Vendovi Island Preserve caretakers Elaina and Thyatira Thompson share the importance of the island’s breakwater.

About the Preserve

Vendovi Island Preserve: A Gem of the San Juans

Vendovi Island is a 217-acre nature preserve that the San Juan Preservation Trust has owned and managed since 2010. With public access available between April and September, Vendovi welcomes about 2,500 visitors each year. Boaters, kayakers, students, and SJPT-led tours all enter via the island’s North Cove to explore a remarkably intact ecosystem of lush forests, native grasslands, healthy wetlands, stunning wildflower meadows, and tidepool-pocked beaches.

This island gem is small enough to explore in a day, but large enough to find a sense of solitude. Just under two miles of well-marked, interconnecting trails stitch together Vendovi’s tapestry of forests, meadows, and beaches. On a calm day, visitors can hear nothing but birdsong from the nearly 60 avian species that find refuge here.

Visitor Information

Open:
April 1 – September 1
Hours:
Thursday – Monday, 10am – 6pm
Closed:
Tuesday & Wednesday
Access:
North Cove dock (boats) or beach landing (kayaks & small watercraft)

The breakwater that makes this access possible needs your help.

Planning Your Visit

Visitor Guidelines

Vendovi Island is very remote, located east of Sinclair Island, southwest of Bellingham, and between Guemes and Lummi Islands. When open to the public, access to the island is via the North Cove only. A 70-foot dock just inside the breakwater is available for side-tie moorage on a first-come, first-served basis. Please observe a time limit of three hours. Kayaks and other small watercraft may land on the beach inside this protected cove.

All visitors over the age of 18 must sign in before exploring Vendovi Island Preserve. You may also sign in on-site using the iPad kiosk or paper deposit box after walking off the dock.

No groups larger than 10 unless prior arrangements made (email vendovi@sjpt.org to make arrangements). This does not guarantee dock space, which is first come, first served.

• Open April 1 – September 1, 10am to 6pm, Thursday-Monday (closed Tuesday and Wednesday)
• Boater access is from the North Cove dock only
• Kayaks and other small watercraft may land on the beach inside the protected cove.
• Dogs on leash & all waste packed out
• Day use only; no overnight camping or fires
• Pack in and pack out all litter
• No hunting or collecting except by special permission (where suitable)
• Stay on designated trails
• Respect adjoining private property and do not trespass
• No motorized vehicles
• No drones

Active Campaign

The Breakwater Needs Your Help!

All access to Vendovi depends on one vital structure: the North Cove breakwater that shelters the island’s only dock. But after decades of exposure to tides and storms, the breakwater now needs extensive repair. Without it, safe public access to the preserve could cease — and so could the sheltered cove habitat that nesting birds rely on.

To assist with the estimated $748,000 cost of repairing the breakwater, the Preservation Trust has launched a campaign to raise $374,000 in private contributions — ensuring continued public access and habitat protection.

Species That Rely on the Breakwater

Pigeon Guillemots:
The sheltered waters are essential for Pigeon guillemots, which nest in shoreline crevices and need calm conditions to raise their young

Purple Martins:
Washington’s largest swallow species — return from the Amazon each year to nest in boxes mounted above the protected dock.

Salmon and Forage Fish:
As part of the project, we will also remove shoreline armoring, allowing natural coastal processes to return, benefiting salmon and other native fish species

Exploring the Island

What to Expect on Vendovi Island Preserve

Douglas fir and maple forest cloaks most of Vendovi’s uplands. You may notice that the understory of this forest is particularly rich, with tall salal, Oregon boxwood, sword fern, and salmonberry. This is, in large part, because deer are rare visitors to Vendovi Island.

On the island’s south-facing slopes, the forest is interspersed with rocky prairies. In spring, these sunny openings sparkle with the colors of thousands of native wildflowers, including camas, paintbrush, and fawn lily.

Vendovi’s beaches—including aptly-named Sunrise Beach and Sunset Beach—offer endless scenic views and fascinating intertidal life. These beaches are important resting areas for harbor seals; many give birth to their pups on the island. Please watch for seals when you visit a beach, and give them plenty of space.

We are working to manage a delicate balance between protecting the ecological integrity of the island and human enjoyment of this property.

Help us keep Vendovi Island open for generations to come.

Vendovi Island has been open to the public for nearly 15 years. With your support, we can restore the breakwater to ensure the preserve remains accessible for decades to come.