Your Orcas Island 3 Day Itinerary
Every trail, tour and ferry reservation mapped out, so you spend the trip on the water rather than planning it.
This Orcas Island itinerary covers three days on the largest of the San Juan Islands. Day one is the ferry over and the west shore at sunset, ending on dark water where every paddle stroke lights up. Day two is Moran State Park top to bottom: the 2,409-ft summit of Mount Constitution and the tallest waterfall in the islands. Day three is whales in the morning and the quiet west lobe before the boat home. Every stop pinned, and the two bookings that decide whether the trip works at all are step one.
Excellent itinerary planner! Detail oriented with thoughtful tips for my family’s trip.
17 stops on a real mapEvery stop pinned in order→The route, drawn in the order you drive it.
Not a suggested direction of travel. The road route from the ferry landing to the west shore, across to Moran State Park and out to the quiet west lobe, in order. Download it before you sail: signal is patchy across Moran and gone in the gorges.
Six of the stops on these three days.
Plan and book your 3 days on Orcas Island, one step at a time
The three days in the order you will actually drive them, then the things you have to book to make them happen, starting with the two ferry reservations that decide whether any of it works. Work down the list and tick each one off. Your progress is saved on this device, so you can come back and finish later.
How 3 days on Orcas Island split up
Orcas is a horseshoe, and the sensible way to divide a long weekend is by lobe rather than by activity. You sleep near West Beach for all 3 nights so you never repack, and each day takes a different part of the island.
Day 1: The crossing, the west shore and dark water
A 55-minute ferry worth standing outside for, an afternoon on the only shore that faces the sunset, and a night paddle on water that flashes blue with every stroke.
Day 2: Moran State Park, top to bottom
The highest point in the San Juans, the tallest waterfall in the islands and a lake warm enough to swim in, all inside one park twenty minutes from the village.
Day 3: Whales, the west lobe and the boat home
A morning on the water looking for Bigg’s orcas, then the quiet half of the island, timed so the ferry is never the thing you are running at.
Ferry Over, West Beach Sunset & the Bioluminescence Paddle
A 55-minute crossing that is worth standing outside for, an afternoon on the only shore that faces the sunset, and then the thing nobody expects: water that flashes blue every time your paddle touches it.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
Anacortes ferry terminalLate morning · Ferry55 minutes on a direct sailing, up to an hour and a half if yours calls at Lopez or Shaw first. Be in the lanes 30 minutes early with a reservation, well over an hour on standby. Fares are collected westbound only, so you pay the whole round trip here.
Open on the map →- The crossing itself
On the water · WildlifeStay on the bow rail or the car-deck stairs rather than the cafeteria. Bigg’s orcas, harbour porpoise and bald eagles turn up on this hour more often than people expect, and it costs nothing.
Open on the map → - Eastsound
Early afternoon · TownThe ferry lands at the bottom of the western lobe; the actual village is 20 minutes north at the top of the bay. Grocery, bakery, galleries, and the Saturday farmers market. Stock up here, because there is very little once you leave it.
Open on the map → - West Beach
Afternoon · BeachThe west shore faces due west across President Channel, which is the whole reason to be over here in the evening. Driftwood, a pebble beach, and the sun going down into the water rather than behind a hill.
Open on the map → - Joe Mabel / CC BY-SA 3.0Fire pit and dinner
Dusk · CampCampsites on this side come with a picnic table and a firepit with grill, and the resorts have communal pits. If you are staying in Eastsound instead, eat in the village and drive out for the light.
Open on the map → 
Bioluminescent night kayak, RosarioAfter dark · KayakTwo hours on flat protected water out of Rosario Resort. Dinoflagellates flash when the water is disturbed, so the blade of your paddle lights up blue. New-moon dates only, no experience needed, minimum age eight. Bring a warm layer you do not mind getting wet.
Open on the map →
Mount Constitution, Cascade Falls & the Lakes
Five thousand acres of second-growth forest, five lakes, the highest point in the San Juan archipelago and the tallest waterfall in the islands, all inside one park you can cross in half an hour.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Mount Constitution
Morning · Summit2,409 ft, the highest point in the San Juans, with a 1930s CCC stone tower on top. From the platform: Mount Baker, Rainier, the Olympics, Vancouver Island and the whole scatter of islands. The classic climb from Mountain Lake is 3.5 mi one way, about 1,500 ft of gain, usually looped back past the lake.
Open on the map → - Joe Mabel / CC BY-SA 3.0The summit road
Alternative · DriveA paved road runs the whole way to the top. Driving up is not cheating, and it is the right call with small children or when the weather is uncertain and you want to check visibility before committing two hours of climbing to it.
Open on the map → - Cascade Falls
Early afternoon · Waterfall40 ft, the tallest waterfall in the San Juans, down a fern-walled gorge that looks nothing like the rest of the island. 0.8 mi round trip, about 137 ft of gain, half an hour. Strongest in spring and after autumn rain; in a dry late August it can be a trickle.
Open on the map → - Cascade Lake loop
Afternoon · Lake2.7 flat miles round the water, with a swimming beach, a dock and rental rowboats and kayaks at the north end. In July and August the lake genuinely warms up, which the salt water around this island never does.
Open on the map → - Joe Mabel / CC BY-SA 3.0Little Summit
Late afternoon · ViewpointConstitution’s smaller neighbour, about 4 mi round trip and 1,000 ft, facing south over Cascade Lake to the Olympics. Half the effort of the main summit and, on a busy August Saturday, a tenth of the people.
Open on the map → - Back to the fire
Evening · CampThere is nothing open late on this island. That is the point of it. Cook, sit out, and note that Moran is dark enough for the Milky Way on a clear moonless night.
Open on the map →
Whale Watching, Deer Harbor & Turtleback
Book the morning boat, not the afternoon one, and leave the rest of the day loose. The ferry decides when this trip ends, and you want slack in front of it.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Whale watching from Orcas Landing
Morning · BoatThree to four hours into Haro Strait and the Boundary Pass waters. What you are most likely to see now are Bigg’s orcas, the mammal-eating transients, which have become far more common here than the endangered Southern Residents. Humpbacks build August into October, minke through the summer.
Open on the map → - Deer Harbor
Midday · TownA marina hamlet on the far west lobe: a dock, a general store, charter boats, and very little else. That is the appeal. Roughly 40 minutes from Moran, so it is a choice about atmosphere rather than convenience.
Open on the map → - Turtleback Mountain, Ship Peak
Afternoon · HikeThe best value hike on the island and free, no Discover Pass. 2.9 mi, 860 ft, up to an open meadow summit facing west over President Channel. After the closed forest of Moran it feels like a different island.
Open on the map → - Obstruction Pass State Park
Late afternoon · BeachIf you would rather stay on the east side: 1.2 mi round trip through madrona and fir to a cobble beach. The best shoreline access on Orcas and the likeliest place to see a whale from land instead of a boat.
Open on the map → - Orcas Landing, homebound
Evening · FerryNo fare to pay going east; it was all collected at Anacortes on the way out. You still need the vehicle reservation you booked weeks ago. Be in the lanes 30 minutes ahead.
Open on the map →
Reserve the ferry in BOTH directions
This is the wrong order from every other trip you book, and it is the right order here. The ferry is the tighter constraint, and a non-refundable room you cannot reach with a car is a worse weekend than a ferry slot with no room yet.
Reservations are one-way, so a round trip needs two. The return from Orcas is the one people skip, because no fare is collected eastbound and it feels like it does not need booking. It does.
Walking on rather than driving? You need none of this. Foot passengers and cyclists are never capped the way the car deck is, which is why a bike is the simplest way to do this trip. The catch is the terrain: the road climbs straight out of the landing and Mount Constitution is a 2,409-foot climb, so rent an e-bike in Eastsound unless you are a strong climber.
Book the bioluminescent night kayak
The most memorable thing on this island is not available most nights. Dinoflagellates only read as blue light when the sky is genuinely dark, so the tour runs to a handful of new-moon dates a month and departs after sunset.
Check which new-moon dates fall inside your trip BEFORE you reserve the ferry. Doing it the other way round is how people end up here during a full moon wondering why the tour is greyed out.
Two hours on flat protected water out of Rosario Resort. Dinoflagellates in the water flash when they are disturbed, so every paddle stroke throws blue light. It only runs on the dark nights around a new moon, which is a handful of dates a month, and the boats are small. This is the booking that should pick your dates.
Pick your date
Only the new-moon nights appear. If your dates are not listed, the moon was too bright that week.
See available new-moon dates on GetYourGuidePick one base for all three nights
Orcas is 57 square miles of hills and the gap between the east and west lobes is 30 to 40 minutes of winding road. One base reaches everything on this route, so you unpack once.
Tell us what you want. We check every site, use your points if they help, and send you one price. Say yes and it is booked.
- We check every site. Booking, Expedia, Airbnb, Vrbo and the hotel itself.
- We use your points. Tell us your programs and we compare points against cash.
- You pay the normal price. The hotel pays us, not you.
- You hear back in a day. All 3 nights in one booking. Nothing is charged until you say yes.
Four bases, and they are not equal
The gap between them is hours of driving across your 3 nightsPeak. Reserve the ferry both ways the day the seasonal block opens, then book the room.
Camping is a different race. The two Moran State Park campgrounds release through Washington State Parks months ahead, and summer weekends go quickly. West Beach Resort's own sites book direct and are the fallback when Moran is gone.
Book your 3 nights in West Beach Resort
Live rooms and prices. Booking happens right here.Book West Beach Resort directTheir own booking system, which carries the campsites and tent cabins the hotel map above does not.
Camping instead?
Two state park campgrounds and a first-come walk-in, booked through Washington State Parks- Moran State Park, Cascade LakeRoughly March to OctoberThe one this itinerary would use. Minutes from Cascade Falls and the Constitution trailheads, with a swimming beach and boat rental on the lake. The cheapest bed on the island.Open on the map →Check dates →
- Moran State Park, Mountain LakeRoughly May to SeptemberHigher, quieter and right on the Mount Constitution approach, so day two starts on foot from your tent. Fewer sites than Cascade.Open on the map →Check dates →
- Obstruction Pass State ParkYear round, weather permittingA handful of walk-in and boat-in sites above the cobble beach at the southeast tip. First come, no reservations, and you carry your gear the last half mile.Open on the map →Check dates →
Hipcamp near West Beach Resort for private land and farm stays the park does not run.
Fly in on the same dates
Three ways in. We do not quote fares, so these open a live search.BGRBangor InternationalThe closest major airport, about an hour from the island.Check fares →BHBHancock County, Bar HarborOn the island’s doorstep in Trenton. Small and seasonal, so check it flies on your dates.Check fares →PWMPortland JetportFurther south and a longer drive. Worth a look if Bangor is dear.Check fares →
Some lodging links on this page earn us a commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you. It is what keeps this itinerary free.
Book the morning whale boat, not the afternoon one
Day three ends at a ferry with a reservation on it. A morning sailing leaves the afternoon loose; an afternoon one puts you in the holding lanes with wet hair and no margin.
Bigg’s orcas, the mammal-eating transients, are now the most commonly sighted here rather than the endangered Southern Residents. Peak is June through August; humpbacks build August into October.
Check you have the gear for 3 days on Orcas
Tick things off as they go in the bag. Every line traces back to a specific moment in the three days above, and the reason sits next to it, so you can skip what does not apply.
One of these three days ends after dark on open water, and one climbs 2,409 feet into wind with nothing to hide behind. That is what the list is built around.
For the night paddle
For Moran State Park
For the island generally
The best hikes on Orcas Island, side by side
Moran State Park alone holds over 30 miles of trail, and the ones worth your three days are mostly short. Distances are round trip unless noted, and the times assume you stop for the view.
| Hike | Distance | Difficulty | Time | Why it makes the list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cascade Falls | 0.8 mi | Easy | 30–60 min | The tallest waterfall in the San Juans at 40 ft, half an hour from the car. The one hike here that works for absolutely everyone. Strongest in spring. |
| Obstruction Pass Beach | 1.2 mi | Easy | ~1 hr | Madrona and fir down to a cobble beach at the southeast tip. The best shoreline access on the island and the likeliest whale sighting from land. |
| Cascade Lake Loop | 2.7 mi | Easy | ~1.5 hr | Flat forest circuit with a swimming beach and boat rental. The lake actually warms up in July and August, unlike the salt water. |
| Turtleback: Ship Peak Loop | 2.9 mi | Moderate | ~2 hr | Open meadow summit facing west, 860 ft of gain, free with no Discover Pass, and a fraction of the crowds in Moran. |
| Mountain Lake Loop | ~4 mi | Easy | ~2 hr | The bigger, quieter, higher lake, and the approach to Mount Constitution, so you can walk it then turn uphill from the same junction. |
| Little Summit | ~4 mi | Moderate | ~2.5 hr | South-facing viewpoint over Cascade Lake to the Olympics. Half the effort of Constitution and a tenth of the people. |
| Mount Constitution via Mountain Lake | 7 mi | Strenuous | 4–5 hr | 2,409 ft and the high point of the archipelago. Forested the whole way, so there is no payoff until the tower. Go on a clear day or drive it. |
Ferries, passes and getting around Orcas Island
The small print that makes or breaks an Orcas trip: how the reservation system really works, what the state parks cost, and the honest state of transport once you are on the island.
Reserve the ferry BOTH ways, and do it first
Vehicle reservations on the Anacortes / San Juan Islands route are free, are not a ticket, and are one-way, so a round trip needs two separate bookings. The return from Orcas is the one people skip, because no fare is collected eastbound and it feels like it does not need booking. It does.
Know the three release waves
A large block opens when each seasonal schedule goes on sale, months ahead. A second block drops two weeks before sailing and a final block two days before, both at 7am on this route. If the season block is gone, set alarms for the two-week and two-day drops rather than giving up.
Fares are collected westbound only
You pay the whole round trip leaving Anacortes and nothing sailing back east. Budget for it at the start of the trip, not the end, and do not read the free return as evidence that the return needs no reservation.
There is no Uber, and one taxi
Rideshare does not meaningfully operate in the San Juans; at best a single driver who may not be online. There is one on-island taxi plus a seasonal summer shuttle, both of which book out. Hitchhiking is common here and islanders genuinely do stop, but it is not a schedule to hang a ferry or a tour departure on.
A bike is the cheat code, with a caveat
Walk-on passengers and cyclists never need a reservation, so a bicycle sidesteps the entire ferry problem. You pay the passenger fare plus a bicycle stowage surcharge, which is not waived by an ORCA card on this route. The caveat is terrain: the road climbs straight out of the landing and Mount Constitution is a 2,409-ft climb. Rent an e-bike in Eastsound unless you are a strong climber.
Discover Pass for the state parks
$10 for a day or $45 annual, on the dashboard, for Moran State Park and Obstruction Pass State Park. Turtleback Mountain Preserve and the Land Bank shoreline preserves are free.
Pick your dates around the new moon
The bioluminescence is only visible on genuinely dark nights, so tours run to a handful of dates each month and depart after sunset. Check available dates before you fix the ferry, not after.
No bears, but bring water and a downloaded map
There are no bears or large predators on Orcas. Ticks are the real nuisance, mostly spring into early summer. Nothing on trail is potable, and cell signal is patchy across Moran and gone in the gorges.
Or don’t plan it at all.
Same 3 days, same stops. One price covering the bed, both ferry reservations, the new-moon paddle and the whale boat, booked by people who run this island every week.
- Ferry vehicle reservations held both ways, outbound and return
- 3 nights on the west shore, firepit site, free showers
- The bioluminescent night paddle, booked on a new-moon date inside your window
- The morning whale boat out of Orcas Landing
- 3 nights, west shore campsite
3 × $65$195 - Bioluminescent night kayak
4 × $89$356 - Morning whale watching boat
4 × $120$480 - Ferry vehicle reservations, both ways
$110$110
- Discover Pass$10 a day or $45 for the year, on the dashboard. Required at Moran State Park and Obstruction Pass, bought from Washington State Parks.
- Everything in Camping, with a tent cabin instead of a pitch
- A real bed, power and water at the site, and nothing to carry over on the ferry
- Both tours booked on the best dates in your window, not the leftover ones
- Dinner reservations in Eastsound on the night you want one
- A wet-weather plan already written, because this is the Salish Sea
- 3 nights, ocean-view tent cabin
3 × $180$540 - Bioluminescent night kayak
4 × $89$356 - Morning whale watching boat
4 × $120$480 - Ferry vehicle reservations, both ways
$110$110
- Discover Pass$10 a day or $45 for the year, on the dashboard. Required at Moran State Park and Obstruction Pass, bought from Washington State Parks.
- No car and no vehicle reservation needed: you walk onto the ferry and are met at Orcas Landing
- Everything in Glamping, plus a guide on the island all three days
- Mount Constitution walked rather than driven, at the pace of whoever is slowest
- Every tour, table and pass reserved before you leave home
- Weather turns and they rewrite the day while you are still eating breakfast
- 3 nights, ocean-view tent cabin
3 × $180$540 - Guide on the island, all three days
$1,400$1,400 - Bioluminescent night kayak
4 × $89$356 - Morning whale watching boat
4 × $120$480 - Walk-on ferry fares, both ways
4 × $20$80
- Discover Pass$10 a day or $45 for the year, on the dashboard. Required at Moran State Park and Obstruction Pass, bought from Washington State Parks.
Common questions
Everything you’ll actually want to know before an Orcas Island trip.
The core of it is Moran State Park: Mount Constitution, the highest point in the San Juan Islands at 2,409 feet, Cascade Falls, and five lakes with swimming and boat rental. Beyond the park, whale watching boats sail from Orcas Landing and Deer Harbor April through October, there is a bioluminescent night kayak tour out of Rosario on new-moon dates, Turtleback Mountain Preserve on the west lobe, Obstruction Pass State Park on the east, and Eastsound village for food, galleries and a Saturday farmers market.
Written and walked by Margarita Christafore · Co-founder · Designer and trip contributor
Based in Colorado. Skis, bikes and basically lives outside, and brings every trip she works on its design polish and a second opinion on the route.
You might also love these
More guides for the San Juan Islands and the Pacific Northwest.
Orcas Island Hikes
All eight trails worth the ferry, with real distances, elevation and which ones need a Discover Pass.
How to Get to Orcas Island
The ferry, the reservation you need in both directions, and the truth about taxis, Uber and taking a bike instead.
Where to Stay on Orcas Island
Eastsound, West Beach, Olga or Deer Harbor, compared on price and drive time, plus camping and glamping.
What adventurers say about us.
All reviews are from verified guests. ★★★★★ 5.0 average from 20+ bookings.
"Felt like going out with a really knowledgeable friend who just happens to know everything about the area. No awkward tour-guide energy, just a magnificent day."
"Yulia is an incredible guide. She knew every trail, every viewpoint, and exactly how to pace the day for our group. The photos she took of us were stunning. 100% booking again."
"I was visiting Seattle solo and this was the best decision I made on the trip. Yulia picked me up, had snacks, and took us to a trail I never would have found on my own. Absolute must-do."
"We did this as a couple's trip and it was perfect. Yulia adapted everything to us, our pace, our interests, our photo obsession. The mountain views were unreal."
"Phenomenal experience. Yulia has deep local knowledge and a real passion for the outdoors. She went out of her way to show us the hidden gems tourists never see. Will remember this forever."
"I've done a few guided hikes and this was by far the best. Yulia is warm, funny, and genuinely expert. The trail she chose had the most insane wildflower bloom, we got so lucky."
Ferry schedules, reservation release times, fares, pass prices and tour seasons are planning estimates. Confirm sailings and reservations with Washington State Ferries, and trail and park status with Washington State Parks, before you travel.
You can't hike it if you can't get the permit.
The best hikes in America run on lotteries that open once a year and sell out in minutes. Every trail runs on its own calendar. Pick the ones you want and we do the watching.
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How it works
- An email the morning each window opens, never the day after.
- A 14-day heads-up so you can line up your group and dates.
- Win odds and a ranked backup plan for every trail you pick.
Didn't win? We keep watching. We check recreation.gov every day for The Enchantments, Half Dome and Angels Landing, and email you the moment a sold-out date frees up. Cancellations are the second chance most people never hear about.
Excellent itinerary planner! Detail oriented with thoughtful tips for my family's trip.