Book Description

Packable size filled with maps, elevation profiles, 130 photos, at-a-glance trail selection table, and more from a beloved trails author 1% of sales support trail maintenance in Washington As a hiking destination, the San Juan Islands of Washington and their sister islands to the north offer scores of parks and preserves, hundreds of miles of trails catering to hikers of all levels, and year-round accessibility. Day Hiking: The San Juans and Gulf Islands is divided into roughly four sections: Anacortes, for many the gateway to the region; the San Juan Islands themselves, including some key islands not served by Washington State Ferries; Victoria, Canada, providing easy access to the Gulf Islands, as well as other unique destinations; and the magical southern Gulf Islands. Author Craig Romano explores state parks, county parks, and provincial parks as well as some municipal and regional parks. He also features the recent expansion of San Juan Island National Historic Park on San Juan Island and the recently created Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, spanning several of the southern Gulf Islands, both of which are not yet familiar to many hikers. While the star attractions are the ferry-accessed islands, Romano also features several of the larger islands that don’t have ferry service (e.g., Stuart Island)——making this guide of interest to paddlers and boaters who are looking for hikes too! Key features of this guide: 136 hikes (approximately 50% American, 50% Canadian locations) Ferry travel tips Car-camping recommendations Border-crossing details All distances and elevations in both English and metric units Overview maps for both the San Juans and Gulf Islands **Mountaineers Books designates 1 percent of the sales of select guidebooks in our Day Hiking series toward volunteer trail maintenance. For this book, our 1 percent of sales is going to Washington Trails Association (WTA). WTA hosts more than 750 work parties throughout Washington’s Cascades and Olympics each year, with volunteers clearing downed logs after spring snowmelt, cutting away brush, retreading worn stretches of trail, and building bridges and turnpikes. Their efforts are essential to the land managers who maintain thousands of acres on shoestring budgets.