Sylvan Trail at the Ellis Preserve | Aaron Vliet

All winter long, the Marilyn and Fred Ellis Preserve on Shaw Island slumbered, only being visited by the occasional SJPT steward. After a trail clean-up party last week, the Ellis Preserve’s Sylvan Loop Trail will open to the public for the first time of the year on Thursday, March 17.

Please note: The trail is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Also, after significant storm events, the trail may be closed for a period of time due to flooding and maintenance.

While the Sylvan Loop Trail is now open, the Tharald Homestead area of the Ellis Preserve is accessible by appointment only.  To schedule a guided tour of the historic homestead, please contact us. Group size is limited to a maximum of 8, with masking and social distancing protocols required.

Access limitations: Dawn to dusk hours only, Thursday through Monday; no overnight parking or camping. See preserve signage for additional information. No shoreline access is permitted, to protect fragile intertidal habitat. Use of the dock on Parks Bay is reserved for Preservation Trust staff and San Juan County EMS personnel only.

Directions: From the Shaw Ferry Landing, follow Blind Bay Rd. as it curves to the right around Blind Bay. Keep going straight until you come to the intersection of Blind Bay Rd. and Hoffman Cove Rd. (2.3 miles from the ferry landing). Turn left and proceed approximately 0.8 miles on Hoffman Cove Rd. Look for the preserve gate and driveway on the right. (Address for map search: 842 Hoffman Cove Rd.)

Questions? Email Jack Russillo