Birch Bay State Park to Point Roberts

A challenging (SK VI) 12 nm open water paddle from Birch Bay State Park to Point Roberts. There are no stops on this paddle that follows the interface between Strait of Georgia and Birch, Semiahoo and Boundary Bays. Perhaps best done as an overnight trip, you can camp at the northernmost Cascadia Marine Trail Campsite in Lighthouse Marine Park.

The main attraction of this trip is to visit Point Roberts, a pene-exclave of Washington, which lies on the southernmost tip of the Tsawwassen peninsula.   Point Roberts pene-exclave status came about with the Oregon Treaty.  It boasts a marina, a few shops and restaurants, and good whale watching!  Opening times at many venues are limited, so check before you go if you plan to rely on local services.   

The most convenient launch point for Point Roberts is from Birch Bay State Park but a similarly challenging crossing can be made from Patos. At Birch Bay State Park, parking requires a Discover Pass and vehicles can be left overnight with payment of the overnight unattended vehicle fee. NOTE: the unattended vehicle fee is normally paid via camping self-registration envelopes but these are not available during the summer months. Instead use a Discover Pass purchase envelope to pay the fee and write "unattended overnight vehicle" and your phone number on the receipt that you leave on your dashboard. This is an ad hoc process, so checking with park staff in advance - via the email on the website - is advisable.

Paddling to Point Roberts requires competence and endurance as there's nowhere to stop on the open water 13 nm trip. Camping is possible at Whatcom County's Lighthouse Marine Park Campground. The most up-to-date information on fees and bookings can be found here. There is a Cascadia Marine Trail site at Lighthouse Marine Park. Additional details are available on the Washington Water Trails Association website.  

  • Difficulty: Sea Kayak VI
  • Length: 27.0 nm
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  • NOAA 18400
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  • Point Roberts
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