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Moran State Park Info
Location
Six miles southeast of
Eastsound on Orcas
Island in San Juan County.
Acreage
5,175.51 acres with 1,800 feet of saltwater
shoreline on Georgia Strait and 45,300 feet of freshwater
shoreline on 171 acre Cascade Lake, 198 acre Mountain Lake, 8 and
3 acre Twin Lakes, 12 acre Summit Lake, Cascade Creek, and Cold
Creek. Acreage includes 2,409 foot high Mt. Constitution.
Acquired
Moran State Park was acquired in 18 parcels
between 1920 and 1991; much of the park was acquired through
donations by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Moran. The total cost -
$7,655,832.60.
Historical Background
Robert Moran, one-time mayor of Seattle and
shipbuilder, presented the original 2,600 acres to Washington
State in 1920. By 1928, he had added another thousand acres to
his original gift, and the park has been enlarged by various
means of acquisition until in 1991 it has grown to its present
5,175.51 acres.
In the mid-thirties, the Civilian Conservation
Corps built many of the trails, roads, bridges and buildings now
in use. Perhaps the most outstanding structure in the park is the
stone tower atop
Mt. Constitution, which affords a 360 degree
view of the San Juans, the Cascades, the Olympics, and Northern
Puget Sound.
Rainfall averages 29.18 inches a year.
 Facilities
54 day use sites, parking for 85 vehicles, 5
kitchen shelters 1 day use comfort station, 31.07 miles of foot
trails, 2 vehicle bridges, 2.39 miles of unimproved and 6.45
miles of improved roads, 2 interpretive displays, 2 unguarded
swimming beaches - total of 356 feet, 1 swimming float, 2
bathhouses, 2 boat launch areas, 2 boat docks with boat rental,
136 camp sites with 15 primitive bicycle sites, trailer dumping
station, 5 camp area comfort stations, 2 pit toilets, 4 vault
toilets (2 locations), and one adirondack shelter in bike
campground.
3 residences, 2 cabins, 2 garages, 3 storage
buildings, 3 power buildings, 1 shop-garage building, lookout
tower, 1 pumphouse for water, 2 reservoirs of 80,000 and 5,000
gallon capacity, 6 sewage pumping stations. Environmental
Learning Center with a capacity of 155. Center includes dining
hall/kitchen, 1 comfort station, 9 cabins, 3 duplex buildings, 2
5,000 gallon sand filters, 1 valve house, 1 chlorine building,
staff quarters, infirmary with nurses quarters, and storage
building. The Commission has a concession agreement with Edna
Mentch to supply boating facilities and a new food concession.
This agreement has been renewed. Wood concession to John Willis
& Ed Stone. Park is on Campsite Reservation Program.
Activities
Picnicking, camping, swimming, environmental
learning center, hiking and nature trails, boat launch, fishing,
and scenic views from top of Mount Constitution.
Mt. Constitution Web cam
The variety of weather conditions such as fog, rain, snow, high winds, and cloud
cover observable from a height of over 2400 feet with a backdrop of the San Juan
Islands would likely make this one of the most popular web cams in the
Northwest. DestiCam.com is currently researching the challenges involved in this
venture and expect to make some progress soon.
Cascade Lake in Moran State Park
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