down the Pacific Northwest coast
- Camano Island — Thumbnail History (historylink.org)
Camano Island is the second largest of the dozens of islands in the northern Puget Sound that were formed by glacial deposits during the last Ice Age. Encompassing about 40 square miles, the island is 16 miles long from north to south and has about 50 miles of shoreline. Several Coast Salish tribes shared the island until non-Native settlers arrived in the 1850s to operate timber and shipbuilding businesses at Utsalady Bay. Camano Island became a vacation destination in the twentieth century and remains a popular spot for recreation and relaxation. No town has been incorporated on the island, but the population has increased steadily, from 1,395 in 1960 to more than 17,000 in 2020.
- June 15th [of 1853]. As I did not feel encouraged that the settlers would do anything, I ran over to Mr. Miller’s on Camano island, where I learned that the band to which Sla-hai belonged was probably in camp on the Kikealis, one of the mouths of the Skagit. Miller had good reason to know for whom I was hunting, as the same Indian had threatened his life because Miller had ducked him for breaking a contract. There were a number of Patch-ka-num’s band about Miller’s, but I did not go among them, but decided to make an attempt to go up the Kikealis at night and when the tide was high. We left the island, going southward: as if returning to Steilacoom, and went into camp on Whidby island. As soon as night came on we reloaded our boat and started back. As we passed Miller’s place the Indians encamped there raised a great shout. Although we were several miles out, they must have heard and recognized us. A drizzling rain set in and the tide was against us, and in the morning we found ourselves far from our goal. We persevered, but when we reached the flats we found them quite impassible, so that I was obliged to give up my attempt to find the Kikealis, and, turning southward once more, we sailed over to Whidby island and camped on an old camping ground of the Skagits, where their last chief, Duatlim, was buried. . . .22 On the morning of the 16th we started on our return. By 2 o’clock we passed Skagit head, and continuing on to Appletree cove we stopped for dinner.
Washington Trails Association
- Camano Island State Park (wta.org)
Afine little park with beach access, camping, a boat launch and trails. A popular park in the summer, this is a great place for a quiet off-season hike. On this loop trail, there are views, a forest walk, birding and beachcombing.
