Lily Point Marine Reserve
Chelhtenem, “hang salmon for drying,” is the name used by the Native Straits Salish people for this place at the heart of the Salish Sea, the maze of inland saltwater shared by Washington and British Columbia. Sand, gravel, and rock deposited by the melting ice age glaciers created this landscape. The shallow mudflats and the underwater reef extending to the southeast create a rich habitat for marine life. Sand eroded from the bluffs is ideal for spawning forage fish, and thick eelgrass and kelp beds provide cover.
 Sockeye salmon returning from their long ocean journey pass close to these shores as they seek their birth stream to continue the cycle of life. Orca whales sing underwater as they hunt for salmon. For untold centuries, the First Salmon Ceremonies performed here gave thanks for this bounty. Alaska Packers Association (APA) operated a salmon cannery at Lily Point from 1884-1917. Fish traps that supplied the cannery displaced native fishers and depleted salmon populations.
Growing urban populations sought out Lily Point for its spectacular views and quiet respite. Amid pressures to develop the property for housing and a resort, in 2008 a cooperative venture of local residents, the Whatcom Land Trust, Washington Departments of Fish & Wildlife and Ecology, and Whatcom County secured funding to purchase the 130 acre property and protect it for posterity.
Getting to Lily Point
Check Current Conditions
Follow I-5 to Peace Arch border crossing, then continue on Route 99 to Exit 20. Follow Ladner Trunk Rd (Route 10) west. Turn left on Route 17 then left on 56th Street to Point Roberts border crossing. Follow Tyee Drive. Turn left on APA Rd. to parking area at end of road.
Translink Routes 603 and 604 provide access to the intersection of 56th Street and 1 Ave in Tsawwassen. Continue south 1 block to the border crossing.
Exploring Lily Point
Follow the path past the entrance gate. At the split ahead, follow the path straight ahead to views of Lily Point and Boundary Bay from the top of the bluffs. Both trails converge in a half mile near a viewpoint looking south across the Strait of Georgia to the San Juan Islands. A steep, primitive trail descends 200’ to the beach area from this point. Explore cobble beach and mudflats west and north from the point.
Lily Point brochure  |
