This unit has limited access due to no available parking.
The Marrowstone Unit is comprised of two properties: one property is adjacent to Fort Flagler Historical State Park on the northwest tip of Marrowstone Island. Within a half-mile southwest of this property is Rat Island—accessed ONLY by boat and home to one of Washington's largest Caspian tern colonies. The Marrowstone Unit offers saltwater shoreline fishing and wildlife viewing opportunities. Rat Island also allows hunting for deer and waterfowl.
This unit is located in Port Townsend Bay, about 2 miles southeast of Port Townsend and is north of Indian Island in Jefferson County. The property adjacent to the state park is accessed off Park Drive on park property, off Flagler Road.
Marrowstone Island Unit's Rat Island property is a low-lying, elliptically-shaped, uninhabited sand-island that is sparsely to densely vegetated with grasses and forbs.
This unit is part of the North Olympic Wildlife Area.
Game Management Unit: 624
Recreation and public access
A Discover Pass is required on WDFW lands -- including water access areas, wildlife areas, and campgrounds -- unless you already have a Vehicle Access Pass issued with the purchase of an eligible hunting or fishing license. Recreate responsibly on public lands: please know the Public Conduct Rules.
Recreation and access advisories
- Camping is prohibited on Rat Island.
- Please avoid landing on Rat Island and walking on both the uplands and shoreline where large groups of wildlife are present from May through August.
- The Fort Flagler Historical State Park has parking, restrooms, boat launch, and other public facilities adjacent to the unit.
- Avoid disturbing nesting Caspian Terns - primarily between mid-April through late July, these birds may be found nesting on bare sand above the high-tide line. Stay about 100 yards from nests.
- All dogs must be leashed from May through August.
Hunting
The Marrowstone Unit's Rat Island property offers hunting opportunities for deer, ducks, and geese (brant is closed to harvest in Jefferson County).
Hunting advisories
- Hunting is NOT allowed on the WDFW property that is adjacent to the Fort Flagler Historical State Park - there is a SAFETY ZONE in place at this location.
Fishing
This unit offers opportunities for saltwater shoreline fishing.
Wildlife viewing
The Marrowstone Unit offers opportunities to view a variety of wildlife, including deer and many bird species, including ducks, geese (including brant), Caspian terns, and shorebirds.
Search for potential birding opportunities on or near a wildlife area unit by using eBird Northwest, a citizen science database portal that provides freely-shared bird lists at 'hotspots' and interactive maps plus other birding information updated daily.
Wildlife viewing advisories
- Avoid disturbing nesting Caspian terns: Stay about 100 yards from these birds. Terns nest in large groups on the bare sand above the highest tide line. Nesting (courtship, egg laying, incubation, feeding young) occurs primarily between mid-April and late July.
Conservation
Special habitats and species
Uninhabited offshore sand and gravel islands and spits are relatively rare features in the inland waters of Washington State. These features are important to species like the Caspian tern that nests in depressions it creates in the sand. Rat Island has been occupied by as many as 535 nesting pairs in 2015, but in recent years, biologists have found no evidence of nesting despite the terns' continued use of the site. The Caspian tern is somewhat of a nomadic, colonial-nesting species that will move from place to place depending on predation pressure.
Conservation goals
- Manage to allow natural processes to continue but and minimize disturbance to important habitat features
Uninhabited offshore sand and gravel islands and spits are relatively rare features in the inland waters of Washington State. These features are important to species like the Caspian tern that nests in depressions it creates in the sand. Rat Island has been occupied by as many as 535 nesting pairs in 2015, but in recent years, biologists have found no evidence of nesting despite the terns' continued use of the site. The Caspian tern is somewhat of a nomadic, colonial-nesting species that will move from place to place depending on predation pressure.
- Manage to allow natural processes to continue but and minimize disturbance to important habitat features
Land stewardship
The Marrowstone Unit was originally to be managed by the Washington Department of Game as a wildlife refuge, public shooting grounds, or game management area.
Acquisition history
The parcels making up this area were purchased in 1957.
No specific funders assisted with purchasing these lands.
Management planning
2010 North Olympic Wildlife Area Management Plan
Every eight to 10 years, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) revises management plans for each of its 33 wildlife areas to document current conditions, address new agency initiatives, and identify new management priorities and actions. In between those major revisions, WDFW updates plans every two years to outline short-term objectives and accomplishments. In 2014, WDFW began the process of updating existing plans, many of which were written in 2006. The new plans are being developed with significant public participation and input.