Destinations · Washington
Orcas Island
WA · 48.6502, -122.8883
San Juan Islands and Cascade Loop are signed byways within 30 miles of Orcas Island, Washington.
Understand
The name is a shortened form of Horcasitas, from the Viceroy of New Spain Juan Vicente de Güemes Padilla Horcasitas y Aguayo, who sent an exploration expedition to the region in 1791. Back then, the island was a summer shellfishing grounds for the Lummi Indians. As European Americans (and Canadians until the Pig War) settled the island from the mid-1800s, it went through waves of farming, fishing and logging, until becoming primarily a center of tourism.
Day-trip loops
Ready-made loops for Orcas Island are growing. What is within reach is measured today; plan a live day trip and the engine routes it now.
Within reach
Measured from Byway's own registries, 30 miles around town.
Scenic byways
- SAN JUAN ISLANDS · 4 mi
- Cascade Loop · 20 mi · national
Public land
- San Juan Islands National Monument · inside
Lookouts
- Point Caution Viewpoint · 8 mi
- Greg's Point · 8 mi
- Overlook Park · 10 mi
- Afterglow Vista · 12 mi
Named places
- Rosario Hill · 1 mi
- Moran Mansion Museum · 1 mi
- Mount Woolard · 2 mi
- Chin-Chin-Tse-Tung · 2 mi
- Osprey Hill · 2 mi
- Diamond Hill · 2 mi
- Entrance Mountain · 2 mi
- Cold Spring · 2 mi
A day out of Orcas Island, planned on real roads
The engine starts from town, weaves the byways and verified stops around it, and hands back an honest schedule — zero hallucinations.
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Take the scenic way to Orcas Island.
Byway plans around your taste, verified places, real weather and opening hours — then opens every leg in Google Maps with one tap.
More day-trip bases nearby
- Eastsound · 3 mi
- Orcas Village · 4 mi
- San Juan Islands · 6 mi
- Lummi Island · 10 mi
- Lopez Island · 12 mi
- Anacortes · 16 mi