Blake Island
Port Orchard, Washington
| GPS: |
47°32'18.7"N 122°29'33.9"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | Washington |
Camp and Hike
Nestled between Bainbridge Island and Vashon Island, the 476-acre island once was privately owned and then in 1974 became Blake Island State Park. Blake Island is a favorite location for kayaking, bird watching and year-round camping. The popular Northwest attraction and tour, Tillicum Village, is located at the north end of the Island and is a daytime cultural attraction for visitors during the summer.
More Information
Add ResourceBe courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.
Read More
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel & camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
Directions
From Port Orchard, Washington
- Head north on Sidney Ave toward Kitsap St (492 ft)
- Turn right onto Bay St (0.5 mi)
- Continue onto Bethel Ave (0.5 mi)
- At the traffic circle, take the 2nd exit onto Mile Hill Dr (3.6 mi)
- Continue onto SE Southworth Dr (2.8 mi)
- Turn left to stay on SE Southworth Dr (0.7 mi)
- Continue onto SE Southworth Ferry Dr (0.1 mi)
- Continue onto Seattle-Vashon-Southworth Ferry Dock (0.1 mi)
- Take the Southworth - Fauntleroy ferry (0.5 mi)
By kayak
Kayakers paddling to Blake Island favor Alki Beach Park, at 1702 Alki Ave. S.W. as a launch point. The 4-mile kayak trip to Blake Island requires negotiating the ferry route, which can be choppy during inclement weather. For a shorter paddle, take the Fauntleroy ferry to Southworth and launch from Manchester State Park (a two-mile trip to Blake Island). Launching from Ford Ward State Park or Eagle Harbor on Bainbridge Island is also popular. There are multiple locations to disembark your kayak at Blake Island.
Other Hiking Trails Nearby
Mount Baker Beach
Seattle
10.1 miles EFree, lifeguarded city swimming beach on Lake Washington at the foot of Mount Baker Park in Seattle, with a floating platform, a 1-meter diving board and a long fishing pier.
Hike, Swim
Colman Park Beach
Seattle
10.2 miles EAn unguarded stretch of public Lake Washington shoreline in a 24 acre Olmsted park, where cement steps from a swimming beach that closed in 1965 still run down into the water. Seattle's lifeguarded beach at Mount Baker sits a quarter mile south.
Hike, Swim
Madrona Park
Seattle
10.9 miles NEMadrona Park is a free Seattle Parks and Recreation beach on the western shore of Lake Washington, with a lifeguarded swim area, two fixed platforms and a one meter diving board in summer. A wooded ravine full of trails climbs the hill above it, and the w
Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Seward Park
Seattle
11.0 miles EA free lifeguarded sand beach on Andrews Bay, the shallow sheltered water on the west side of Seattle's Bailey Peninsula, backed by the largest stand of old-growth forest left in the city. King County closes it for bacteria often enough that checking the
Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Angle Lake Beach
SeaTac
12.1 miles SEAngle Lake Beach is the guarded sand swimming beach at Angle Lake Park, a ten-acre City of SeaTac park on the west shore of a 102-acre glacial lake less than a mile from the Sea-Tac runways. King County samples the water weekly through the summer, and the
Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim
West Green Lake Beach
Seattle
12.2 miles NEWest Green Lake Beach is the longer running of the two lifeguarded beaches Seattle Parks operates on Green Lake, with two fixed platforms, a 50 yard lap lane and 1 meter and 3 meter diving boards behind the old 1927 bathhouse. Lifeguards cover it from lat
Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Island Lake Park
Poulsbo
12.8 miles NWFree sand swimming beach at Kitsap County's Island Lake Park between Poulsbo and Silverdale, with a paved lakeshore trail, fishing pier and kayak launch. Check health advisories first.
Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Clarke Beach Park
Mercer Island
13.0 miles EA quiet 9-acre city park on Mercer Island's southeast shore with a free, buoyed swim area on Lake Washington between two piers. No lifeguards; open 6 AM to 10 PM.
Hike, Swim
Meydenbauer Bay Park
Bellevue
14.1 miles EMeydenbauer Bay Park is the City of Bellevue's downtown waterfront beach, a wide sand and gravel swim area on a quiet inlet of Lake Washington with a curving 420-foot floating pier, a beach house with showers, and a hand-carry boat launch. Lifeguards work
Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Matthews Beach Park
Seattle
15.0 miles NESeattle's largest freshwater bathing beach sits on Lake Washington at the foot of NE 93rd Street, with a roped swim area, a floating platform with diving boards, and lifeguards through the summer. King County tests the water weekly and closes this beach m
Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Magnuson Park Swimming Beach
Seattle
15.1 miles NEFree, city-run swim beach on Lake Washington in Seattle's Magnuson Park, with a swim platform, bathhouse and outdoor shower, and lifeguards from late June to late August.
Hike, Kayak, Swim
Steel Lake Park
Federal Way
17.2 miles SESteel Lake Park is a 52 acre City of Federal Way park with a guarded sand swim beach on a 46 acre lowland lake. The swim zone is buoyed off, entry and parking are free, and a bathhouse, fishing pier, playground and sand volleyball pit sit behind the beach
Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Lake Sammamish State Park Beaches
Issaquah, Washington
20.3 miles ESunset Beach and Tibbetts Beach at the south end of Lake Sammamish, a 512-acre state park off I-90 in Issaquah with paddle rentals, playgrounds, trails and a boat launch.
Hike, Kayak, Mountain Bike, Swim
Lake Wilderness Park Swim Beach
Maple Valley, Washington
24.0 miles SEFree city park beach on Lake Wilderness in Maple Valley with summer lifeguards, canoe and paddleboard rentals, a concession stand, a big playground and a 40-acre arboretum.
Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Duvall Beach at McCormick Park
Duvall
27.2 miles NEA sandy river beach on the Snoqualmie at the north end of Duvall's McCormick Park, free and open dawn to dusk, with picnic shelters, a rinse shower and the Snoqualmie Valley Trail at its back. No lifeguards, and the city keeps two life rings on the bank.
Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim 1.5 mi
Twin Falls Trail
North Bend, Washington
37.8 miles EA peaceful 3-mile river hike near North Bend that arrives at a beautiful waterfall viewpoint bridge at the halfway point, open rain or shine with easy access for all ages.
Hike 5.4 mi
Middle Fork Snoqualmie Trail
North Bend, Washington
44.6 miles ECLOSED. Closed due to landslide activity.
Hike, Mountain Bike
island lake
North Bend, Washington
46.4 miles EA quieter alternative to the crowded Snoqualmie Pass hikes — shed the weekend throngs who turn back at Talapus or Olallie Lake and discover Island Lake in western Washington.
Camp, Hike, Swim
Granite Mountain
North Bend, Washington
47.9 miles EA steep, rewarding hike up Granite Mountain gaining about 1,000 feet per mile, with panoramic summit views of Mount Rainier, Mount Stewart, and the Teanaway — best tackled after the snow melts.
Backpack, Hike
