Stuart Island Voyage Tips and guide

Contents

Stuart Island is in the San Juan Islands of Washington State, north of San Juan Island and west of Waldron Island. The 2.8 sq mi (7.3 km²) island is somewhat isolated, as it is not served by ferry and there are almost no commercial services, but it is home to two communities of full and seasonal residents, a state park, and a one-room schoolhouse.

The island was named by Charles Wilkes during the Wilkes Expedition of 1838-1842, to honor Frederick D. Stuart, the captain's clerk of the expedition.

Stuart Island is only accessible by boat. It offers many public buoys and docks for visitors.

Stuart Island Marine State Park offers two docks with excellent sheltered moorage and easy access to the island. Potable water and composting or pit toilets are available as well as an offshore barge, manual pumpout.

• 48.678-123.19721 Prevost Harbor. Offers 7 offshore buoys and 256 feet of dock space (updated Jun 2025)
• 48.6722-123.1932 Reid Harbor. Offers 15 offshore buoys and 572 feet of docks on 3 different docks, two of which are offshore. (updated Jun 2025)

48°40′27″N 123°11′54″W

Map of Stuart Island

There is an unimproved dirt road that runs the length of the island. It is used by residents whose tax dollars pay for its maintenance. Visitors to Stuart should politely step to the side when vehicles approach.

The only place to go is the lighthouse at turn point, there is no other public land to explore. Locals are not friendly when it comes to trespassers.

• 48.678-123.215641 Stuart Island School, 532 Reid Harbor Rd. The local one room schoolhouse is still in use, though it closes some years due to a lack of students. Located nearby is the un-staffed and always open Teacherage Museum which is a tiny unheated room with displays about the history of the schoolhouse and the island. (updated Jun 2025)
• 48.68813-123.236222 Turn Point Lighthouse (western coast, accessible by the county road). A popular hiking destination in the western section of Stuart Island State Park. The site is open year round, and a small interpretive museum is open daily from July to September. (updated Jun 2025)
• Lover's Leap (near the center of the island). A popular hike to a clifftop overlook, in the central section of Stuart Island State Park. (updated Jun 2025)
• 48.68256-123.190773 Satellite Island (in Prevost Harbor). Used by YMCA Camp Orkila as a basecamp for teen expeditions and for field trips by campers. Prevost Harbor is named for James Charles Prevost, captain of the HMS Satellite. Nearby Prevost Island in British Columbia is also named after Prevost, while Satellite Island is named after his ship. (updated Jun 2025)

What Puget Sound beaches lack in white sand and warm water is more than made up for in the amazing scenery as the clear waters play against wild coastlines and snow peaked mountains scatter on the horizons. Stuart Island State Park offers thousands of feet of public beaches, from the rugged to the sandy smooth. Small crabs, moon snails, sea stars and sand dollars are common sites and tide pools can offer hours of exploration.

Be warned that sea shells and driftwood are considered part of the natural environment and should not be removed, however the often rocky and wild shores are havens for creating and revealing beach glass and anything artificial found is fair game for removal. Be respectful of private property and gentle with sea creatures. Keep a wide distance away from nesting birds, seals and other shore animals and always put back anything removed from the shoreline.

The cool, clean waters provide some of the finest shellfish habitat in the world. Washington State is the nation’s leading producer of farmed bivalve shellfish (clams, geoduck, mussels and oysters). Maps of public shellfishing areas and health warnings and updates can be found online at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Permits are required and can be purchased online or in some sporting goods stores.

• DNR-359 (STUART ISLAND). There are several public shellfishing beaches on Stuart Island open year round for clams and oysters. 

There are no stores or other public commercial establishments on the island. The closest thing to a store is a wooden box, stocked by a local family, with printed T-shirts and other souvenir items. Each souvenir comes with an envelope through which visitors return payment by mail, based on an honor system.

There are no stores or restaurants on the island. Bring your own food with you, or bring your clam shovel and crab traps and hope for the best!

Potable water is available in the campgrounds.

Stuart Island Marine State Park has 18 primitive campsites. You may stay up to ten consecutive days in any one park from April 1 through Sept. 30; the stay limit is extended to 20 days between Oct. 1 and March 31.

• Campsites 1-14 are available to all boaters, on Prevost Harbor or on the ridge that separates Prevost and Reid harbors.
• Campsites 15-18 at the head of Reid Harbor are designated Cascadia Marine Trail sites and are for the exclusive use of those arriving by human- or wind-powered watercraft.

There is no garbage service on the island. Visitors must pack out what they pack in. Potable water is available May through September.

Composting toilets are near the dock at Reid Harbor and to the right of the Prevost Harbor dock. Pit toilets are available at the head of Reid Harbor.

If you are hoping to stay in touch via cellphone, be warned that service is spotty at best and may require a long hike to get a signal.

• San Juan Island and Orcas Island are located relatively nearby.