy bluff picnic area, find the trailhead at the edge of a thicket. Through a tunnel of vegetation the trail heads south, down along Portage Canal. In late spring enjoy the fragrance and blossoms of primrose and honeysuckle. In late Summer there are copious blackberries. The trail brushes up against some marshy openings, ideal for seeking out eagles and herons. It then climbs back up a bluff, ending at the park's east access road after 0.5 mile.

Your hike, however, continues. Turn right, walking the road 0.25 mile and dropping off the bluff to reach an inviting beach. Over 1 mile of shoreline waits for your bootprints. You may have to do a little rock hopping or get your feet wet crossing the small creek draining a lagoon. Once across, continue east on a sandy spit complete with mini dunes and big views. Aside from Rainier grabbing most of your attention, watch for myriad species of birds flitting in the lagoon and bobbing in the bay.

Walk to where a narrow strip of beach connects Indian to Marrowstone Island. Here the public beach ends. Turn around and enjoy your shoreline stroll all over again.

Driving Directions:

From Port Townsend head west for 5 miles on State Route 20 to SR 19. Continue south (straight) on SR 19, turning left (east) in 3.5 miles onto SR 116.

From the west end of Hood Canal Bridge drive SR 104 for about 5 miles to SR 19. Head north for 9 miles on SR 19 to a four-way stop in Chimacum. Turn right onto Chimacum Road, proceeding to SR 116 in Port Hadlock (turn right at four-way stop where the QFC is located).

Follow SR 116 east for 3 miles (don't miss SR 116's left turn about a mile after the right turn at the Chimacum Road-SR 116 intersection). Immediately after crossing the bridge to Indian Island, turn right into a small parking area for South Indian Island County Park. Privy available.

Recent Trip Reports

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There are 2 trip reports for this hike.

South Indian Island — Jan 14, 2012 — thebrink

Day hike

Issues: Water on trail | Snow on trail

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This is a nice hike on any day, even in a little snow, hail, rain and wind as we experienced....

This is a nice hike on any day, even in a little snow, hail, rain and wind as we experienced. The trail has easy gains of fifty feet and a length of about four miles that winds through what seems like a Madrona woods. The Madronas were made even more vibrant by the wetness.

At one point in the trail it seems to come to an end at the Flagler Road. There is no signage there to indicate where to go, but by following the road to the right for a few hundred yards you will once again come upon the trail. Thanks to Connie the Navigator we were able to know where to go. Our turn around point was on the beach before reaching the "No Tresspassing" signs on south Marrowstone Island

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South Indian Island — Jul 07, 2010 — Weluv2hike.

Day hike

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This was a nice hike on the beach. Great weather today, more than made up for the other two hikes...

This was a nice hike on the beach. Great weather today, more than made up for the other two hikes we did before this.

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