San Juan Island is known for splendid vistas, saltwater shores, quiet
woodlands, orca whales and **one of the last remaining native prairies in
the Puget Sound / Northern Straits region**.
It is also where, in 1859, the United States and Great Britain nearly went
to war over possession of the island — **a crisis ignited by the death of a
pig**.
Two great powers, a disputed boundary, and a single animal shot on someone
else's land. The island spent years afterwards under joint military occupation,
which is why the park preserves two camps rather than one battlefield: nobody
ever fired at anybody.
Getting there
San Juan Island is served by Washington State Ferries, several private
cruise and shuttle craft, and two air carriers, one of which runs both land
and seaplane services.
The Washington State Ferries terminal is at **Anacortes, WA — 85 miles north
of Seattle and 90 miles south of Vancouver, BC**.
The weather, and the surprise in it
| Season | Temperatures | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | 40–60°F | Wildflowers peak around May |
| Summer | 45–70°F | Bring water. Heat exhaustion is a common complaint among unprepared visitors |
| Autumn | 40–65°F | Rain is common |
| Winter | 35–50°F | Cold and wet gear, and numerous layers, if you intend to be outside. Rain and wind are common |
Summer tops out around 70°F and heat exhaustion is still the park's named
hazard — open prairie, little shade, and visitors dressed for a cool Pacific
Northwest island.
*Location: National Historical Park, Washington. Source: U.S. National Park
Service.*
许可协议： CC0 1.0（公有领域） · 改编自 www.nps.gov
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