Hope Island State Park Sea Kayaking

Hope Island is a hidden gem in the Puget Sound. While kayakers flock to the San Juans during the summer months, the South Sound and Hope Island remains relatively unknown. The park, once privately owned, can be accessed from a number of different places throughout the South Sound. Paddlers can choose to launch from Arcadia Point, Carlyon Beach Park, Oakland Bay Marina, or Boston Harbor depending on the desired length of the trip.

The park offers long beaches and miles of trails with informative signs that describe the flora and fauna of the island environment. Deer can be found grazing in the orchard on the south side of the island near the cottage where the island caretaker stays. From Hope Island, paddlers can explore the Pickering Passage, the Hammersly Inlet, or circumnavigate the remote Squaxin Island Reservation before returning to camp to enjoy great views of Mount Rainier and the surrounding islands.