Mount Pickett is the second tallest peak on Orcas Island after Mount Constitution. The island boasts the “Gem of the San Juan Islands” nickname. Meanwhile, it’s the largest landmass of the island chain south of the Canadian border.
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Mount Pickett at a Glance
Access: Twin Lakes Trailhead
Round Trip: 6.8 miles
Elevation Range: 920′-1765′
Gear: none
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: yes
Anacortes Ferry to Orcas Island
Another rainy weekend meant we’d either return to Eastern Washington or the rain shadow by the ocean. I tossed around several options and settled on Mount Pickett. Puget Sound islands had a lower rainfall after 10 AM.
The ferry left Anacortes in the wee hours over a 50-minute ride. Soon, we sailed through the beautiful chain of the San Juan Islands, including Blakely, Lopez, and Shaw Islands. Meanwhile, we napped in the car en route due to a lack of sleep.
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Mount Pickett in Moran State Park
The island resembles a pair of saddlebags, with Eastsound’s narrow inlet separating the two bags. Mount Pickett sits in the east by Mount Constitution inside Moran State Park. Then the second time, I went up to Turtleback Mountain.
I enjoy a place like this during the off-season or when the Cascades weather is questionable. So any chance to escape the mainland is always a pleasant relief. At the same time, it’s an excellent excuse to leave behind the chaos of the city.
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Twin Lakes Trail
Our loop from the lower lot before Twin Lakes Trailhead would take us by Mountain Lake. But there was also a lakeshore trail for a less intense hike. But we made the trip worthwhile by including Twin Lakes farther north.
Soon, we met some people and their lab by the north shore and let our pups play together. Then Twin Lakes was only another mile. Water had flooded parts of the trail by the smaller lake, where I used a down tree to cross.
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Mount Pickett Summit
We met two people below the top, making a loop run with their pup. I told them about the flooded path by the lakes. I had expected to see more folks around, but they were the only ones on the mountain.
The trail-turned-road soon took us to the broad and woodsy top. At 1765′, Mount Picket sits 700′ lower than the neighboring Mount Constitution. Even on a clear day, I wasn’t sure if we’d see Puget Sound.
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Outro
After a break, we continued south on the main road. The path took us down to Mountain Lake’s south shore, where we stopped at the small dam for photos. Then we followed the trail and reached the starting point soon after.
We went back to the ferry dock just before the boat arrived. Then we waited in the overflow lot since we were at the end of the line. But glad there was still room for us to make the sail!
See more trip photos here.