Zylstra Lake & King Sisters Preserve

Zylstra Lake and King Sisters Preserve offer a peaceful retreat into San Juan Island’s rural landscape, combining open grasslands, forested corridors, and wetland habitats. These connected preserves provide a glimpse into the island’s agricultural past while supporting ongoing conservation efforts to protect wildlife and waterways.

Zylstra Lake Preserve

Zylstra Lake features a quiet lakeside trail with views of open meadows and distant ridgelines, making it a great place for walking, birdwatching, and seasonal fishing. The preserve is home to a variety of bird species, including great blue herons, bald eagles, kingfishers, and seasonal waterfowl such as trumpeter swans and the occasional rare tundra swan.

The dam area is open seasonally for catch-and-release fishing. Dogs are allowed on-leash from April to September but are not permitted the rest of the year to protect migratory waterfowl.

Adjacent to the preserve is Island Haven Animal Sanctuary, a refuge for rescued farm animals. While not open to the public, it contributes to the area’s conservation value, providing a protected space for both wild and domestic animals.

King Sisters Preserve

Located just north of Zylstra Lake, King Sisters Preserve offers a short, flat walking trail along San Juan Valley Road, passing through protected farmland, forests, and a stream corridor. The preserve plays an important role in conserving agricultural land and local waterways, providing habitat for deer, raptors, songbirds, and native plants.

The stream flowing through King Sisters Preserve eventually connects with False Bay Creek, linking it to Ihiya Biological Reserve and Zylstra Lake, forming an important natural waterway that ultimately reaches the Salish Sea.