Hiking to the Beach at Obstruction Pass on Orcas Island

Looking for more great trails and other adventures on Orcas?
Check out my guide to the Best of Orcas Island!

CURRENT INFO

For more detailed info, visit the Washington Trails Association (WTA) website or refer to Day Hiking the San Juans & Gulf Islands by Craig Romano. Important note: we followed the trail as described in Romano’s book, while the loop on the WTA website is slightly different. The route Romano suggests offers some nice views of Eastsound on your way back, but is a bit more rugged.

GOOD TO KNOW

• Obstruction Pass is a Washington State Park, so be sure to hang your Discover Pass in your car window.
• There’s a vault toilet at the trailhead, as well as a couple new ones (so clean!) at the campground near the beach.
• If there are open campsites, you may have access to a nice picnic table. Campsites are located on the bluff above the beach.

HIGHLIGHTS

The beach is gorgeous! Even though there’s a luxurious beach house perched above the rocks on one end of this beautiful crescent (hello, dream home, it’s nice to meet you!), there’s still a feeling of being in a remote, special place.

THE KIDS’ TAKE

Driftwood, rocks, and tiny tidepools that offer a surprising variety of life if you look close enough — this beach was made for exploring!

WHILE YOU’RE HERE

Orcas Island is best as an overnight destination. Check out Midway Campground and its neighboring campgrounds, Northend and Southend, in Moran State Park. Stop by Cascade Lake for a post-hike swim or an ice cream cone from Sugar Shack. We also hiked to Mount Constitution and Cascade Falls during our stay. Near Obstruction Pass, the tiny village of Olga features an art gallery, cafe, and Buck Bay Shellfish Farm, which includes a bistro and oyster and wine bar, in addition to fresh shellfish for sale.

The morning was cloudy as we headed out from our campsite at Moran State Park, but by the time we arrived at the Obstruction Pass trailhead 15 minutes later, the sun was already starting to peek through the forest canopy.

We started off on the left-hand trail, taking us through light-filled woods. We hadn’t gone far when we noticed we were not alone; a couple of deer were also out on a morning stroll. And not just any deer — white patches could be seen on their haunches. Caused by a rare genetic disorder, there is an unusually high number of such “piebald” deer in this small corner of Orcas Island. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to capture a photo in time.

As we neared the water, the forest changed from fir trees to madronas. A gorgeous expanse of blue water was visible beyond their branches. I also caught sight of my future beach house on the rocky shore just beyond the park boundary; it’s boat-in only, but I’m OK with that.

We eagerly climbed down to the beach, a small, sheltered cove with piles of driftwood to explore. Shelves in the rock at the far side of the cove revealed hidden tidepools in their fissures. Four-year-old T and I were fascinated by the variety of life that could be found in just one narrow crevasse. We discovered miniscule anenomes, tiny hermit crabs, and sculpins no bigger than a baby’s finger.

My older son, J, was determined to create the ultimate driftwood fort. Unfortunately for him, most of the logs were too massive to move. We had to make do with adding some custom alterations to an already-existing fort that must have been built by some especially strong beach-goers.

After we finished our fort modifications, we headed back up the bluff. A picnic table at an unoccupied campsite was the perfect spot for our picnic lunch. Several beautiful campsites can be found here, but be prepared to hike (or kayak) in. There were also several new vault toilets in the campground. Take advantage of them while you can!

It took us a few minutes to get back on track after lunch. At first, I thought we could take the trail through the campground toward East Sound (Orcas Island’s main bay, not the town of Eastsound). We soon discovered that led to a dead end. The view was nice, but we needed a trail.

Heading back through the campground, we found the main trail again near the stairway to the beach. One of the signposts helpfully pointed straight ahead indicating “toilets”. As it turns out, this also pointed toward the main trail. After traveling about halfway back, another trail branches off to the right. Follow this route for occasional glimpses of picturesque East Sound, but be aware that it’s bumpier than the main trail.

Beautiful beaches with stunning views that can be reached by a short ramble through the woods — Obstruction Pass is the perfect hike for a fun day outdoors.