Complete information for Matia Island

Park overview:

Matia Island State Park is a 145-acre marine park with 20,676 feet of saltwater shoreline on the Strait of Georgia. The island is part of the San Juan National Wildlife Refuge. Under a mutual agreement between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, five acres at Rolfe Cove are available to boaters as a marine park.



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Park hours/updates:

Summer hours: 6:30 a.m. to dusk
Winter hours: 8 a.m. to dusk.
Quiet hours: 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. No generators in operation between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m.

The park is open to camping and moorage year round.

Winter Schedule for all Washington State Parks

Agency information:

Don't move firewood: Please protect the Pacific Northwest from invasive species by obtaining or purchasing your firewood at or near your camping destination (within 50 miles). Firewood can carry insects and diseases that threaten the health of our western forests. You can make a difference by buying and burning your firewood locally. For more information, visit online at www.dontmovefirewood.org or the Washington Invasive Species Council website.

Campsite Information:

Rolfe Cove on Matia Island offers six campsites, a sandy beach, one picnic site and a compositing toilet. There is no drinking water available on the island. The nearest potable water is on Sucia Island and available from April to September.

There is no garbage service to the island. Visitors must pack-out what they pack-in.

Pets on leash are permitted only in the moorage and camping area of Rolfe Cove. Pets are not permitted on the loop hiking trail or any other part of the island.

Open fires are not permitted on the island, even in the campground. Gas stoves may be used for cooking. Please consult the campground bulletin board for current information.

2013 camping fees:

Please note that the following general fee information is not customized for each individual park, so not all fees will apply to all parks (for example, primitive campsite and dump station fees listed apply only to parks that have primitive campsites and dump stations).

May 15 – Sept. 15 (peak season)
Primitive campsite and water trail camping: $12
Standard campsite: $23 non-premium site, $26 premium site
Partial-utility campsite*: $30 non-premium site, $35 premium site
Full-utility campsite*: $32 non-premium site, $37 premium site
*Please note: Camping fees during the 2013 peak season are $28 for partial-utility sites and $29 for full-utility sites at Beacon Rock, Lewis & Clark and Schafer state parks. These parks are first come, first served.

Jan. 1 – May 14 and Sept. 16 – Dec. 31 (off-peak season)
Primitive campsite and water trail camping: $12
Standard campsite: $22 for non-premium and premium sites
Partial-utility campsite: $28 for non-premium and premium sites
Full-utility campsite: $29 for non-premium and premium sites

Maximum eight people per campsite.

Second vehicle: $10 per night is charged for a second vehicle unless it is towed by a recreational vehicle. Extra vehicles must be parked in designated campsite or extra vehicle parking spaces.

Dump stations (if available): Year-round dump station fees are $5 per use. If you are camping, this fee is included in your campsite fee.

More about park hours
Check-in time is 2:30 p.m., and check-out time is 1 p.m.
Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.
Engine-driven electric generators may be operated only between the hours of 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Length of stay: You may stay up to ten consecutive days in any one park from April 1 through Sept. 30; the stay limit is extended to 20 days between Oct. 1 and March 31.

Driving Directions

2.5 north of Orcas Island and 1.5 east of Sucia Island in San Juan County.

Matia Island State Park is reachable only by boat. It is located 2.5 miles north of Orcas Island and 1.5 miles east of Sucia Island. The closest launch sites are in Blaine, Obstruction Pass on Orcas Island, Squallicum Harbor in Bellingham, and in Anacortes.

Park Maps

List of all downloadable Washington State Park maps.

Park Features

Matia Island is a federal wildlife refuge and has use restrictions different from most Washington state parks. With the exception of the campground area at Rolfe Cove and the loop trail and its beaches, the island is closed to public access and use to protect habitat and wildlife.

The park features good fishing and diving in waters around the island. There are interesting geological formations and an old-growth forest.

History

Captain Eliza of the 1792 Spanish Expedition named the island "Isle de Mata." Mata has many meanings in Spanish, most having to do with lush plant growth. Some believe Matia refers to a woman's name. The U.S. Coast Survey conffered the name Matia in 1954.

Interpretive opportunities

There are currently no interpretive opportunities at this park.

Services/Supplies

The nearest fuel and grocers are at Gooseberry Point near the Lummi ferry dock and seasonally at West Beach Resort on Orcas Island.

None

Activities

Trails	Water Activities	Other
	• Boating (saltwater) • 128 feet of dock (saltwater) • Diving • Fishing (saltwater) • Clamming • Crabbing
The marine pumpout at Jarrell Cove State Park is closed until further notice for an upgrade project. The estimated project completion date is Nov. 29.

Events

Full list of events at Washington State Parks

Boating Features

The park has two buoys and one dock at Rolfe Cove. The dock is 64 feet long and provides 128 feet of overnight moorage. Dock removal begins in October and installation begins the end of March. All floats will be installed no later than May 1.

Boats must self register and pay moorage fees at onshore bulletin board/pay station.

Moorage fees are charged year round from 1 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Picnic and Day-use Facilities

There is no potable water on Matia Island. The nearest potable water is on Sucia Island and is available from April to September.

There is no garbage service to the island. Visitors must pack-out what they pack-in.

Open fires are not permitted on the island, even in the campground. Gas stoves may be used for cooking. Please consult the campground bulletin board for current information.

Wildlife

Mammals	Birds	Fish & Sea Life
	• Eagles	• Seals

Environmental Features

Physical Features		Plant Life
Interesting rock formations are abundant on the island, which consist of tilted beds of sandstone and conglomerates. Wave cut caverns and honeycombed rocks are particularly interesting.		• Cedar • Ferns

Park photo gallery