Andy’s Marine Park lies in the southwest corner of Anderson Island in Pierce County. Once belonged to the Steilacoom people, the island is a short ferry ride from the mainland. Meanwhile, McNeil Island sits north of the island.
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Andy’s Marine Park at a Glance
Access: Claussen Road (park info)
Round Trip: 2.1 miles
Elevation Range: 20′-160′
Gear: none
GPS Track: not available
Dog-Friendly: no pets
Anderson Island
Besides exploring someplace new, I wanted something short after my recent trip. Despite having lived in the Pacific Northwest for over 30 years, I didn’t know the island existed until now. So I visited Andy’s Marine Park while the pups were still boarding; it also didn’t allow dogs.
According to Wikipedia, Anderson Island is the southernmost island in Puget Sound. Like many other islands, it is only reachable by a short ferry ride or by boat. It has been a retirement destination since the 1960s, with a median age of 54. There is also one general store on the entire island.
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Andy’s Marine Park
Andy’s Marine Park spans 81 acres in the island’s southwestern corner. But it was just a 10-minute drive from the ferry dock. Like before, I used my favorite WTA reporter Eric‘s write-up. In the last few years, his reports have taken me to the hidden gems in the Greater Seattle area.
I arrived at an empty lot in the late morning and slowly walked the main trail down to the beach. The map at the trailhead marked the park boundary, so it helped keep out of the private land. The signs with names of the native plants en route were very educational.
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Old Growth Loop
Soon, I strolled the lush woodland and reached the four-way in under half a mile. Then I took the Old Growth Loop down to Carlson Cove before taking the wooden steps to the beach. But I couldn’t walk the entire shoreline and left after checking out Puget Sound.
I continued to Carlson Bay back on the main trail and crossed the wobbly footbridge to the sandy beach. There I saw a big house to the north, perching above cliffs. Then I walked south on the shore while enjoying the view. The only sighting of marine life was a dead crab.
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Outro
Soon, I walked up the south trail by the cliffs past the area designated for a future shelter. Then I turned left at the Lower Lagoon Trail in under a quarter of a mile. Going straight on the path would have taken me into private property.
The trail had two long sections of mud. The more extended one was impassable without getting the shoes dirty. I soon returned to the four-way and turned right onto the main trail back to the car. I met a group of three as they started.
See more trip photos here.