Welcome to Friends of Moran State Park!

Membership with Friends $25.  Stay informed and support Moran State Park with Friends. You can pay online below or mail your check to Friends P.O. Box 1961, Eastsound, WA 98245.  Membership fees help support the emergency phone in the park where there is no cell service.  Your membership donation also supports educational outreach to our local community as well as hatchery operations and volunteer efforts.

Update on funding state parks

Here are the most current updates as provided by Jim King, Coordinator for Citizens for Parks and Recreation.  The news is no longer uncertain, but rather a prediction for state parks to limp along and struggle with operation and visitor demands.  Jim’s update ends with this statement:

There is now very little we can do about those outcomes, unless public pressure is brought to bear at a level we have yet to see so far this year.-Jim King

You can link directly to the Citizens for Parks and Recreation site for more information.

 

Celebrate the Centennial! 

This summer you’ll find an informative exhibit of Moran State Park photographs  in the Summit Learning Center and at Orcas Island Historical Museum.  These exhibits are the illustration of a partnership project between Friends of Moran and OIHM.

Moran State ParkSAVE THE DATE! July 27. You’ll also want to plan your visit to Moran on Saturday, July 27th when Crow Valley  in an alliance with Friends of Moran and Plein Air Washington Artists, will present an artistic celebration of 100 years of Washington State Parks.

A collection of artwork in various mediums will be presented for viewing and purchase. Artists and artwork will be displayed at the Day Use pavilion near the Moran Creek Kokanee Hatchery.   A portion of proceeds will be donated to Friends of Moran.   You can look forward to music throughout the day with popcorn, peanuts and lemonade to satisfy your snacking.  More details to come…

 

Summit Learning Center & Internship Program (learn more)

If you have visited our new learning center and loved what you saw, help us continue to gather more exhibits and information.  Support our internship program and educational outreach you can earmark your donation for the SLC. Help us to continue to grow and meet the inquiring minds that want to grow. You can click below or mail a check to us at Friends of Moran P.O. Box 1961, Eastsound, WA 98245 Thank you for your support.

 

Shuttle Bus on Orcas every day this summer!! Or Earn a FREE Summer Pass

Reducing the congestion of additional cars on the ferry and roads is a goal of the Scenic Byway Explorer Bus project. Visitors are invited to leave their cars behind and jump on the Scenic Byway Explorer Bus to enjoy a car-free experience. By taking a quick survey at Visit San Juans, visitors can download a 2-for-1 Explorer Pass, good for a day of exploring on Orcas or San Juan Island. They can even use it to get back to the ferry the next day.

Right now there is an essay contest for a free pass.  Write an essay of 250 words or less describing why a shuttle bus on Orcas is valuable for locals during the summertime. Illustrate how you would use a summer bus pass! (Free passes will be given for the four best essays, as determined by members of the San Juan Island Scenic Byway Partnership. Essays must be received at the Orcas Island Chamber office or sjiscenicbyway@gmail.com by Monday, June 3rd.)

Bus schedules and routes are available at San Juan Transit.

 

Discover Pass

A Discover Pass is required to park in Moran State Park. The annual Discover Pass will cost $30 annually ($10 daily) when purchased at the park.  Daily passes will be available at the summit through an automatic ticket dispsenser or at the Summit Learning Center. You can also purchase the annual Discover Pass at the registration booth, Orcas Outfitters.  Visit discoverpass.wa.gov for details.

The State Parks free days for 2013 are:

June 1: National Trails Day

June 8 – 9: National Get Outdoors Day and WDFW Free Fishing weekend

Aug. 4: Peak summer season free day

Sept. 28: National Public Lands Day

Nov. 9 – 11: Veteran’s Day weekend

We are seeking Park Hosts to help our volunteers operate the Summit Learning Center learn more. Hosting with Friends.

 

Thank you for your interest in Friends of Moran-we are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization established in 1995. Over 17 years of supporting our state park and enhancing the visitor experience with the help of community, volunteers and YOU!