Stuart Island Marine State Park

In 1841, American explorer and naval officer Charles Wilkes assigned the island's present name during the United States Exploring Expedition. The name honored Frederick D. Stuart, who served as the captain's clerk on the expedition. Euro-American settlement of Stuart Island began shortly after it became part of the United States in 1872. For decades prior, Stuart and the rest of the San Juan Islands had been the subject of a border dispute between the U.S. and Britain, which ultimately led a military confrontation known as the Pig War. The Treaty of Washington established Haro Strait as the boundary between the U.S. and British held territory in present-day Canada. Bernard Mordhorst, a German immigrant to the U.S., was the first to apply for a land claim on the island in 1876. He settled near Reid Harbor and made a living fishing for herring. Over time, a handful of additional settlers established claims on the island, with farming and fishing being the primary industries. The Turn Point Lighthouse was constructed at the west end of the island in 1893. Stuart Island Marine State Park was established in 1952 when descendants of Mordhorst sold 80 acres of their family's land to the State of Washington for use as a park. The park has since grown to include a separate site at the west end of the island as well as land on neighboring John Island.

Stuart Island Marine State Park is near the Canada border, and one of the northernmost islands in the archipelago. You can only reach it by boat. The state park property is a section of land between two harbors. There are campsites on both sides (Reid and Prevost harbors) and on the spine of the island. The 14 camps are first come, first served. 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 powered watercraft. Large organized guided adult and youth groups use the island constantly during the summer. Hiking trails go in both directions but the trek to the Turn Point Light Station is the highlight of any visit. Potable water is available May through September, composting toilets year round but there is no garbage service ever. There are 20 buoys, 448 feet of dock and many places to anchor a boat. For Prevost harbor, kayaks can enter the harbor from either direction, but boaters will want to stay away from the east end entrance.