Camano Island: Coast, Trails and History

Get to know Camano Island through its varied landscapes and activities: forested trails, stretches of coastline, cycling and traces of history. At Camano Island State Park, you’ll find forested trails and a rocky shoreline. Views include Puget Sound, the Olympic Mountains and Mount Rainier. If you’d like to combine forest trails with views of the surrounding area, the state park brings these features together.

Nature, Trails and History

Cama Beach Historical State Park also offers trails for hiking and cycling, covering up to 15 miles in total. The cabins of the former Cama Beach Resort are still visible along the shore. The resort operated from 1932 to 1953. This makes activity on the trails and a visible historical connection part of the park’s varied attractions.

Four Springs Preserve offers a different focus: it has a picnic area and trails that are free for public use during the day. If you plan to use the trails, schedule your visit for daytime. The picnic area offers a way to add a break to your time outdoors.

Iverson Spit Waterfront Preserve offers trails, access to an ocean beach and windsurfing. Elger Bay Preserve, by contrast, has forested trails and a beaver pond. This gives you two different combinations to plan for: trails, an ocean beach and windsurfing at Iverson Spit, and forest trails and a beaver pond at Elger Bay.

Birdwatching is another way to connect with nature. Iverson Preserve is listed on the Great Washington State Birding Trail Map as one of 68 birding hotspots designated by Washington Audubon. If you’re interested in birdwatching, you can use this designation as a guide when planning your trip.

You’ll also find traces of history at the north end of Camano Island: at English Boom, weathered pilings recall a log storage site that operated in the 1920s and 1930s. This is a different historical focus from the former resort cabins at Cama Beach: here, the pilings recall log storage, while there, the shoreline cabins remain visible.

Plan Your Cycling and Arrival

If you’d like to explore Camano Island by bike, consider the Camano Island Bicycle Touring Route as a trip-planning option. Completed in 2021, the route runs in an approximate figure-eight around the entire island. It follows existing roads and is signposted, with mostly paved shoulders and regular trail markers. Signage for the Camano Route was completed in winter 2022. Check route conditions before setting out. Unlike the trails in the individual preserves, this tour covers the entire island.

You can reach Camano Island from Stanwood via a bridge; no ferry ride is required. This information can help you plan your arrival by road. The bridge describes the route from Stanwood, while the Bicycle Touring Route offers a way to cycle around the island.

You can use the topics that interest you most during your trip to guide your search for hotels on Camano Island.

Discover more destinations: Greenbank, Langley, Bells Beach, Oak Harbor, Coupeville

Return to the broader travel overview: Island County.