Moran State Park - Mountain Lake

Let's face it, the only reason to camp here is because it is the only campground on the island and the hotels are for the rich and famous.

Now that's fine unless you get that one rotten apple that drops into town at midnight and circles the campground 16 times looking for a spot because there aren't any and he has no reservation. So he pulls into a little pullout and slams his car door 30 times in order to throw down a bag.

No Campground Host to be found. No other campers want to mess with the guy and I understand.

Next night after no sleep.

Same guy . Pulls in at 10 which is ok. Builds a huge smokey fire and finally goes to bed. But at 3 in the morning he starts his loud car to warm up. For 20 minutes!

4:30 am same thing.

Another sleepless night and I am pissed.

No host to shut him down. Other campers say nothing.

They should call it moron park instead. Never again. Found another fabulous campground and I ain't saying where.

While Orcas Island is beautiful and there is a lot to explore and do, we were disappointed in our campsite at Mountain Lake. We reserved our spot 6 months ahead of time ( It took us weeks of early mornings in October to get a spot) because we thought Mountain Lake was more remote. Well remote doesn’t mean private. While there are only 12 spots, everybody is on top of each other and you can hear and see everything everybody is doing. It had moments of chill vibes but then the boy scouts came. 25 loud teenagers and adults really ruined the vibe. So what I’m trying say, is that this isn’t the spot for a serene get away.

This is a large campground on Orcas Island. It sits on Lake Moran which is a fun lake to kayak and cliff jump. If you follow the road up to Mt. Constitution, there is a lookout tower that resembles a castle. From here you get one of the most spectacular views of the San Juan Islands.

This is our favorite campsite that we have ever been to. A small, 10 site loop at the end of a single lane dirt road. Situated on a small peninsula on gorgeous mountain lake. Great fishing and kayaking. Hiking trail right outside you your campsite. Put toilet only, no room for RV’s or campers.

Located on Orcas Island, you need to take the ferry from the mainland. The interior of the island is beautiful & blacktail deer abound. Hike Mt. Constitution, the highest point in the San Juan Islands. We got to see an otter at Cascade Lake.

The water is lovely and the forest is beautiful! You can chill at the lake and rent a boat or enjoy a hike up Mt. Constitution. It's a very scenic and usually pretty quiet.

I think this is a bit of a tough one to love, but I did. We were soaked the entire time - granted we were fully expecting that going in February - for Valentine's Day no less. We brought all the rain gear.

We were lucky enough to take an afternoon ferry and snag the LAST camp spot available here on a Sunday. There are great hikes all around, we walked around the lake and plopped our canoe in right from the site to go explore around. To warm up in the evening we ended up at the Doe Bay hot springs with a look over the ocean that can't be beat! All around satisfied for a completely soaked Valentine's Weekend, just as is to be expected in Washington in February.

We spent two nights here in late July and had an awesome stay! The way the campsites are tiered allows for a sense of seclusion even with neighbors on all sides. 

Cell service is minimal at best in the campground and if reception is a must, you may need to drive into the nearby town. Bathrooms were clean and have coin-operated showers. Campground is within short walking distance of Cascade Lake, where boat rentals and a snack shop are nearby. We also enjoyed our hike to Mt. Constitution via the Cascade Lake Trailhead. Overall, five stars from us!

Moran state park is truly a jem on Orcas Island. While the park does not have direct access to the ocean it is on a lake. Miles of hiking trails that lead to the highest point in the San Juans, Mt Constitution. One of the most incredible views I have ever seen in the PNW. Grab a meal at the near by Doe Bay resort, you wont be disapointed!

Camping along a little lake on an island in the bay, beautiful views, swimming, boat rentals, hiking, scenic driving, lookout tower. There are a few campgrounds throughout the park and most of the campsites seem to be right along the water and shady.

Moran State Park was great. We were in site 22, right on the water (but also right next to the access road.) There is a lovely 3 mile hike around the lake with a fun bridge to jump off of to swim. There is fishing and a sandy beach area also. The only draw back was that the WA state parks had a campfire ban that included this park, even though it rained 2 of the 3 days we were there... It would have been so much nicer if we could have had a fire to dry out and warm up.

My husband and I went her on our first trip together and it was lovely. Pretty views and a good variety of hiking actives and landscapes nearby. A few downsides were how close together some of the campsites were and that it is a popular area.