We had a lovely day hike around Mt. Finlayson. We took the biggest possible loop, heading out from the parking lot towards the right. We first gained a little elevation up the hill and then had great views over the water as well descended slowly towards the tip of the island. We saw the lighthouse in the distance, but headed north towards the other coast. We made our way back to the parking lot along the north coast, walking along a few beaches and lagoons. The trail along the north coast was through the woods, unlike the south coast which was completely in the open. We started the hike around 12:30 and finished by 2. Easy terrain, and a fun way to explore the island. Afterwards, we drove down to the tip of the island to check out the lighthouse. It's old and boarded up, but there are some fantastic views over the water. Probably even more amazing on a clear day! We saw a fox, a seal, and lots of birds.

Spectacular clear views to Mount Baker. Red-tailed hawks were out.

Excellent views, good trail condition. Dog friendly. Kid friendly. Have hiked this trail many times. One of my favorites

I have been going to San Juan Island every year since I was 3 and never hiked Mount Finlayson or Jakle's Lagoon. I always opted to go to South Beach at American Camp and watch the water :). Boy was I in for an eye opener. If you opt to start the hike going to Jakle's Lagoon first and then headed up to the summit of Finlayson be prepared! Holy smoked what an elevation gain! But the views of the Sound and the Olympics at the top are 110% worth it. Bugs were a little annoying. Got bit a couple times. I also felt an ever presence of bees. Never got stuck but they would buzz close a couple times when I stopped to catch my breath.

Mount Finlayson is probably a very popular hike on a sunny summer day. We went on a partly cloudy day in February and had the place mostly to ourselves. This hike is highly recommended for fans of places like Fort Casey or Ebey's Landing. The upper trail is fairly close to the road (which has been rerouted recently) but the traffic is just out of sight for the most part. Despite recent rains, the trail wasn't muddy. We enjoyed the panoramic views, especially to the east near the NPS/DNR boundary. The lower trail is more secluded and still fairly dry. At low tide, I definitely recommend walking along the beach for some or all of the return trip. We chose to do this from Jakle's Lagoon to Old Town Lagoon and were justly rewarded. With the added distance from the beach leg (you come out west of the parking lot), our trip took a little more than 90 minutes. Wildlife was abundant in the area. We saw deer, rabbits, an owl and a fox as well as the usual ducks and gulls. Depending on the season, you can probably see whales. Bring binoculars.