Moran State Park on Orcas Island in Washington's San Juan Islands
Moran State Park is located on Orcas Island in the San Juan archipelago of the Pacific Northwest. This 5,000+ acre park is lovely, with lush fields, quiet forests, and peaceful lakes. For active visitors, the park also have over 38 miles of trails that are perfect for hiking or biking. Some of these trails gently follow a loop around a lake; others ascend to the top of Mount Constitution, which at 2,409 feet is the San Juan Island's highest peak.
Although most visitors to Orcas Island arrive by ferry from Anacortes, I arrived on the Un-Cruise Adventures' Wilderness Adventurer. This small expedition ship does 7-night cruises round-trip from Seattle in the spring and fall and features an active adventure for its guests, with hiking, kayaking, and paddle boarding available most days.
On our day ashore on Orcas Island, we had a variety of hikes to choose from, all of which included time in the Moran State Park and a visit to the top of Mount Constitution, either on foot or via tour bus. The group also visited historic Rosario Resort and had time to shop and explore in the small town of Eastsound.
 Let's take a closer look at Orcas Island and Moran State Park.
Page 2 >> Rosario Resort
Rosario Resort on Orcas Island
Orcas Island isn't all about the great outdoors. Visitors should also take time to visit the Rosario Resort & Spa, which was built in the early 20th century and was once the retirement home of the shipbuilder and former Seattle Mayor Robert Moran and his wife Millie. This mansion sits on the east side of East Sound and is near Moran State Park. The indoor and outdoor look of the home was influenced by Moran's nautical shipbuilding background and his love of the Arts and Crafts design movement of the early 20th century.
The inside of the mansion is beautiful and well maintained, with rich mahogany paneling, earthen-colored tiles, stained glass lamps and light fixtures, and interesting fireplace hearths. The Music Room is larger than you might expect and is the centerpiece of the public areas of the building. It features a two story 1913 Aeolian pipe organ, 1900 Steinway grand piano, a Belgian stain-glass window, and two mezzanine libraries overlooking a Tiffany chandelier.
While living at Rosario, Mr. and Mrs. Moran donated thousands of acres of land on Orcas Island to establish Moran State Park, one of Washington's first state parks.
The Morans sold Rosario in 1938 and it was sold again in 1958 and 1960. One of the owner's wives still haunts the mansion, according to legend. The Rosario Resort & Spa opened in 1960, and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Resort is spread over 40 acres of well-tended grounds, and all lodging is in buildings outside the mansion. The old mansion building includes public rooms, the museum, restaurant, lounge, and the spa.
Let's tour some more of Orcas Island.
Page 3 > > Hiking on Orcas Island
Hiking Mount Constitution on Orcas Island
The 6.7-mile Mount Constitution Loop Trail starts at Mountain Lake and then heads up a steep slope, passing through stands of Douglas fir and Western hemlock trees. The trail is quiet, with lots of moss, ferns, and mushrooms. It's a 1,490-foot gain in elevation from Mountain Lake to the summit of Mount Constitution. The views along the way (if it's not foggy) are spectacular.
One of the great things about being with a group from the Wilderness Adventurer was that a bus dropped us at Mountain Lake and met us at the summit, thus avoiding that knee-crunching downhill return hike.
Page 4 >> Mushrooms on the Trail
Mushrooms on a Moran State Park Trail at Orcas Island
Although much of the forest is green, lively mushrooms such as these dotted the Mount Constitution Loop Trail at Moran State Park on Orcas Island in Washington. Many of the mushrooms like these were easy to spot; others were tiny or more delicate.
Page 5 >> Summit Lake in Moran State Park
Summit Lake at Moran State Park
Summit Lake is a quiet, peaceful place on the Mount Constitution Loop Trail at Moran State Park on Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands of Washington. The fog adds to the restful atmosphere, and this is a nice place for a short break before continuing along the trail up to the summit.
Page 6 >>Â View from the Trail
View from the Mount Constitution Loop Trail
As you climb higher up Mount Constitution, your hard work is rewarded (if the weather cooperates) with magnificent views of the surrounding lakes and sea.
Moran State Park has five lakes and is the fourth largest state park in Washington.
Page 7 >> Deer on the Trail
We might never had seen this deer if she hadn't moved slightly. Her camouflage works well, doesn't it? We were near the summit of Mount Constitution at Moran State Park on Orcas Island. I think maybe she heard us panting as we climbed upward on the hiking trail. The part of the trail we were on was switch-backed, so we kept her in our sight for quite a while as we zig-zagged up the mountain.
Page 8 >> Tower at the Summit of Mount Constitution
In the 1930's, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built many of the roads, buildings, and trails at Moran State Park on Orcas Island in Washington. The Tower at the summit of Mount Constitution is the most famous of the 21 buildings and structures constructed by the CCC. Its architect modeled the tower after 12-century watchtowers seen in southeastern Europe, and it was built with sandstone blocks from an Orcas Island quarry and wrought iron made by CCC blacksmiths.
Moran State Park is located on Orcas Island in the San Juan archipelago of the Pacific Northwest. This 5,000+ acre park is lovely, with lush fields, quiet forests, and peaceful lakes. For active visitors, the park also have over 38 miles of trails that are perfect for hiking or biking. Some of these trails gently follow a loop around a lake; others ascend to the top of Mount Constitution, which at 2,409 feet is the San Juan Island's highest peak.
Although most visitors to Orcas Island arrive by ferry from Anacortes, I arrived on the Un-Cruise Adventures' Wilderness Adventurer. This small expedition ship does 7-night cruises round-trip from Seattle in the spring and fall and features an active adventure for its guests, with hiking, kayaking, and paddle boarding available most days.
On our day ashore on Orcas Island, we had a variety of hikes to choose from, all of which included time in the Moran State Park and a visit to the top of Mount Constitution, either on foot or via tour bus. The group also visited historic Rosario Resort and had time to shop and explore in the small town of Eastsound.
 Let's take a closer look at Orcas Island and Moran State Park.
Page 2 >> Rosario Resort
Rosario Resort on Orcas Island
Orcas Island isn't all about the great outdoors. Visitors should also take time to visit the Rosario Resort & Spa, which was built in the early 20th century and was once the retirement home of the shipbuilder and former Seattle Mayor Robert Moran and his wife Millie. This mansion sits on the east side of East Sound and is near Moran State Park. The indoor and outdoor look of the home was influenced by Moran's nautical shipbuilding background and his love of the Arts and Crafts design movement of the early 20th century.
The inside of the mansion is beautiful and well maintained, with rich mahogany paneling, earthen-colored tiles, stained glass lamps and light fixtures, and interesting fireplace hearths. The Music Room is larger than you might expect and is the centerpiece of the public areas of the building. It features a two story 1913 Aeolian pipe organ, 1900 Steinway grand piano, a Belgian stain-glass window, and two mezzanine libraries overlooking a Tiffany chandelier.
While living at Rosario, Mr. and Mrs. Moran donated thousands of acres of land on Orcas Island to establish Moran State Park, one of Washington's first state parks.
The Morans sold Rosario in 1938 and it was sold again in 1958 and 1960. One of the owner's wives still haunts the mansion, according to legend. The Rosario Resort & Spa opened in 1960, and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Resort is spread over 40 acres of well-tended grounds, and all lodging is in buildings outside the mansion. The old mansion building includes public rooms, the museum, restaurant, lounge, and the spa.
Let's tour some more of Orcas Island.
Page 3 > > Hiking on Orcas Island
Hiking Mount Constitution on Orcas Island
The 6.7-mile Mount Constitution Loop Trail starts at Mountain Lake and then heads up a steep slope, passing through stands of Douglas fir and Western hemlock trees. The trail is quiet, with lots of moss, ferns, and mushrooms. It's a 1,490-foot gain in elevation from Mountain Lake to the summit of Mount Constitution. The views along the way (if it's not foggy) are spectacular.
One of the great things about being with a group from the Wilderness Adventurer was that a bus dropped us at Mountain Lake and met us at the summit, thus avoiding that knee-crunching downhill return hike.
Page 4 >> Mushrooms on the Trail
Mushrooms on a Moran State Park Trail at Orcas Island
Although much of the forest is green, lively mushrooms such as these dotted the Mount Constitution Loop Trail at Moran State Park on Orcas Island in Washington. Many of the mushrooms like these were easy to spot; others were tiny or more delicate.
Page 5 >> Summit Lake in Moran State Park
Summit Lake at Moran State Park
Summit Lake is a quiet, peaceful place on the Mount Constitution Loop Trail at Moran State Park on Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands of Washington. The fog adds to the restful atmosphere, and this is a nice place for a short break before continuing along the trail up to the summit.
Page 6 >>Â View from the Trail
View from the Mount Constitution Loop Trail
As you climb higher up Mount Constitution, your hard work is rewarded (if the weather cooperates) with magnificent views of the surrounding lakes and sea.
Moran State Park has five lakes and is the fourth largest state park in Washington.
Page 7 >> Deer on the Trail
We might never had seen this deer if she hadn't moved slightly. Her camouflage works well, doesn't it? We were near the summit of Mount Constitution at Moran State Park on Orcas Island. I think maybe she heard us panting as we climbed upward on the hiking trail. The part of the trail we were on was switch-backed, so we kept her in our sight for quite a while as we zig-zagged up the mountain.
Page 8 >> Tower at the Summit of Mount Constitution
In the 1930's, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built many of the roads, buildings, and trails at Moran State Park on Orcas Island in Washington. The Tower at the summit of Mount Constitution is the most famous of the 21 buildings and structures constructed by the CCC. Its architect modeled the tower after 12-century watchtowers seen in southeastern Europe, and it was built with sandstone blocks from an Orcas Island quarry and wrought iron made by CCC blacksmiths.
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