Four days, three nights

San Juans by gravel bike

Orcas and San Juan Island. About 95 miles, a third of it dirt, the rest quiet pavement. Mid-September to mid-May only.

  • OutAnacortes → Orcas7:30 or 10:05 AM in fall, about 75 min
  • BetweenOrcas → Friday HarborInterisland boat, free, a few a day
  • HomeFriday Harbor → AnacortesDirect, 70 min. 12:20 or 3:35 PM in fall

Bikes walk on, no reservation. Pay once at Anacortes, about $20 a person. Interisland and the ride home are free. Terminal parking is $8 a day off-season. Check sailings for your dates, not every boat stops at every island.

Pick the dates

  • Between Sept 15 and May 15. Moran's singletrack is closed to bikes in summer. Late Sept to late Oct, or April to mid-May, has the daylight.
  • Day 1 on an even calendar date. Turtleback allows bikes on even days only.
  • Day 3 not a Sunday. Mount Grant opens its road to cars on Sundays.

PavementDirtFerry

Day 1, OrcasTurtleback

27 mi · 9 dirt · 3,000 ft

  1. 1Orcas landingLet the cars clear, then turn right off the ramp onto White Beach Rd. Orcas Rd straight out is the busy one.
  2. 2Dolphin Bay RdgravelTwo miles of washboard county road, the least-driven road on the island. Then Crow Valley Rd north.
  3. 3Turtleback north trailhead7 mi dirtNorth Trail up the old logging road, Center Loop, Raven Ridge. About 1,200 ft. Even dates only, north trailhead only.
  4. 4EastsoundLast groceries for two days. Brown Bear Baking. Wildlife Cycles has free Moran trail maps.
  5. 5Moran State ParkOlga Rd, over Flaugherties Hill, 5 mi. No quiet alternative.

Camp: Moran, Midway or Mountain Lake. Hiker-biker sites close Oct 7 for winter, so take a standard site. First come after Nov 1. Winter water is at the park office only. 360-376-2326.

Day 2, OrcasMoran

18 mi · 11 dirt · 2,800 ft

  1. 1Mt Constitution RdPaved climb, 4.8 mi and 1,800 ft, pitches to 15%. The dirt way up (Cold Springs) is a hike-a-bike, skip it.
  2. 2Summit, 2,409 ftThe whole archipelago. Tower closed for restoration until Nov 9, 2026.
  3. 3Little Summit Trail2 miBenched singletrack with a little exposure. Fine on a gravel bike if you ride it like a gravel bike.
  4. 4North Boundary Trail2.6 miThe descent people come for. Then Twin Lakes to Mountain Lake.
  5. 5Mountain Lake loop3.5 miEasy lakeside dirt. Ask at the park about bikes and the washed-out bridge before you commit. Cascade Creek Trail back down to camp.

Camp: Moran again. Short day on purpose. Add the Mt Pickett fire road (3 mi easy doubletrack) if you want more.

Day 3, Orcas to San JuanMount Grant

30 mi · 3 dirt · 2,200 ft

  1. 1Moran to the Orcas boat14 mi on Olga Rd and Orcas Rd. Go early before the ferry traffic builds. Interisland to Friday Harbor is free, about an hour.
  2. 2Friday HarborGroceries for tonight and tomorrow. Then Guard St to Beaverton Valley Rd, the direct road west.
  3. 3Mount Grant3 miRoad to the 740 ft summit, trails down. Bikes on designated routes only. Cars are allowed Sundays, so not a Sunday.
  4. 4San Juan County ParkMitchell Bay Rd to West Side Rd. Sunset over Haro Strait from camp.

Camp: San Juan County Park. Hiker-biker sites, first come in the off-season, water may be off. 360-378-8420.

Day 4, San JuanMitchell Hill, then home

22 mi · 8 to 16 dirt · 2,000 ft

  1. 1Mitchell Hill5 miHorse Trail Rd lot, 4 mi from camp. Inner Loop Road first (easy), then the South and North trails. Junctions are confusing, carry the NPS map.
  2. 2Cady Mountain2 miNew Land Bank singletrack, moderate. Access from the West Valley Rd side.
  3. 3Briggs Lake Rd5 mi gravel, optionalGravel through the Roche Harbor Highlands. Private land open by permission. If a sign says no, take West Valley Rd instead.
  4. 4Friday Harbor boatBeaverton Valley Rd back to town, 8 mi. Be at the terminal 20 min early, late bikes get left.

Home. Direct boat is 70 min. Bikes off the car, 45 min to Bellingham.

Bring

  • 45 mm tires or wider
  • Water for a dry camp
  • Warm layers
  • Lights
  • Moran + Mitchell Hill maps
  • Cash for first-come sites

Left out on purpose. Lopez and Shaw, which have almost no dirt a gravel bike wants. Cold Springs and the West Boundary trails at Moran. Lopez Hill, which is a mountain bike trail.

Routes: Orcas Gravel (Turtleback), ferry to Eastsound with gravel, San Juan: Mitchell Hill. Rules: Moran brochure, Turtleback map, Mitchell Hill map, WSDOT schedule.