Shaw Island Washington Map

About Shaw Island, Washington

Shaw Island is a locality in San Juan County, Washington, United States. It is a small community with a population of 230. The population density is 15.0 people per km². Shaw Island is located at 48.5843°N, 122.9291°W. It observes the Pacific Time (America/Los_Angeles) timezone. ZIP code: 98286.

Shaw Island emerges from the waters of Puget Sound as a verdant swell, its shores a gentle embrace against the ceaseless ebb and flow of the tide. It lies 7.2 miles east-northeast of San Juan, WA (from San Juan, WA: bearing 71°T), and is situated 3.4 miles south of Orcas Island. The island’s topography is a soft undulation of meadows and woodlands, a landscape sculpted by wind and water rather than dramatic geological upheaval. Ancient cedars and firs stand sentinel over moss-carpeted clearings, their branches reaching skyward, often softened by a persistent, pearlescent Pacific mist. The air here carries the briny tang of the sea, mingling with the damp, earthy scent of the forest floor. Along its coastline, smooth, water-worn stones and driftwood speak of countless tides, a constant reminder of the island’s intimate connection to the vast expanse of the Sound, with Blind Island a constant, close companion on the horizon. The history of Shaw Island is intertwined with the quiet stewardship of its land and the enduring spirit of its residents, a legacy woven into the very fabric of its marine biological preserve status. For generations, its economy has been anchored by the bounty of the surrounding waters and the resilience of small-scale agriculture, a tradition that continues to define its character. While no grand monuments mark its past, the weathered barns and the carefully tended gardens whisper stories of hard work and a deep connection to the earth. The island’s pace of life is dictated by the ferry schedule and the changing seasons, a rhythm that fosters a palpable sense of community, where neighbors know each other’s names and the quiet hum of the natural world often drowns out the clamor of the outside. Even the distant, often veiled, presence of the Cascade Range on the horizon serves as a reminder of the larger world, a world that feels comfortably distant from the serene solitude of Shaw Island.

About This Shaw Island Map Page

This page provides an embedded street and satellite map of Shaw Island, Washington — switch between views using the small square in the bottom left-hand corner of the map. Coordinates: 48.584268, -122.92907. Live weather conditions are sourced directly from the National Weather Service, with current observations and a 7-day forecast also powered by Open-Meteo. Real-time local news and world news feeds keep the page current, while a Wikipedia summary or an editorially written description provides background on Shaw Island and San Juan County.

Detailed location data for Shaw Island includes the ZIP code (98286), telephone area code (206, 253), county seat of San Juan County (Friday Harbor), and school district assignment. These are among the most commonly searched location details for any US city or town.

Location data is drawn from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and cross-verified against 2020 US Census records by coordinate proximity — ensuring the correct Shaw Island is identified even where the name is shared across multiple counties or states. Population figures are sourced from the 2020 US Census.