• Mt. Baker from American Camp prairie

    San Juan Island

    National Historical Park Washington

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  • Park on Summer Schedule

    The American Camp visitor center is open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The English Camp contact station is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Grounds at both units are open from dawn to 11 p.m. These hours remain in effect through September 2. More »

  • Detours Around Downed Skagit Bridge Functioning Well

    The Washington State Department of Transportation (WDOT) has posted the link below for both northbound and southbound detours around the collapsed Skagit River Bridge on Intertstate 5. More »

Bicycling Information

cyclists_redoubt_road
Cyclists pedal east on the Redoubt Road toward Mt Finlayson. The route crosses the park from the American Camp visitor center to Pickett's Lane providing one of the most spectacular vistas on the island. It is also the safest way to travel as it bypasses the blind turns on Cattle Point Road.
NPS Photo
 

Bicycling is one of most rewarding ways to see San Juan Island. Every year touring companies arrive and on the island's roads stream cyclists of varying levels of experience.

It is easy to be lulled into a false sense of security by the island's rural atmosphere. Don't be fooled. The main routes on San Juan Island (see map) are county roads with speed limits of 45 mph, except where posted. Bicycle lanes are limited, especially on Cattle Point Road, so riders should exercise extreme caution, especially when accompanying children. Please ride single file, well spaced in groups of three to four, and move completely off the road when stopped. Before exiting park access roads be sure to come to a complete stop and look both ways before entering the roadway.

 

Bicycle Rentals
Rental bikes provide a wonderful means of travel and sightseeing, without the hassle of transporting bikes from far away and risking damage from shipping. Island Bicycles--(360) 378-4941 or FAX (360) 378-4706--is the primary rental company on San Juan Island, specializing in bicycle rentals for self-directed touring and sight-seeing. Bikes are available by the hour, day, multi-day or week.

Did You Know?

camas

Camas bulbs were so highly prized by Northwest Indians for their creamy potato/baked pear taste that groups sometimes fought over the best growing areas, and people traveled great distances to harvest the bulbs and prepare them into thin, dry cakes. To ensure future harvests, the Indians burned the prairie regularly.