Golden Gardens to Hedley Spit, Bainbridge Island

The trip from Golden Gardens Park to Hedley Spit on Bainbridge Island and back is a great paddle for kayakers looking to test their skills on the open water. Conditions can be dramatically different depending on the tide and weather, but these factors make for an exciting day trip. The 12-mile trip can be broken up with a stop at Fay Bainbridge Park before exploring Hedley Spit and heading back across the sound. Keep an eye out for curious marine life including seals, sea lions, and sea gulls along the piers that line the shores of Bainbridge Island.

Note that crossing the Puget Sound should never be taken lightly. Conditions can change quickly even on sunny days. The crossing from Golden Gardens to Bainbridge is long, and the conditions can change quickly with the weather. Kayakers crossing to Bainbridge Island should be aware that they are crossing a major shipping channel. Monitoring channel 14 for shipping traffic with a VHF radio is highly recommended.