Boston Harbor Vicinity

getting there

From I-5 take exit 105 in Olympia towards Port of Olympia. Continue North off the off ramp. Continue on Plum St, which turns into East Bay Dr at the water.  After ~3 miles, the road continues as Boston Harbor Rd. At the stop sign, turn right onto Boston Harbor Rd and then left on 73rd Ave. The parking lot for the boat ramp and beach is on the left.

on the water

Boston Harbor offers a convenient launch point to access the junction of Budd Inlet, Eld Inlet, Eld Inlet Waterfront, Dana Passage, Squaxin Passage and Peale Passage as well as Hope Island, Squaxin Island and Hartstine Island. Within a few nautical miles many interesting locations can be visited including Burfoot Park, Gull Harbor and Big and Little Fishtrap inlets.  While the waters of Dana Passage can become rough due to fast tidal currents and wind, the shorelines adjacent to the launch allow for a lot of protected exploration.

notes

• With large groups or on peak weekends be mindful of the needs of other users. Parking can be limited as the launch is shared by a lot of fishing and other recreational power boat traffic in season. At high tide the beach adjacent to the launch is also limited.
• Thurston County manages the Boston Harbor Boat Ramp.
• At zero or minus tides the foot of the ramp is exposed mud.

INFORMATION FOR LEADERS

Scheduling & Permits

• If you are scheduling this as a non-course related activity, please limit your group size to the default party size. The maximum party size is for use by course field trips only, and includes both students and instructors. Group size maximums do not reflect how course field trips are run (in smaller groups of students and instructors), but allow for course leaders to register the course in our system.
• If you're planning to paddle to a destination for which we have a route/place, please that route/place to schedule your activity. These Routes & Places are listed in the On the Water section above.
• If you are scheduling a course field trip, please contact our Member Services Team to confirm the field trip and any permitting regulations.

Activity Cloning

• This route/place allows activities based on it to be cloned. Please be sure that the clones you make do not create a conflict or exceed the route/place maximum capacity. For more information, visit our How to Schedule & Manage Activities page.

• Suitable Activities: Sea Kayaking
• Seasons: Year-round, May, June, July, August
• Weather: View weather forecast

• Difficulty: Sea Kayak II

• Land Manager: Land Manager Varies
• Parking Permit Required: Discover Pass
• Recommended Party Size: 12
• Maximum Party Size: 40
• Maximum Route/Place Capacity: 40