Jetty Island

Jetty Island is 2-mile-long by half-mile-wide man-made island that lies just off the Everett waterfront. This little island, just 30 minutes north of Seattle, off the Everett waterfront is fast becoming the NW's best beach for kite board learning and riding. With its wide shallow water beach it is ideal for kite board training at any level. It receives steady and predictable sea breezes almost every afternoon into the evening between April and September. A free summer ferry transports visitors about every half-hour across the Snohomish River channel. The last boat off the island is usually around 5:30pm which is typically when the wind is best for kite boarders. Don't get stuck without a ride back.

The island also serves as a refuge for 45 species of birds, highlighted by nesting pairs of Caspian Tern and Glaucous-winged Gull. Others include Pigeon Guillemot, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Black-bellied and Semi-palmated Plover, Short-billed Dowitcher, Killdeer; and Least, Spotted and Western Sandpiper.

The west side of the island features a gently sloping beach that extends far out into Puget Sound, with the shallow water warmed to pleasant wading temperatures. A short trail wanders south of the ranger station; visitors are requested to keep to the beaches further north to protect the inland habitat.