Midway Campground in Moran State Park on Orcas Island

Looking for more great things to do in and around Moran State Park?
Go for a paddle or take a hike around beautiful Cascade Lake. For more ideas, check out my guide to the Best of Orcas Island.

AMENITIES

• Flush toilets
• Drinkable water
• Hot showers (coin operated)
• Firewood for sale from automated vending machines (yes, really!) — check for fire bans
• Boat ramp on Cascade Lake for non-motorized or electric watercraft
• No electrical, water, or sewage hookups

ABOUT THE SITES

• Midway is one of three campgrounds, together with Northend and Southend, situated along Cascade Lake in Moran State Park. The campgrounds are operated jointly, so sites 1 to 17 are at Southend, sites 18 to 66 are at Midway, and sites 69 to 118 are at Northend.
• Midway, Northend, and Southend Campgrounds are open year round.
• Campsite fees range from $27 to $37 per night in peak season (summer) and $20 to $30 in shoulder season, depending on the desirability of the site (lakefront is highest).

• Southend Campground has the best lakefront campsites, but they book up far in advance. Our favorite beachfront site at Southend is #8.
• Midway Campground sites 20 through 30 are also lakefront, but are smaller than those at Southend. Many of these sites can’t accommodate RVs or trailers, and some must be booked together as a pair. They’re also close to the road, although traffic tends to be very light at night, and not terribly busy during the day.
• Northend Campground is situated in a beautiful wooded area. It’s located across the road from the Cascade Lake Day Use Area and swimming beach.

• Cabins and “glamping” sites are available near Southend Campground. Hike-in sites are located along the Cascade Lake Trail between Midway Campground and Southend. Nearby Mountain Lake offers a campground with vault toilets.
• Most sites at Midway Campground can accommodate small trailers and RVs (other than some of the lakefront sites). Read the site description on the reservations website to be sure the site fits your needs.
• On our first stay at Midway Campground, we stayed at site #47. This site is split into two levels, but most sites at Midway are all on one level.

• On our second stay at Midway Campground, we shared sites #56 and #57 with friends. These sites must be booked together, so are a great option when camping with others. There are also several other double campsites available at all three Cascade Lake campgrounds.
• There are a couple of unusual sites at Midway Campground. Site #54B is located behind the restrooms, with no privacy barrier, although a small lawn provides some separation. Site #52 is a “walk-in” site that requires campers walk 200 feet uphill from the parking spot to reach it. For those who don’t mind lugging their gear, it offers good privacy. Site #64 is a small site right next to the fence that borders the road. Vegetation blocks the road from view, but it’s not my first choice.
• The main campground at Midway is situated on a hillside, with peek-a-boo lake views from many sites. Personally, I prefer sites that don’t border the main road, as the traffic is much less noticeable. Sites 40 through 46 are relatively spacious, and the lower ones offer better lake views.

FUN STUFF

• Explore the woods. My kids loved the fact that our campsites provided easy access to the forest. They spent hours exploring fallen logs and the tiny creek bed that ran through the ravine below site #47.
• Ride a bike. While it’s a little steep, the main campground loop is small and makes a great bicycle course, just keep an eye out for cars and stay safe. Experienced cyclists enjoy biking the roads throughout Moran State Park.
• Paddle or swim in Cascade Lake. A concrete boat launch is available next to Midway Campground’s lakefront campsites. Parking spots at the launch make it easy to transport your gear. Non-motorized or electric boats only! Visit the day use area down the road for a lovely swimming beach and playground. Seasonal kayak and paddle board rentals are available.
• Ice cream from Sugar Shack! This little ice cream shop at the Cascade Lake Day Use Area is less than a mile away. The Cascade Lake Loop Trail connects the campground with the day use area, and you can also go by car or boat.
• Take a hike! Walk up the campground road past sites 49 and 50 to reach the Cascade Lake Loop Trail for an easy 2.9 mile loop around the lake. This trail also connects to the Southend and Northend Campgrounds, the Cascade Lake Day Use Area, and the trail to Cascade Falls. A path behind campsites #56 and #57 also connects to the loop trail.

NEARBY & NOTABLE

• Moran State Park has enough to keep you going for days! We hiked from Midway Campgorund to Cascade Falls, and did the Cold Springs loop hike to Mount Constitution. Mountain Lake and Cascade Lake are perfect for paddling and swimming. Cascade Lake offers a public beach with boat rentals, a swimming beach, an ice cream shop, picnic tables, a large lawn, and playground.
• Mount Constitution, the highest point in the San Juan islands, is well worth a visit on a clear day. You can drive or hike to reach the summit.
• Eastsound, Orcas Island’s main town, is only a 15-minute drive from Midway Campground. It’s a charming small town with a number of good restaurants, shops, and beaches to explore. Some of our favorites include Brown Bear Baking, Clever Cow Creamery, and Darvill’s Bookstore (which also features a terrific coffee bar).
• Obstruction Pass State Park is also only 15 minutes away, with short trails leading to a beautiful beach. En route to Obstruction Pass, the tiny hamlet of Olga offers a few good eateries and an art gallery. Try Buck Bay Shellfish for the freshest seafood around.
• Turtleback Mountain Preserve on the opposite side of the island also offers great hikes with expansive views.

THE VERDICT

Moran State Park just might be Washington State’s most perfect family summer camping destination. Book a few nights (or more) and prepare to downshift to island time. Some campsites may be a little cramped, and yes, there is some traffic noise (unless you get a coveted spot at Southend), but the setting is idyllic. Plus, small sites mean you won’t encounter large RVs, which (no offense to large RVs) gives the camp a homier vibe. Paddle Cascade Lake, savor an ice cream cone from Sugar Shack, and go for a hike or swim. If you want a touch of civilization, Eastsound is close enough for a classy dinner out or French croissants for breakfast.

In summer, Midway Campground is filled with families, couples, and small groups, many of whom stay multiple nights. It’s a respectful mix, and during our stays, evenings were quiet and relaxing. Of course, the beautiful weather we enjoyed greatly enhanced our overall experience.

I would be happy to stay at any of the campsites here (OK, preferably not site #54B by the restroom or site #64 by the fence), but I admit I’m pining for the chance to camp at a lakefront site at Southend. With enough advance planning, here’s hoping our next Orcas adventure will take us there!

We arrived on Orcas on a sunny Sunday afternoon. While a ferry ride is usually a high point when we travel, in this instance we spent most of the hour-long trip sitting in our car. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, ferry passengers were encouraged to remain in their vehicles, and it was a relief be on the move again, driving through the island’s bucolic farmland and forests.

I’d never been to Orcas Island before. Somehow, the ferry ride to the San Juans made it seem like a substantial trip, something that required advanced planning and an overnight stay. Now here we were, driving along Cascade Lake, having made reservations for Midway Campground less than two weeks earlier. Serendipitous, indeed.

Our site was an unusual split-level one, with room to park the trailer on the lower level. We pitched the tent for the boys on the upper level near the picnic table and fire pit. This meant we had to transport food and dishes between the two levels, but that was a minor inconvenience. Next to the trailer, I set up a dishwashing station, taking advantage of the beautiful lake view through the trees. One thing I love about camping is the chance to cook outdoors. The task may be mundane, but when you’re surrounded by nature, mundane takes on a whole new meaning.

After setting up, the kids and I went to explore the lakeshore. Although the shoulder of the road is quite narrow, we found a few good spots to take a look. To our surprise, numerous snail shells could be seen near the water’s edge — beautiful yellow spirals the size of golf balls. I was fascinated, but my older son, J, was a bit disgusted that there might be snails where he swims.

Since most of our island explorations were within a twenty minute drive of the campground, our daily schedule slowed. The trailheads were so close we didn’t need to rise early to beat the crowds. In fact, there were no crowds to speak of, one advantage to visiting an island that requires a two-hour round trip ferry ride (not including wait times). On the trails, we passed only a handful of others, sometimes feeling as though we had the forest all to ourselves. The fact that the Northend Campground was closed completely in an effort to decrease the number of visitors during the pandemic doubtless helped.

Every night, we sat around the campfire and played games by lantern light. During the day we roamed the trails, paddled the lakes, and sometimes treated ourselves to a nice outdoor meal from one of Eastsound’s many restaurants and cafes. When it was time to depart for the mainland, we were already talking about what we wanted to do when we returned. Orcas Island, I hope we meet again soon!

A few years after our June visit to Orcas Island, we found ourselves once more waiting in the ferry line at Anacortes. It was a beautiful evening, and we couldn’t wait to get to the island and set up camp. Then came a disappointing announcement over a fuzzy loudspeaker… our ferry was out of commission, and we had another hour to wait.

Thankfully, we made it to Orcas Island that night, just a little later than planned. As is so often the case for us, we pulled up to our campsite after dark only to find that — wait a minute! Someone else was already there!

We were confounded. How could this have happened? The sign at the entrance to Midway Campground clearly states that reservations are required, and we had the required reservations. The unknown occupants of our site had already settled in for the night, so we decided to pull up alongside them. Our friends, who had been pushed onto an even later ferry, also managed to squeeze their car in the driveway when they arrived. Thank goodness for our large double campsite!

To make a long story short, the uninvited occupants left the next morning without too much fanfare. Apparently they, too, had arrived late and assumed they could “reserve” a seemingly vacant site by filling in an envelope and dropping it in the box at the entrance station. Campers, let this be a lesson: make sure you understand the campground rules before claiming a campsite. These days, many campgrounds, especially state and national park campgrounds, are reservation-only in high season, and you can’t assume a vacant site hasn’t been reserved.

The next morning we arose to a beautiful view across Cascade Lake and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast at camp. My friend, Katie, and I headed to the entrance station to officially check in, a requirement when camping at Moran State Park. Back at camp, the kids set up a second tent for J and his friend, H, to share. While our family of four can currently all sleep inside our teardrop trailer, J was looking forward to some tent time away from his parents and younger brother.

Compared with our previous stay at Midway Campground, campsites #56 and #57 offered a much better view of Cascade Lake. The sites just down the hill, #59 and #60, also had great views. Unfortunately, Midway is quite close to the road, so anyone staying here should expect some traffic noise. Thankfully, the road isn’t visible from most of the campsites on this side of the campground. Campsites further from the road experience less noise, but also fewer views.

The lakefront campsites on the opposite side of the campground offer less separation from the road, but some may prefer their waterfront location. Choose your campsite carefully, know what to expect, and you will have a fantastic experience at Midway Campground.

Soon, we were fully settled into our site. On our first full day, we stuck close to Cascade Lake, hiking the Cascade Lake Loop Trail and paddling out to the Lagoon and back. An ice cream break at Sugar Shack was also a must.

The next day, we checked out Cascade Falls and explored the tiny hamlet of Olga, perusing the displays at Orcas Island Artworks and feasting on fresh seafood at Buck Bay Shellfish. Yep, Orcas Island has it all — art, great food, and, of course, an abundance of nature to explore.

After an afternoon drive up to Mount Constitution, the highest point in the San Juan Islands, we headed back to camp for an evening of games and dinner cooked on the campfire. The sun slowly sank behind the clouds over Cascade Lake, spreading a soft glow throughout the campground. The fire crackled, and as the sky went dark, we gathered around its flames as spooky tales were told.

Sunday was departure day, time to take down the tents and hammocks and load the cars. We said a fond farewell to Midway Campground, then headed out for a few more island explorations before catching the ferry. Soon, it was back to the mainland and back to reality. Once again, I’m home, but dreaming happily of our next trip to Orcas Island.