Shaw Island County Park
Shaw Island, WA
Shaw Island County Park sits on Indian Cove, reachable by ferry and then by car, unlike most of the county's smaller island parks. The sandy beach here runs shallower and sun warmer than most San Juan beaches, and it's the island's one significant public park, filling what would otherwise be a real gap in Shaw's public access.
A genuine sand swim beach with noticeably warmer water than the county's saltier, colder spots, and real car access via the ferry.
How we score beachesThis is genuinely one of the warmer, calmer swimming beaches in the county. If the goal is actually getting in the water rather than just looking at it, Indian Cove is a strong pick.
A boat launch, vault toilets, and picnic facilities are on site; seasonal drinking water runs April through October.
Summer brings the warmest, calmest water of the park's season.
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