This site focuses on recreational touring locations.
Scroll down to see information on various kayak and canoe trips... or check out the links on the right for additional information.
Here are the best kayaking or canoeing trips in the Seattle, Washington area. These are recreational trips in scenic locations with an easy-to-moderate degree of difficulty. You�ll take home great paddling memories!
#1 WASHINGTON PARK ARBORETUM (5 minutes north of Seattle): Beautiful, calm water paddle. See lilipads, beaver houses and on-water views of the University of Washington�s Husky Stadium. There is heavy powerboat traffic in this area. Large wakes are created by the strange 7mph speed limit (boat aren�t fully on-plane or fully in the water, creating unusually large wakes for their speed).
#2 ELLIOT BAY (Seattle Waterfront): See the Seattle skyline, cargo ships, cruise ships and famous Seattle ferries. Wind and chop can be a factor, so go when conditions are calm. As tempting as it is to see the ice breakers, stay away from the Coast Guard station. They are exceedingly hostile to paddlers. Stay well clear of the wash coming from the rear of docked ferries�it can be surprisingly strong. Launch from the Jack Perry Memorial Shoreline Public Access.
#3 LAKE UNION HOUSEBOATS & FLOAT PLANES (5 minutes north of downtown Seattle): See the famous �Sleepless In Seattle� house, floatplanes and Gasworks Park. Launch from here.
#4 BALLARD LOCKS AND SEATTLE FISHING FLEETING (15 minutes north and west of Seattle): See Seattle�s fishing fleet located at Fishermen�s Terminal. You may even run into some of the crab boats made famous on The Discovery Channel�s Deadliest Catch. If the small locks are open you can paddle down them and back up. Launch from here.
#6 CHUCKANUT BAY (Bellingham, 3 hours from Seattle): Beautiful coastline and views of the San Juan Islands. Don�t miss the vistas along Chuckanut Drive as you travel to the launch site. Beware of strong currents/wind. Launch from here.
#7 BOWMAN BAY AT DECEPTION PASS (south of Anacortes, 2 hours from Seattle): Experience the incredible rugged beauty of the Pacific Northwest coastline. Similar to Chuckanut, it�s a lot like paddling in the San Juan Islands without having to take a ferry. Head north to see the cliffs and �caves�. Head south to see the Deception Pass Bridge. Currents and eddies are around the bridge formidable, so avoid getting close to the bridge unless it�s slack tide. Strong currents (even just in the Sound) and wind are a major factor, so go when it�s calm. Launch from here.
#8 SNOHOMISH RIVER ESTUARIES (Everett, 30 minutes north of Seattle): Union, Steamboat and Ebey Sloughs are found where the Snohomish River meets Puget Sound in Everett. The tidal floodplain is home to migratory birds, forest and farmland, plus some interesting abandoned boats. I recommend that you paddle this area only during slack tide (see Everett tide charts). The combination of river flow and tidal current can be obnoxious. I have experienced currents that simply can not be paddled. If that happens to you, beach your boat and wait a couple of hours for the tide to go slack. Launch from Langus Park.
#9 KAYAK POINT (Stanwood, 90 minutes north of Seattle): Wonderful Puget Sound location. It is especially nice near sunset. During new moon phases, nighttime paddlers report seeing �bioluminance� in the water (light emitted by sea creatures). Launch from Kayak Point Park.
#10 MUKILTEO LIGHTHOUSE PARK (35 minutes north of Seattle): Puget Sound paddle with views of the Mukilteo Lighthouse and the Mukilteo-Clinton ferry. To the north are the Boeing docks and secluded cliffs. To the south at low tide are tide pools and kelp beds (where fish like to hide). Bald eagles and whales are sometimes seen here. Watch for ferry boat wash, strong currents near the launch site (it�s on a point) and wind/chop (go when it�s calm). If you need to use the boat launch ramp, be aware that Mukilteo arrogantly charges the highest launch fees around. Launch from Mukilto Lighthouse Park.
OTHER PLACES OF INTEREST:
Nature preserve on eastern Lake Washingon. Abundant wildlife and outstanding natural setting. See blue herons and other birds. The current is slow in the slough. The paddling is easy, even for novices. Tempertures can be hot during the summer. The freshwater appears clean but cloudy brown. There is a lot of plant life in the water. Picking blackberries is popular in August (the blackberry farm is just north of the boat ramp on Bellevue Way.)
LAUNCHING: Canoes and kayaks are easy to launch (free of charge) at the Mercer Slough Nature Park Boat Launch located at 3024 Bellevue Way SE or from Enatai Beach Park in Bellevure (it is more difficult to launch and park at Enatai Beach Park.) Kayak and canoe rentals are offered at Enatai Beach Park. To get to the Mercer Slough Boat Launch, take I-90 to the Bellevue Way exit. This exit is very close to where I-90 and I-405 meet. The right hand turn for the boat launch is the very first cross street once you clear the freeway exit ramp (it comes up fast!) There is a medium size dirt parking lot and unimproved boat launch at the site. A porta-potty is available.
TOURING: From the launch basin, turn left (north) to tour the slough. Leave about 90-120 minutes to paddle the entire loop through Mercer Slough. The main channel runs north through a nature area, then into a wooded office park. The main channel ends at a large drainage pipe. Turn around at the large pipe. Look for the first right (west) offshoot of the main channel. You will see a low automobile bridge. Go under the low bridge to complete the loop back around the office park to the main slough channel.
If you continue south past the boat launch, you will quickly pass under the I-405 bridge. This puts you out on Lake Washington. Turn right (west) as you emerge from under the I-405 bridge. This will take you towards Enatai Beach Park and the main boat channel through Lake Washington.
COMMENTS: Easy, fun paddle. The slough is popular with tourist who rent kayaks at Enatai, so it can be a little crowded on nice days. Paddling both Lake Washington and the Mercer Slough are easy to do in one trip. The diversity of environment and water conditions make it an interesting trip. Finding the boat lauch can be a little confusing for first time visitors.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The Bellevue Parks Department has a program for a park ranger lead tour of the Mercer Slough every Saturday, May through September, from 9 to noon. Renting canoes from Cascade Canoe and Kayak, they talk about the history of the area and wildlife we see as they paddle the slough. Rangers regularly look for volunteers to help with the tours.
The Mercer Slough Blueberry Farm sells organic U-pick blueberries, when they're in season and other, local produce. Their phone number and address are: 425-467-0501, 2380 Bellevue Way SE, Bellevue, WA
Mercer Slough Pictures & Information
Wildlife At Mercer Slough Nature Park
Driving directions to Mercer Slough Park
Driving directions to Enatia Beach Park
Bellevue Area Launch Sites
CanoeRentals at Enatia Park, Lake Washington
Hiking & Biking Enatia Park
Official Park Information, Lifeguard Schedule
Interesting things to do in Bellevue
2 mile long man-made island in Puget Sound (Possession Sound) near Everett. Jetty Island features sandy beaches (on the west side) and warm water. In the summer, cold water from Puget Sound is solar heated at high tide because of the shallow sandbar around the island's shore. Jetty Island beaches are treasured by families looking for a fun beach experience without having to travel far. Jetty Island is a favorite of bird watchers. Birds are attracted to Jetty Island's grassy dunes and "ocean beach like" natural habitat.
TOURING JETTY ISLAND: Plan to kayak or canoe at slack high tide. Click here to check the current Jetty Island area tide table. Tidal currents can be a real factor near the island. Water is squeezed as it heads up the Snohomish River. The difference between high and low tide can sometimes be 15 feet...and that's a lot of water to move through a narrow passage in a short amount of time. Put in at the 10th Street Boat Launch and Marine Park. There is a fee if you come with a trailer. Paddle boats carried on top of vehicles can park for free in the park's single car parking lot.
After putting in, paddle west across the Snohomish River channel...it's a short trip to Jetty Island. Stop at the Jetty Island dock (immediately across from the 10th Street Boat Launch) to take a short walk across the island to the beach. Or paddle north up the Snohomish River to see the grassy natural preserve.
COMMENTS: A lot of great things have been said about Jetty Island. So much so that I had high expectations on my first visit. Because my expectation were high, I was somewhat disappointed by the area. The island's infrastructure is seriously underdeveloped for a major public attraction. I found the island scenery to be somewhat limited (though views of the mountains, the city and the sound made up for it.) The "unusual" sandy beaches were small and littered with driftwood (really not so unusual.) In short, this was a good paddle...but for me it didn't live up to the hype. Have reasonable expectations before making your first visit.
FERRY TO JETTY ISLAND: A free ferry boat runs in July and August from Everett's 10th Street Boat Launch and Marine Park.
Jetty Island General Information
Pictures Of Jetty Island
Live Everett Web Cam
Driving Directions To 10th Street Boat Launch
Nearby Port Of Everett Marina
Deception Pass makes for a great day of adventure. Start by driving over the Deception Pass Bridges...then park (parking is provided at both ends) and walk across the briges. The best time to visit is when the current is flowing fast (these are the strongest currents in Washington state). Note the crazy eddy lines, backflow and hydraulics. Click here to check currents in Deception Pass.
From the bridges, drive north to the main Deception Pass State Park entrance at Pass Lake. Follow the signs to Bowman Bay. Bowman Bay is peaceful cove just north of the Pass' turbulent waters.
TOURING BOWMAN BAY: Put in at the Bowman Bay boat launch. The park charges a day use fee to park. If you don't have equipment, sea kayak tours are available from Anacortes Kayak Tours. The water in Bowman Bay is protected and generally calm (though winds off the Sound can create significant chop). As you paddle, you are surrounded by rocky coastline and forested hills. If you stay near shore, watch for large rocks that can hide just below the waterline.
As you head west out of Bowman Bay, turning left (south) will put you in the dangerous waters of Deception Pass. Do not attempt to paddle Deception Pass, it is simply too dangerous. Instead, turn right (north) out of Bowman Bay. This will put you in the Sound. Skirt the coastline to the north and you will find rocky beaches. If you are lucky, you may be able to find a couple of shoreline caves not too far north of Bowman Bay.
PASS LAKE AT DECEPTION PASS: If you are looking for a calm mountain lake paddle, check out Pass Lake at the main entrance to Deception Pass State Park. It is freshwater. The launch site is immediately off the dirt parking lot you see at the park entrance. This area has nice variety!
BURROWS ISLAND IN ANACORTES: This "San Juan Island" is an easy paddle from Skyline Marina on the west side of Anacortes. You do not have to take a ferry to get there. Put in at the beach located off the dirt parking lot (across the street from Skyline Marina). There is a day parking fee.
Burrows Island is right across from surburan Anacortes, but it feels like you are in the middle of nowhere. The shoreline rocks and steep forested cliffs are beautiful. There is a lot of sea life visible, especially at low tide. Watch for currents around the island (it is best to go at slack tide.) Click here for additional information on sea kayaking Burrows Island. Click here for an article about the sea life you will see in the Burrows Island area.
COMMENTS: The Anacortes area is another great place to "see the San Juan Islands area without dealing with ferries." Deception Pass State Park facilies at Bowman Bay include restrooms, a boat launch, fire circles, picnic tables, charcoal BBQs, a beach, a pier and shade trees. For groups, it's nice to set up "base camp" at the park and make several paddle trips throughout the day. Though it is tempting, avoid paddling Decpetion Pass itself. When wind is blowing directly off the Sound, it can get choppy. Chop is amplified by the submerged rocks at the mouth of Bowman Bay. This paddle did not disappoint.
Today's Anacortes Tides
Today's Bowman Bay, Fidalgo Island Tides
Deception Pass Kayak Tours & Rentals
Current Predictor For Deception Pass
Article: Seak Kayaking Anacordes
Anacortes Sea Kayak Tours (Burrows Island)
Anacortes, WA Paddling Links