John Tursi Trail Old Cabin

Good to know

• Historical landmark
• 9 kmfrom Anacortes center
• 4.8 / 54 reviews
• Anacortes

A Ghost from the Deep Woods

The Old Cabin is all that remains of a miner's shack that once stood at the edge of an abandoned mine shaft on Fidalgo Island's southern ridge. Today it sits as a protected historical landmark along the trail, its timbers slowly surrendering to the surrounding forest. Visitors report that water pools inside the shaft nearby, especially in winter months, adding an atmospheric quality to the short detour from the trail.↗↗

What makes this site compelling is not grandeur but proximity—the cabin appears almost casually along the trail, framed by meadows, rocky balds, and the deep greens of Pacific Northwest old-growth forest. It is a quiet encounter with a landscape that once supported small-scale mining operations, now reclaimed by moss and sword ferns.↗

The Trail That Takes You There

The John Tursi Trail stretches approximately 1.1 miles as a dedicated route, but connects with the Ginnett Trail and Pass Lake Loop to create a longer 4-mile circuit. The trail traverses past the Old Cabin, a red rock quarry, and the "rock" of artist Morris Graves' lore, with views stretching to Pass Lake, Campbell Lake, and Mount Erie. Elevation gain of around 600 feet over 2.2 miles roundtrip (via the shorter out-and-back) makes it a manageable but rewarding hike, though the full loop adds steep, rutted, and rocky sections that call for trekking poles.↗↗↗

The trail serves as both a recreation route and a wildlife corridor, passing through one of the most picturesque valleys on Fidalgo Island. It fills a critical gap in the Pacific Northwest Trail, replacing 3.5 miles of dangerous highway walking with scenic forest tread. The route was a cooperative effort spanning more than 17 years—50 years, in fact, in Deception Pass State Park planning documents before ground was finally broken.↗↗

Who Was John Tursi?

The trail honors the legacy of John Tursi, a philanthropist and Anacortes community leader whose life is inseparable from the story of these landscapes. Tursi first came to Fidalgo Island as a young member of the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression, helping build the infrastructure at Deception Pass State Park that still stands today. After the CCC, he settled in Anacortes, married Doris Anderson, and worked for decades at the Shell Puget Sound Refinery.↗↗

John and Doris Tursi dedicated themselves to preserving the places they loved. He was the largest donor in the campaign to permanently protect the Anacortes Community Forest Lands, and he and Doris donated a conservation easement on Fidalgo Bay to the Skagit Land Trust. His vision ensured that the forests, trails, and historic sites like the Old Cabin would remain accessible to future generations.↗

Getting There and Practical Notes

Two main access points serve the trail. The Donnell Road approach (from the Campbell Lake Road parking area east of Heart Lake Road, then south 0.5 miles on Donnell Road to the trail entrance) requires no parking pass but involves a modest road walk. The Pass Lake approach starts from Highway 20, turning on Rosario Road into the Pass Lake parking lot; hikers head northeast on the Pass Lake Trail, then up the Ginnett Hill Trail at 0.7 miles, reaching the Old Ginnett Homestead at 0.9 miles before turning right onto the Tursi Trail. A Discover Pass ($10/day, $30/year) is required for the Pass Lake lot.↗↗

The trail crosses some private property, so staying on marked route is essential. Short, steep sections with ruts and rocks make walking sticks advisable for the full loop. In wet months, water can pool inside the mine shaft near the cabin, so visitors should exercise caution. The site has earned a 4.8-star rating from reviewers who describe it as gorgeous and well-maintained.↗↗↗