Decatur Island, Washington travel guide: things to do, food & where to stay

Overview

Decatur Island is in the San Juan Islands of Washington State, just east of Lopez Island across Lopez Sound and just south of Blakely Island across Thatcher Pass.

1 sights · 1 things to do

Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage

Best things about Decatur Island

James Island Marine State Park

The Decatur Nine

A nine hole rustic golf course. The golf course is private but welcomes all players, furnishing clubs and balls for your use. A donation is suggested to help defray operating costs.

Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: Jun–Sep. Summer highs reach about 70°F; winter lows dip to about 33°F. Wettest: Dec and Nov. (climate data from nearby Port Angeles)

Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).

Getting there

From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
FRD Friday Harbor Airport, Friday Harbor — 10 mi away. Directions
ESD Orcas Island Airport, Eastsound — 14 mi away. Directions
SEA Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, Seattle — 77 mi away (major hub). Directions

There is no ferry service to Decatur; access is by private boat or plane.

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Budget & where to stay

No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.

Sample 1-day itinerary

Day 1

Morning James Island Marine State Park
Afternoon The Decatur Nine

Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.

Map

Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.

Understand

Named by the Wilkes Expedition in 1841 for naval officer Stephen Decatur, it is in area.

There are no public facilities other than one public boat ramp on the north side of the island.

Get in

There is no ferry service to Decatur; access is by private boat or plane.

By boat

Go County Boat Ramp

The only publicly-accessible boat landing facility on the island.

📍 Davis Beach RdChecked Jun 2025

Maps

You can also land on the beach at Kimball Preserve, at the southern tip.

By water taxi

Paraclete Charter Service and Island Express Charters provide passenger-only ferry service to Decatur from Anacortes. If you use the Decatur parking lot, you need to have a guest parking pass or a piece of paper with your host's name.

By plane

Decatur Shores Airport is private, for residents of the Decatur Shores community only. All other persons wishing to use the airport must obtain prior permission from the community.

San Juan Airlines provides air service from Bellingham.

Get around

Most of the island is open to cars, though it might be difficult to get yours up there. If you need it, you can ask the community center to use the truck or one of the golf carts.

Cars are not allowed in Decatur Northwest, except for golf carts and one or two trucks the owners have given an okay to.

See

Decatur Island has astonishing natural beauty, and even just hiking or walking around can provide entertainment for hours.

See James Island Marine State Park

A 113-acre marine camping and moorage park with 12,335 feet of saltwater shoreline on Rosario Strait. The park features a beautiful western view of the San Juan islands from a high bluff along the loop trail. The Wilkes Expedition named the island in 1841 to honor the earlier heroism of an American sailor, Reuben James. The federal government acquired the island and transferred it to the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission in 1964.

just to the east of the island☎ +1 360 376-2073

Maps Website

Do

Do The Decatur Nine

A nine hole rustic golf course. The golf course is private but welcomes all players, furnishing clubs and balls for your use. A donation is suggested to help defray operating costs.

Checked Jun 2025

Maps Website

There are tennis and basketball courts located in Decatur Northwest (near the community gardens on Thatcher Pass), which are open to use, but are used by tennis camps in late July and early August.
There's a Pirate Ship Playground you can climb on, on Decatur Head Rd, past the schoolhouse.

Events

The Bill Baker Lecture Series is held twice annually (July 4th and Labor Day weekend) and provides lectures on a variety of topics.

Buy

Shop Decatur Island Farmers Market

A summer farmer's market on the school grounds.

🕒 Saturdays, Memorial Day to Labor Day

Maps Website

Sleep

There are no hotels on the island. There may be private vacation rentals available. Otherwise, you might want to come up with someone who lives there.

Nearby Lopez Island has a lot of inns and cottages you can rent.

Campgrounds

James Island has 13 campsites at three locations on the island:

The Water Trail Site is on a hill above a pocket cove of the West Cove and has three campsites (sites 11-13) and a pit toilet. These campsites are part of the Cascadia Marine Trail and are strictly reserved for use by boats arriving by human- or wind-powered watercraft.
The Saddle Area spans from the West Cove shoreline across the island to the East Cove. There are six campsites (sites 5-10), a picnic shelter and two picnic sites, composting toilet facilities, pay station and moorage dock. A trail leads to the East Cove where there are four offshore mooring buoys. The loop trail system starts and ends here. The bottom structure at the West Cove is rocky and steeply sloped. It is not a good anchorage site.
The East Cove campground is a short walk from the Saddle area and has four campsites (sites 1-4), one pit toilet, bulletin board and pay station. From here, the loop trail leads southwest to the Water Trail campsites on the southwest side of the West Cove. Boaters moored in the East Cove are exposed to wakes from boat traffic in Rosario Strait.

There is no potable water on the island and no garbage service. Visitors need to pack-out what they pack-in. Boats may not use dinghies to reserve moorage space on the dock or buoys. Campers and boaters must self register and pay fees at the bulletin board/pay station.