Maury Island Marine Park

Maury Island Marine Park occupies a former gravel mine on the east side of Maury Island, connected to Vashon Island by road and to Seattle by the Fauntleroy ferry. Over a mile of natural shoreline wraps around bluffs that hold rare stands of Pacific Madrone. A three-quarter-mile gravel maintenance road drops from the parking lot to the beach, where the views open up to Mount Rainier and the Cascades.

The trail network covers about 3 miles across blufftop paths, beach routes, and a connector to a viewpoint overlooking the water. A restored salt marsh adds ecological interest. The bluffs gain and lose elevation quickly, so the 500 feet of total gain comes in short, punchy climbs rather than sustained grades. Birding is strong here: great blue herons, bald eagles, and kingfishers work the shoreline regularly.

Getting here requires a ferry, which filters out casual crowds. Most visits start with the 9:30 Fauntleroy sailing and find an empty parking lot on arrival. The combination of ferry ride, Rainier views, madrone groves, and quiet beaches makes this feel more remote than its position on the map suggests. No parking pass required.