Reviews of Lime Kiln Point State Park (Park)

Derek Reynolds

Amazing place to watch whales dolphins otters seals ... and sunsets! Very well designed with LOTS of beautiful places to sit.

Hoyt Roberson

Pretty, coastal state park on San Juan Island. Picturesque lighthouse with a whale listening station and sea lion sightings. There is a gift shop of sorts but on our visit it was "closed for the season." Easy access and sufficient parking although it may get a bit crowded during the height of tourist season.

Terry Wilson

Trail leading from parking lot brings one to the incredible expanse of Strait ofJuan de Fulca separating Canada and USA. Majestic panorama of open water, distant snow covered mountains compelled me to scramble over craggy shoreline for a glimpse of any marine animals or birds. Alas, no Orcas this time.

Ray Landry

Wonderful place to relax and slow down. Clean, quiet, and a perfect place for late evening photos.

Corey Willis

One of the greatest places in the world to experience a sunset

Cameron Pedersen

Amazing place to visit! So much more to do than just the kiln. Lots of trails to follow, beautiful tree and foliage. Fantastic views across the bay and also into Canada. Whale watching can be done from many different sites. Also of note is the fact that just past the restored kiln is a second kiln which is decayed and crumbling. This is not on Park grounds and not part of the restoration project. I find it fascinating to see what a difference time has made of the second kiln. You can also see the remnants of long abandoned walk-ways and piers. If you plan on visiting the island, definitely come to the kiln and explore the park. One could easily spend almost the whole day exploring!

Brian L

Got to see a pod of orcas which was neat.

Cindy Wells

Wonderful peaceful to see eagles and whales

B Sheshagiri Achar

Fantastic nd worth watching.

Jim Perez

Beautiful park!! Amazing views, ocean, Olympic peninsula, and possibly Orcas & Humpbacks. The gift shop is staffed by very cheerful helpful workers. The hikes have amazing views and the wooded trails are beautiful.

James Thompson

Very cool park. Great views.

Michael McDonald

Great whale watching spot

Lance Lee

Pretty nice but the kelp prevents fishing, bit challenging

Isaac Slape

Absolutely beautiful State Park. Light house is really neat. Got to hear and see Orcas and then a gorgeous sunset! You’ll need to pay $10 to park or $30 for a year pass for this and other parks as well.

Alicia Hooker

Good for taking pictures.

Miguel Aramburo

Excellent point for whale watching

David Saidel

One of San Juan Island's beautiful and interesting State Park. If you are lucky you can see one of the Orca Whale pods and explore the lighthouse.

Mitch Cline

Beutiful views and nice trails, lighthouse was built in 1919.

Vanesa vanderheyden

Beautiful view. Great place for a picnic

Nancy Marx

Great place for a picnic, even if you don't see the whales.

Ron Robinson

One of my most favorite places on earth

country soul

One of my very favorite spots on San Juan Island

Richard Moses

Great place for a picnic, whale watching, and to visit a working historic lighthouse.

shivam negi

Beautiful place for the sunsets as in the Sanjuan island you can watch sunrise as well as sunsets from two spots which has light houses. Sadly you can’t fly drone over here but you can take amazing photographs and on a good day sky just turn into a Canvas full of so many colors. Must visit if you are on San Juan island

Tina Baber

What a beautiful place! Nice well kept trails, beautiful views

Chris L

Great views, and good for whale watching. Easy trail for kids to an old lime kiln. I think it's a little over a mile roundtrip. We went on a Saturday night and got to take the kids up to the top of the lighthouse. By the parking lot is an informational center that also sells souvenirs and a separate snack shack.

Michael Hall

Great place to visit and worth the trip.

Yoilán Fimia León

Great place to sit and wait for the wales. The views are amazing!!

Wendy Whitaker

Beautiful, nice visitor center, easy trails

Kyle Charnley

Most beautiful sunset I've ever seen. The chance to see the world's most beautiful animal is a bonus.

Carrie Wat

Beautiful place to walk around. Cool place for sunset.

Richard D

Beautiful views in any weather.

Randall King

Discovery pass required, however this can be a very short visit. The lime kiln is a quarter mile from the parking lot, the light house is about the same or less, but in a different direction. Other paths are available for your hiking pleasure but for those less hiking prepared both paths are nearly entirely flat. Except at the water front, where the kiln will have approx 2-3 flights worth of steep stairs and the lighthouse will just have some small slopes and switchbacks. The information center features some souvenir stuff that may interest some and a photo friendly life-size dorsal fin of a male Orca (approx 6' 2" tall).

Gary Beach

Raw beauty. A cold Pacific shore.

sherry tang

Love the walking trails and the light house

Casey Rafter

Must check out this spot when you're on the island. We went near low tide and enjoyed prancing down to the water's edge to scope out the sea life. There was a whale sighting this morning, but we missed it. There's a snack shack if you get peckish. The info center is cared for by two great and friendly staffers who were happy to answer questions. Make sure to sign the guest book! There are some great trails for hiking. I can't wait to revisit.

Scott Rall

Beautiful views all the way along the coast and worth walking along to dead man's bay. Saw humpbacka and sea otters whilst we were there. The staff in the lighthouse were really friendly. Highly recommend a visit.

G A

Sooo pretty. No whales this time.

Cindy Book

Amazing views of the ocean. Whales!!

Glen O'Connor

Light house is manned by orca experts who are monitoring the orcas in the area. They answer questions and share their experiences. Nice trail along the shore with lots of picnic tables.

Jennifer Rose

Great place to go. Watched the wildlife. Easy hike options for those less able bodied.

Christina Hendricks

What a gorgeous park. Always clean. The people who visit are polite to each other and the sea life is breath taking

Shelley Phipps

Beautiful cliffs and sea side views. Pack a lunch, the food shack is very expensive.

Matthew Bailey

great place to whale watch if they are there. saw porpoises, sea lion, bald eagle, deer, hermit crabs. walk is short and well paved. discovery pass required but available on site.

Rama Srinivasan

Saw orcas.. a few of them. They kept circling, like they were playing with each other

Tzvi Keisar

Beautiful view and a nice short walk. Kids loved it!

Tami S.

This is one of the greatest Washington State parks I've visited. Views along the water are spectacular and the trail is fairly easy, and you can go up to the lighthouse. There are some easy and some moderate trails that take you through beautiful, peaceful forest. You can also see old lime kilns and read markers that tell about the limestone history of the area. Highly recommend this park.

Mayhem

One of my all time favorite spots on the island. Please sponsor or participate in whale watching from land, it is the easiest way to respect the marine wildlife and help the southern resident killer whales. There are lots of hidden spots in this area that are gorgeous and devoid of tourists. The old lime kiln is worth checking out. Dr. Otis is a highly intelligent and just overall amazing individual whose whale talks are worth going to. He knows his stuff and can answer any questions.

Clarence Muir

Beauty abounds! Soaring Eagles, whales, crows & Ravens. Truly Magical

Jim Stinnett

Best place to just take in the view.

Yuletide Claus

Love it. There’s some picnic tables. Should’ve brought some picnic supplies. Went in May, so there wasn’t a crowd.

MartinandDeborah Werr

Calm and contemplative when I visited. Beautiful view of Vancouver Island and the Olympics. Did not see any orcas and past the gray whale migration season.

Justin Nicoara

Amazing little park with an awesome light house and incredible views of the water and the Olympics in the background. It's definitely a must when visiting San Juan Island. Make sure to keep a look out as it's possible to see Orcas from this park!

Kurt Lind

Saw 2 bald eagles fly right over me...sadly no Orcas. Great view, though. Beautiful day

Dawn Peters

Wonderful costal trail. Perfect spot for sunset views. We brought a bottle of wine & sat at a picnic table. Lady in the lighthouse was a bit rigid about only going up on a tour...

Chaos Elli

Great Spot, always love to come back

Tornado Hedgehog

Really beautiful place! No whales out yet, but it's still a very pretty place to be!

Chad H

Another beautiful historical location on San Juan Island. This is where you want to go for whale watching if not by boat. Also lots of great hiking for every level.

James Jurrius

Beautiful views of Haro Strait and Orcas and Bald Eagles

Kyle Baxter

What an amazing spot. Just missed the jpod by 30 min

Jackie Chang

Fantastic vistas and trails!

Janet Lomax

Beautiful and relaxing scenery. Easy trails (even for those with disabilities) leading to scenic lookout points. Fun place for families and anyone who wants to enjoy the coast with an opportunity to see animals in their natural habitat.

Rachel Murray

Beautiful. Worth a trip.

Chris Judkins

Great views and got to see some harbor purpoises! State park workers and volunteers were great.

Andrew M. Perrins

Badass views with quite unique trees to see

Brooks Snozek

Beautiful, incredible visibility of mountain ranges from Mt. Ranier to Victoria. Saw a Harbor Seal within 30 minutes and the tide pools at low tide were fascinating. Worthwhile ride!

Naji A

Gorgeous view. Saw Sea otters and Bald eagle in the bay.

Sang-Jin Ri

Worth the visit. Words can't describe the experience. You will love it.

Debika Dutt

Nice place for viewing the sunset!

Tanya Sattelmeier

Just a great land position to try to view whales.

Alexandra Gondry

Showed up to the park about an hour before sunset. After about an hour 10 more people came to the park and posted up right in front of us. We had to move, so we could catch the sunset.

Lucia Solorio

Awesome place and beautiful views

Neal Patel

Beautiful park and picnic area with ocean views and rocks to walk on. We didn’t see any whales but nice stop nevertheless

Kevin Hagen

Beautifull park with spectacular views. Perfect for sunsets

Kristina Setchfield

Beautiful ! Gotta go again soon!

ravinder singh

Great discovery park great location

Stephen Zahradnik

Awesome place to get info on the whales and see thr lighthouse. Chances of seeing an orca from land are next to nil. Choose an outfitter to see the orcas.

Robin Bennett

Beautiful clear blue water. Gorgeous place to visit. I was hoping to see whales but not today

Chris Davidson

Beautiful park where you can sometimes see Orca and other sea life.

Kerri

Great trails and views. The whale watching area is a great spot to relax and see some wildlife. Saw otters and porpoises. Discover pass needed

Coleen Bonnette

Pretty area for hikes. Enjoyed the lighthouse. Great area for whale watching.

Vicki Hanauer

Great views of all surrounding islands and Canada. Good picnic facilities.

Jitendra Keswani

Liked the place with its natural beauty.. It windy and cold though if you near light house.

Chris Ellsay

Beautiful park with a great view and good potential to see whales.

Tiffani Williams

Beautiful area for exploring and watching marine life. One of the best places to watch orcas.

Bro Jones

Beautiful scenery.... I went in early September. It was not the easiest Walk for everyone but most people can handle it with no problem. It was fairly peaceful, not over crowded.

Dawn Woods

Amazing park with an awesome light house and incredible views of the water and the Olympics in the background. It's definitely a must when visiting.

Ron Rice

Great marine sighting place. The researchers were friendly and informative. The gift store guy was very kind and we bought our discover pass from him.

Cory Mesloh

Great scenic spot! Supposedly a great whale watching place, but they’re elusive creatures. Do watch out for your cell phone thinking it’s in Canada and Verizon charging you an insane out of country mystery fee!?!?

Walt Johnson

Great spot. Ask about the whale study. The researchers were helpful and informative.

Robert Plucinski

Nice view but no whales today

Ryan Bohm

Interesting place. I enjoyed looking around. It's apparently the off-season right now (end of April) so all the buildings were closed. It didn't say anything about the $10 entrance fee being waived, so we paid it (it's an on-your-honor style thing). It should have been at least half price for what was there. Good history lesson though and a beautiful view of the water. They had a microphone in the water to hear Orcas, that was neat ... but unfortunately, no Orcas were heard or seen. That would have been really cool! All in all, worth coming.

Mark Peterson

A beautiful state park with nice hiking trails.

Alexis Martz

GORGEOUS viewpoints, multiple picnic tables in both the sun and the shade, educational information boards, a snack shack and bike rack at the beginning of this very easy and walkable trail. Convenient and beautiful, highly recommend! Rode bikes in so we were unaffected by this, but did notice you need a discovery pass to park a vehicle in the lot to the trail. Word of warning to those without one!

Jo Sparkes

Really great for whale watching. They can tell you where the local orca pods are. So cool!

Steven Purchase

Unfortunately didn't see any whales. But the views are outstanding. Got to see Mount Rainier, the Olympic National park and Canada. It's such a beautiful, tranquil place with clear water and miles of rocky shore. Worth a few hour stay to hike or just wait for the whales.

Michael Johnson

Pretty cool great views of the Puget sound. A war was almost started here between Britain and the United States it's an interesting story.

David Elkins

Lime Kiln Point State Park features an interpretive visitor center, the Lime Kiln Point Lighthouse, overlooks of Haro Strait, whale watching overlooks, the remains of the Lime Kiln.

Samantha Flesh

It was very pretty to sit and watch for sea life but you need to understand that this is all you are doing here. There is not a lot of other activity options other than whale watching.

Aaron Johnson

Great views! Great place for whale watching too. Get views of the sound, islands in the distance. Occasionally get Canadian cell signals. There are plenty of trails that are not all well marked. I recommend heading out to the restored lime kiln. Pretty facinating and if you don't mind a bunch of stairs, there is some informative places at the bottom. The trees along some of the trails are picturesque. It can be easy to get "lost" if you wander on the side trails. Some take you out of the state park with out warning. You may find a road or bactracking is also an option if you are unsure of where you are.

Bryan Djunaedi

Gorgeous views across the water and interesting trails that curlicue through the trees and climb onto the low bluffs with viewpoints and information placards. There's also a lighthouse. Bring binoculars for opportunities to see whales, otters, seals, and bald eagles. A great spot for a picnic lunch!

Helen Goulet

Best sunset view on the islands. This is a definite must. Also a great spot to site a whale should you be so lucky!!

Joseph Sage

This is a low key state park. We went at high tide and walked along the trail to the lighthouse and then along the shoreline. The kids enjoyed walking over the rocks. A little trail sign said Deadman Bay .3 miles, difficult. It was an exposed trail not good for kids that don't listen or adults with mobility issues. Deadman Bay was a hidden little rocky beach. It was a great size for our under 10 set.

Greg Bays

The lighthouse had a researcher there answering questions about J Pod, and the other resident pods while a live hydrophone crackled in the background. Easy to walk trails, a must visit state park. ,

Green Leaves

It's ok, nothing special. You can tell it is accessed by thousands of people. A local hiker admitted that people rarely see whales or other wildlife. I saw some seagulls and yellowjackets but not much else. The lighthouse was nothing special.

Chris Fridley

Great place to hang out and watch for killer whales!

Dean Nakanishi

Great whale spotting location, and even though we missed Jpod by a few hours but was still great stroll on the beach off of American-Canadian Waters

Todd Mill

Wonderful sunny day playing in the tide pools and enjoying the Madrona trees.

mick hooper

The views are amazing! Nice hikes around the park with a few beaches to walk. SJI is beautiful. Don't forget the $10 parking fee.

Bryan Edenfield

This is not where we found the beached mermaid. I repeat, this is NOT where we found the beached mermaid.

Eric M

Great place to take a hike and go see a lighthouse or or a view of the water

mary hall

Beautiful. Clean. Safe trails. There are some Picnic tables. Spectacular views. You need a discovery pass approx $13 per day to park. We got the annual at $35 so we could see other Washington State parks. But worth every penny. Will be back.

marcia johnson

Very tranquil. Many people had see whales. We didn't.

James

Such beauty, serenity and magical. Just amazing.

Rich Blank

Great place and views. Whales were across the bay@

Donny Schell

A smaller park with a lighthouse and water access. A little small though.

Jay Bennett

Really nice state park. There is a bit of hiking available but nothing that a good pair of athletic shoes can't handle. The sunsets are amazing from the lighthouse and there are lots of spots for looking for whales.

Denise Gravitt

Beautiful place to visit! Informative signs depicting say life. Short walk to a precious lighthouse. Spectacular sunset views. Lots of wildlife

Addie Takagi

My family came to this park and the kids loved climbing on the rocks and playing in the trees

J Rich

Nice park. Great info about whales from guides in lighthouse. Nice views.

Karen Davies

Absolutely the best place to see SRKW from land !! I was lucky enough to see J pod swim by on my visit, you can also listen to their calls on the hydro phones located near the lighthouse. Theres a small information centre and cafe should you need drinks or snacks. Lovely location

Jason Smart

Stunning scenery. Plenty of wave activity the day we visited. Not too much hiking though. It's possible to see most of the park in an afternoon.

Andrew & Megan Winters

Very quiet and peaceful with plenty of trails to walk on along the coast. Perhaps you'll be lucky enough to see some whales. If you're starving and need to grab some food, I would recommend bringing your own or eating beforehand. The food tent doesn't have the best options and it's a little pricey ($10 for a small turkey sandwich). I needed to replenish some energy after an hour bike ride to the park so the food tent was a nice touch.

Jenelle Kemp

This park is beautiful! It's $10 for a day pass or use your Washington State parks pass if you have one. The lime kiln isn't too interesting unless you like industrial history, but the views and walks along rocky shoreline are both a great way to spend an afternoon. Bring a picnic lunch or some cash to buy food from a small seasonal stall selling ice lollies and small snacks.

Tricia Fitzpatrick

The panoramic view is incredible!

Megi Nevins

Gorgeous view. Very peaceful.

Aparna Cheerath

Its gorgeous and filled with a tonne of wildlife but if you're going to see the killer whales definitely do your research early in the morning and be ready to be there at very short notice.

Mark Linder

The worst experience ever. I wish I could give negative stars. I just phoned the park, to ask if the Orcas are there this time of year (before making the trip all the way to the island, and then to the park) and I am dumbfounded by the rudeness of the park employee (a ranger I am guessing) who answered the phone. I asked if the Orcas are there this time of year. His reply was "I don't have that information". I then said "Isn't this also known as Whale Watch Park? And no one there can tell me if the whales are there?" His reply was "We have other things to do, and dont have time to spend all day answering phone calls about if the Orcas are there or not." Huh. Yep, that just happened. I'm guessing the Orcas are not there, but they don't want people to stop coming to the park in hopes of seeing them? Seems they could be more honest about it - or least be more polite about it. So if you really want to see Orcas, maybe miss this park and just go on a whale watching boat tour.

aditi vira

The light house is beautiful even on a rainy day!

MeChelle Hawkins

Great views, and nice place to get some hiking

Dominique Bjorlin

Beautiful view! wonderful info from staff. only gave 4 stars because of wasps. and lack of railings.

pauline

What a gorgeous place to spot some marine wildlife and take in the beauty of the San Juan islands.

Andrew Murison

Short but beautiful hike. Great over looks of the water and whale watching.

Karl Wehden

Our favorite hiking and whale watching spot

Jesediah Thimpy

The light 'house' is super small. There's a small window in this 'house' atop the gorgeous bluff that faces the ocean that has been turned into a mop closet, that seems strange. The area around this whale observation point is well maintained and easy walking. We saw porpoises, a sea lion that was headed south along the kelp with purpose. Lots of birds and a beautiful sunset. Don't forget to bring your binoculars, if the weather is right you might see Victoria.

Alan Hollingsworth

$10 cash or check to park. Nice facilities. Gorgeous location on a point with direct views of the Olympic Mountains and Vancouver Island. We had a sea otter entertaining us, tidal pools, but no whale sitings today. About 20 minutes from Friday Harbor, which includes a few miles of dramatic coastal road.

Rick Greenlee

Beautiful area in the San Juan Islands!!

Ginte Ford

Nice! Only wish the lighthouse was open before 7pm

Chirleen Evans

This had to be our absolute FAVORITE part of our vacation to Washington State in 2017. We sat on the cliffs watching the Orca pods swim by and it was amazing. Such beautiful scenery! Be careful with your footing and bring hiking shoes. This is definitely a place you want to visit.

Anh Rohrbach

A place for whale watching...nice walk to the Lighthouse, learned much about whale from the lady in the Lighthouse.

d74g0nF1y

Good place to watch wildlife!

Beth Paschall

Beautiful place! We saw whales and a gorgeous sunset...

Kimberly Gonzales

Wonderful park with a visitor center, and docents at the trails end. Clean bathrooms. Lots of parking including handicap

Summer Holeman

Lime kiln state park is great to visit any time of year! Take a short walk to the ocean and enjoy the view or take a short hike to the lime kiln to explore! In the summer/tourist season the light house and gift shop are open, along with the food service. Bathrooms are year round.

Tricia Hukee

Beautiful park. Go inside the lighthouse and talk with the whale watchers. We learned so much about the 3 local pods! Took a while to find parking, had to circle the parking lot several times. If you don't have a Discovery Pass you can purchase a day pass. The upper lot has a dropbox for cash or check. Lower lot has a machine that can accept credit cards. Worth the visit!

Sejin Maddaloni

Short easy walk to the water and the lighthouse.

darkzl13

Very nice place to change your mood with your family and friends

Matt Shaw

Great views and whale education

Irish Kennedy's

Peaceful place and relaxing. We didn't see a lot Marine life in the tide pools. I would recommend the park.

onyxr

I want to warn anyone who has heard how great this place is for seeing orcas from land. That is not so much the case this year. It was the residents not the transients who would often show up there. The SRKW have only been spotted a couple times the whole season in the Salish Sea. They are being forced to other locations to seek out their food source. Be very prepared to go all the way out there and see nothing at all. Rather than hop the ferry to San Juan Island, check out Island Adventures Anacortes on Groupon! Very good deal and they find orcas almost every trip (Transients)

Jana Meredith

One of San Jusns beautiful parks. No whales that day.

Ellen Lugome

No beach area. Seemed pretty isolated. Hoped to see some whales but no luck. Over priced snack shop. Smelly bathrooms. Ocean viewing area not handicap accessible. Not much parking available. Much better spots on the island.

Mariesol C

Visited on 8/15/19. We were very fortunate to see several orcas from J-pod swim by us while we were at the viewpoint. Everyone around us were cheering and we we all got caught up in the excitement. We had gone on a whale watching tour the day before and saw humpback whales, but this was extra special since they hadn't been in the area for 6 weeks. The orcas were very close and we got really good photos & video. Definitely a great place to watch for orcas. Getting to the viewpoint is fairly easy (and short). The walking path from the parking lot has a slight elevation at the start of the path. The walkway is wide and well kept. Once you reach the spot, the vistas are beautiful. There are picnic tables to the north, as well as, a lighthouse in the distance.

Grace Johnson

Beautiful spot, peaceful and if your lucky you might sight a whale or dolphins or seal.

Nerdy Narwhal

A fun walk with some cool historical stops. If you are in the mood for a much longer hike it connects to the key bank land full of MANY trails.

Pragna Mohapatra

Very well preserved piece of history. Though ideal time to visit in summer and we landed on a windy freezing day in hope for seeing ng orca, but the beauty of the place well compensated it. Would definitely visit again.

Joshua Ardillo

This place is absolutely magical!

Ahava Goldwater

Magical show put on by a pod of orcas!