Stuart Island

See

Do

Beachcombing

What Puget Sound beaches lack in white sand and warm water is more than made up for in the amazing scenery as the clear waters play against wild coastlines and snow peaked mountains scatter on the horizons. Stuart Island State Park offers thousands of feet of public beaches, from the rugged to the sandy smooth. Small crabs, moon snails, sea stars and sand dollars are common sites and tide pools can offer hours of exploration.

Be warned that sea shells and driftwood are considered part of the natural environment and should not be removed, however the often rocky and wild shores are havens for creating and revealing beach glass and anything artificial found is fair game for removal. Be respectful of private property and gentle with sea creatures. Keep a wide distance away from nesting birds, seals and other shore animals and always put back anything removed from the shoreline.

Shellfishing

The cool, clean waters provide some of the finest shellfish habitat in the world. Washington State is the nation’s leading producer of farmed bivalve shellfish (clams, geoduck, mussels and oysters). Maps of public shellfishing areas and health warnings and updates can be found online at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Permits are required and can be purchased online or in some sporting goods stores.

Buy

There are no stores or other public commercial establishments on the island. The closest thing to a store is a wooden box, stocked by a local family, with printed T-shirts and other souvenir items. Each souvenir comes with an envelope through which visitors return payment by mail, based on an honor system.

Eat

There are no stores or restaurants on the island. Bring your own food with you, or bring your clam shovel and crab traps and hope for the best!

Drink

Potable water is available in the campgrounds.

Sleep

Stuart Island Marine State Park has 18 primitive campsites. You may stay up to ten consecutive days in any one park from April 1 through Sept. 30; the stay limit is extended to 20 days between Oct. 1 and March 31.

• Campsites 1-14 are available to all boaters, on Prevost Harbor or on the ridge that separates Prevost and Reid harbors.
• Campsites 15-18 at the head of Reid Harbor are designated Cascadia Marine Trail sites and are for the exclusive use of those arriving by human- or wind-powered watercraft.

There is no garbage service on the island. Visitors must pack out what they pack in. Potable water is available May through September.

Composting toilets are near the dock at Reid Harbor and to the right of the Prevost Harbor dock. Pit toilets are available at the head of Reid Harbor.