Open Window School – Day 3

Open Window School students have made it to Jones Island! And the Ship’s Log has been updated below!

While we don’t have the Ship’s Log yet for tonight, we expect that they’ll be in better range tomorrow. In the interim, check out info and photos of Jones Island Marine State Park. Not a bad place to spend an evening….especially with this description:

When you dock at Jones Island, your welcoming committee wagon may include otters and deer.

Among the most enchanting of the San Juan Islands, Jones Island Marine State Park is the place to let your heart and feet wander. Your wheels can wander too, as the paved trail through the park’s interior meets ADA standards.

Stroll down that trail, through a forest of moss-covered nurse logs and trees, to a lawn with a small apple and pear orchard. Rest there, grill up a picnic in the shelter and take a short stroll to an untamed beach. Deer may approach in search of a fruit handout. Please don’t be swayed by their big brown eyes. Feeding wildlife does not benefit them and is discouraged. 

Enjoy a hike on the island’s perimeter. Check out cliff-side campsites (first come, first served) and picnic tables with million-dollar views of Spieden Island. Pitch a tent and settle in, or keep exploring. Look for elusive cacti, or check out a book from the informal “Jones Island Public Library,” that’s located in one of the restrooms.

Whether you stay for one day or three, you’ll be enthralled by the park’s diversity. You will leave Jones Island with the recognition that you just had a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and you’ll long to return.