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Washington

Two-Island Trek: Great Coastal Hikes in the San Juan Islands

Program No. 16296RJ
Enjoy coastal and forest hikes and explore unique ecosystems while learning about conservation efforts and wildlife preservation efforts on two of the San Juan Islands.

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Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone? 800-454-5768
Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
May 5 - May 11, 2024
Starting at
2,149
Filling Fast!
May 18 - May 24, 2024
Starting at
2,149
Jun 9 - Jun 15, 2024
Starting at
2,499
Jul 13 - Jul 19, 2024
Starting at
2,499
Aug 3 - Aug 9, 2024
Starting at
2,499
Sep 7 - Sep 13, 2024
Starting at
2,349
Sep 21 - Sep 27, 2024
Starting at
2,349
Sep 29 - Oct 5, 2024
Starting at
2,149
Oct 5 - Oct 11, 2024
Starting at
2,149
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
May 5 - May 11, 2024
Starting at
2,589
Filling Fast!
May 18 - May 24, 2024
Starting at
2,589
Filling Fast!
Jun 9 - Jun 15, 2024
Starting at
3,249
Jul 13 - Jul 19, 2024
Starting at
3,249
Aug 3 - Aug 9, 2024
Starting at
3,249
Sep 7 - Sep 13, 2024
Starting at
2,949
Sep 21 - Sep 27, 2024
Starting at
2,949
Sep 29 - Oct 5, 2024
Starting at
2,589
Oct 5 - Oct 11, 2024
Starting at
2,589

At a Glance

Revel in the seascapes of untold beauty with expert naturalists, marine educators and environmentalists who lead you into their backyard world of the San Juan Islands and Salish Sea. Consider the environmental issues of the prairie bluff, beach, mountain and old-growth forest ecosystems. Journey by ferry to Orcas Island to witness the profusion of life and the fragility of beauty along Washington’s fabled diamonds of the emerald seas.
Activity Level
Outdoor: Spirited
Walking 2-6 miles daily on varied terrain and boarding vans.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Enjoy coastal and wooded hikes on San Juan Island with views of the beach and mountains.
  • Hike the old-growth forest on Orcas Island and around mountain lakes of Moran State Park and Mount Constitution.
  • Search for Orcas and other marine mammals of the Salish Sea from the vantage point of the Limekiln Lighthouse.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
Cindy Hansen
Cindy received her Bachelor's degree in zoology with a focus on marine mammals from the University of Washington. She was the onboard naturalist for Mosquito Fleet Whale Watching for eight years, worked as the education curator for The Whale Museum from 2007 to 2016, and is currently the education and events coordinator for Orca Network. Since 2001, she has spent the winters migrating with the gray whales to San Ignacio Lagoon in Baja, Mexico and working as a naturalist and group leader for Baja Discovery.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Cindy Hansen
Cindy Hansen View biography
Cindy received her Bachelor's degree in zoology with a focus on marine mammals from the University of Washington. She was the onboard naturalist for Mosquito Fleet Whale Watching for eight years, worked as the education curator for The Whale Museum from 2007 to 2016, and is currently the education and events coordinator for Orca Network. Since 2001, she has spent the winters migrating with the gray whales to San Ignacio Lagoon in Baja, Mexico and working as a naturalist and group leader for Baja Discovery.
Profile Image of Shona Aitken
Shona Aitken View biography
Shona Aitken has a degree in ecology and a background in environmental education in her home country of Scotland, and from two years spent in Sweden. She is currently the education coordinator for Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center on San Juan Island. She teaches people about local wildlife and increases awareness of the impact of human activities on wild creatures.
Profile Image of Bill Engle
Bill Engle View biography
Bill Engle is a retired postmaster of Shaw Island. He grew with a mountain-climbing father and a gardening, birding, environmental activist mother, and has always had a passion for the outdoors. He has lived in the San Juan Islands for more than 30 years and is the founding president of the San Juan Islands Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society. Before becoming postmaster, his role as a part-time flex clerk placed him in every post office in San Juan County.
Profile Image of Kathleen Foley Lewis
Kathleen Foley Lewis View biography
Kathleen Foley is the Stewardship Manager of the San Juan Preservation Trust and has been a staff member since 2005. In this role, she oversees the management of 30+ different nature preserves, conducts annual monitoring visits, and coordinates restoration activities and youth education. She is a Washington native with a long history of exploring the San Juan Islands and enjoys a wide variety of outdoor pursuits. Kathleen lives with her son, Evan, and partner, Bill, near the lovely False Bay on San Juan Island.
Profile Image of Teddy Deane
Teddy Deane View biography
Teddy Deane is a career musician, songwriter and entertainer. Known for his versatility, he has toured with bands throughout the USA and Europe in addition to directing and composing musicals, an opera and several children’s shows. He has performed on and released full-length commercial recordings and over 150 of his compositions or advertising jingles have been professionally produced. In 2000, Teddy and his wife moved from Portland, OR to San Juan Island, where Teddy continues to write and perform his own brand of entertainment.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Wild Plants of the San Juan Islands (second edition)
by Scott Atkinson & Fred Sharpe
This wonderful field guide illustrates and describes more than 190 species of wildflowers, shrubs, trees and weeds that occur commonly throughout the San Juan Islands as well as the Gulf Islands of near Vancouver Island, Canada. The text also includes information on how the climate, topography and geology of the Islands affect plant life.
Birding in the San Juan Islands
by Mark G. Lewis and Fred A. Sharpe
Handy guide for visitor's and residents alike to learn more about Island birds, seasonality, local "hot spots", and how the insular ecosystems affects bird behavior.
Hiking the San Juan Islands
by Ken Wilcox
The famed San Juan Islands of Northwest Washington State offer some of the most charming, scenic and naturally diverse landscapes and seascapes anywhere in the Pacific Northwest. A host of parks, trails, beaches, and protected wildlands are available to enjoy for hiking. This guide includes listings and maps for the surround archipelago, including Whidbey, Camano, Fidalgo, Cypress, and land-based counties near the San Juan Islands.
Plants Of The Pacific Northwest Coast: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia & Alaska
by Jim Pojar
This easy-to-use field guide features 794 species of plants commonly found along the Pacific coast from Oregon to Alaska, including trees, shrubs, wildflowers, aquatic plants, grasses, ferns, mosses and lichens. PLANTS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST COAST covers the coastal region from shoreline to alpine, including the western Cascades. Includes wonder photos, range maps, and more! Rich and engaging notes on each species describe aboriginal and other local uses of plants for food, medicine and implements, along with unique characteristics of the plants and the origins of their names. For both amateurs and professionals, this is the best, most accessible, most up-to-date guide of its kind.
San Juan Islands Wildlife: A Handbook for Exploring Nature
by Evelyn Adams
Natural beauty and a rich diversity of wildlife draw thousands of visitors annually to Washington's San Juan Islands. Until now, there has never been a book that provides an overview of natural life in this beautiful archipelago. San Juan Islands Wildlife is an informative and affectionate look at the habits and habitats of the flora and fauna found within the unique environment of the region.
Trees and Shrubs for Pacific Northwest Gardens
by John A. Grant, Carol L. Grant
Northwest gardeners have relied on the solid information found in various editions of this book for more than 50 years. This greatly enlarged 1990 edition reflects the vast increase in suitable plants for the region now available from area nurseries
A Field Guide to Coastal Flowers of the Pacific Northwest
by Phillipa Hudson
With gorgeous full-colour photos arranged in an easy-to-use colour coded chart for quick identification, the pocket-sized format is perfect for taking along on walks and hikes through both the Pacific Northwest countryside as well as the urban wilds of West Coast cities. Supplying English and Latin names, the distribution range of each species and average plant height and flower size, Phillipa Hudson shares her knowledge of coast flora gained through over 30 years as an active amateur botanist.
North Puget Sound: Afoot and Afloat
by Marge & Ted Mueller
An insiders guide to the North Puget Sound region of Washington State.
Friday Harbor
by Mike Vouri, San Juan Historical Society, Julia Vouri
A book that reviews the rich history and residents of Friday Harbor throughout the past 100 years.





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If you enroll after a lecture is complete, we’ll send you a recording of the event.