San Juan camping

[Westy78]

Here's the site where you can find just about anything you want to know about the islands. Including camping reservations and such.

http://www.co.san-juan.wa.us/parks/

Map of Odlin county park.

http://www.co.san-juan.wa.us/Parks/PDFs/Odlinmap.pdf

Link of the first year with a cornucopia of buses.

viewtopic.php?t=856&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=135

[hambone]

Soooo:
Who will be where, when?
I don't think I can swing a whole week.

[Bookwus]

Hiya Bob,

Soooo:
Who will be where, when?
I don't think I can swing a whole week.

Which of course promts the question.............How long can you swing?

[hambone]

:d

[Gypsie]

Friday Day is the best travel to the islands. Saturday will be a wait at the ferry whilst all the day trippers from the seattle area go tripping onto the islands. This is the height of the season for the islands. Leave Monday or later to go back to the mainland for the same reason. Sunday can be a long wait to get a ferry back. I think we will hop along to another island after Lopez.

[hambone]

Ok, so the IAC trip will be Fri Aug 6-9? On Lopez? Not sure everybody can swing an entire week like you fancy-asses.
Herdin cats I tells ya.
Looks to be Stephan and Jasan for now. Anybody else dreamin of this trip?

I remember you guys freakin out that it fills up 10 minutes after the registration date opens up, which looks like May. MUST NOT GET PANTIES IN A BUNCH (settle down hamboner you can hang out in civilization for a weekend)
I'd imagine we should all pool toghether to try to get adjacent spots? Otherwise we'll all be scattered about.

I've never done this before and have no idea what the jig is, how to get there, etc. A primer is necessary for the idiots.
Additional info would be extremely helpful.

Lopez Island
Web Camping Reservations System now open!

The park is open year 'round!
Our *NEW* Camper Activity Management Program (C.A.M.P.) online reservation system opened successfully on MARCH 16, 2010. Reservations can now be made up to 90 days in advance of arrival. To access online campsite reservations for all San Juan County Parks, click on the link on <--- the left side of this page in the blue navigation pane ("Web Campsite Reservations"). Please contact us if you have any questions: parks@sanjuanco.com.

Remember, reservations can only be made between 5 and 90 days in advance of your arrival!

$25 a nite and no showers? $10 "reservation fee?" Ugh I say. Why is the coast so expensive? I guess it's supply n' demand. Maybe people are just phycially attracted to seagulls.

Here is the link to Washington State Ferries, but I have no idea where to depart from etc.
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/schedule/

[Westy78]

Ok, so the IAC trip will be Fri Aug 6-9? On Lopez? Not sure everybody can swing an entire week like you fancy-asses.

Says the man with a fancy orange air cleaner.

Herdin cats I tells ya.
Looks to be Stephan and Jasan for now. Anybody else dreamin of this trip?

Wayne will be in the vicinity. Over on Orcas for the week.

I remember you guys freakin out that it fills up 10 minutes after the registration date opens up, which looks like May. MUST NOT GET PANTIES IN A BUNCH (settle down hamboner you can hang out in civilization for a weekend)
I'd imagine we should all pool toghether to try to get adjacent spots? Otherwise we'll all be scattered about.

It might be wise for whoever is going to get together with another person or all persons to figure out which site you're going after so you're not competing with one another. The sites will fill up fast. One person can reserve up to two sites. Gypsie and I are going for sites 13 and 11.

I've never done this before and have no idea what the jig is, how to get there, etc. A primer is necessary for the idiots.
Additional info would be extremely helpful.

Nicest route is to take I5 to Olympia and then get off onto hwy101 (inside route) that takes you along Hood Canal to Port Townsend. Then catch the ferry to Whidbey Island and then to the Anacortes ferry landing to catch a ferry to the San Juans. This adds time and an extra ferry ride (~$13 for two people) however and could set you way back due to crowds at the ferry line in Port Townsend. You can make reservations for the ferry in Port Towsend which will guarantee you a spot on the ferry you want to catch. Highly recommended. Last year it took us about four hours to get to Port Townsend and that was pretty leisurely. Other than that it's a straight shot up I5 to Anacortes. Not such a pleasant drive especially through Seattle.

$25 a nite and no showers? $10 "reservation fee?" Ugh I say. Why is the coast so expensive? I guess it's supply n' demand. Maybe people are just phycially attracted to seagulls.

Sounds like a lot but the setting really is worth it. If you can squeeze a Monday or Tuesday into the trip, even better. There is a shower house in Lopez Village (five minute drive) for a $2 donation to the city.

Here is the link to Washington State Ferries, but I have no idea where to depart from etc.
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/schedule/

Depart from Anacortes. If you plan on traveling to any of the other islands it's best to start at the island furthest west. All trips coming back east are no charge.

[Gypsie]

Sites 1 through 9 are beach front. Lovely spots. Exposed to the Sun Further on are in the trees but there is a drop off twixt the site and the beach. I recommend the open sites (1-9) with a sun shade.

If you really want to have the backwoods thing I wouldn't tell anyone if you went off into the woods to dig yerself a cathole ifn' you wanted but there is a pit toilet.

[hambone]

Thanks guys. Jasan, appreciate the writeup.
We may be able to squeak in a few more days.

[Gypsie]

Actually #6 and #8 are not on the beach side( Just noticed.) Still nice but the beach side is great for the kidlets. Bikes are good too.

It has been strangely quiet from any others that haed expressed interest before.


Did I tell you there will be beer?

[hambone]

Wayne will be "in the vicinity" but that doesn't count. Yeah what happened to everybody? Either way it'll still be fun. Just more tapioca for me.
I'll have to talk to you guys in person about plans so we can coordinate something.
2 adults and a car is $40 for the ferry BTW.

Looks like sites 13-11 are shaded AND beachside. Bastids! Are the other shaded spots really that far from the water? My delicate skin may wilt.
Why do you guys go to Lopez? From Google Maps it looks like Orcas is much bigger and a lot less developed with more forest too. I suppose once you park your bus it doesn't matter a lot.

Hey Olallie Lake is supposed to reopen this summer. That would make an excellent bus destination.

http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=UTF-8&ie ... 8&t=h&z=18

[Bookwus]

Hiya Guys,

I'm working on it! I think I can get there. Definitely want to do this trip. Not sure about the wife making it though. And that's what the "family discussions" have been about lately.

Complicating matters is that we have to attend a wedding in that area about two weeks later. I'm working on getting all this set up and smoothing out the social calendar.

[hambone]

You sure have a full social calendar for a retired guy!
More power to ya. Tonight I'm counting old fuses and silverfish in the basement.

[Bookwus]

Hiya Bob,

Geez! That's news to me.

I thought Wednesday nights were for rearranging shoes in the closet.

[Westy78]

2 adults and a car is $40 for the ferry BTW.

More like $50 for vehicle/driver under 20' and one passenger. That's from Anacortes to Lopez.
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/fares/Default.aspx

Looks like sites 13-11 are shaded AND beachside. Bastids! Are the other shaded spots really that far from the water? My delicate skin may wilt.

Site #9 might get a little shade too. More so than 1-7 which are out in the open on the beach. Site 14 is up in the trees with full shade right above us but not right on the beach. The sites further up are really not that great as far as views. We got site 19 a couple years ago thinking it would be right on the ledge which it was but the bus had to be parked out on the road basically and you had to walk 20ft or so to get into the actual campsite.

This shot is from the picnic table, fire pit was behind that. The campground road is directly behind the bus. Not really a cozy site.

Why do you guys go to Lopez? From Google Maps it looks like Orcas is much bigger and a lot less developed with more forest too. I suppose once you park your bus it doesn't matter a lot.

The setting. The campground is right on the sound and the views are excellent. Orcas is larger with more hiking and forest type activities but the camping is in a state park. You are also a long ways from the sound but very close to the lake. It's a trade off depending on what you want to do. Lopez is just a more laid back beach lounging type of atmosphere. That's why we usually split the weeks between two islands or more. Keep in mind that it's not hard to hop the islands for a day if you wanted to. Of course more ferry fees would apply.