On islands from Shaw to Decatur, pastoral hills give way to broody forests and scrappy escarpments that overlook inlets. Thanks to an active land preservation effort by organizations like the San Juan County Land Bank, each year new areas are protected from logging or unruly development, and in turn provide fresh terrain for the public to explore.

 

Text: AMURA ± Photo: Ryan McGinty, Chi King, ©JNTO, Heraldeixample, Citypictures.