• Mt. Baker from American Camp prairie

    San Juan Island

    National Historical Park Washington

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  • Park on Winter Schedule

    The American Camp Visitor Center is closed Thanksgiving Day, re-opening Friday. Winter hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday. The English Camp Visitor Center is closed for the winter. Grounds at both units are open from dawn to 11 p.m. daily. More »

Dalls Porpoise

dalls porpoise
NOAA
 

Dall's porpoise
(Phocoenoides dalli)

It's easy to mistake a Dall's porpoise for an Orca whale. The black and white markings are similar, but they're only about six feet long and have a much smaller dorsal fin. Look for their telltale rooster-tail spray as they slice through the water at up to 30 knots and play "chicken" before the bows of boats.

Learn more:

Alaska Fisheries Science Center

Did You Know?

West Valley Road on San Juan Island

Many of San Juan Island's roads trace sheep runs cut by Hudson's Bay Company workers. They were led, in part,  by Fort Victoria Chief Factor and colonial Gov. James Douglas, from 1853 to 1859. Many of the workers were Cowichan Indians from Vancouver Island.