Canoe Island is available for use by schools, youth groups, and families that are interested in conducting high quality residential or day-only education programs with or without French for up to 45 participants.  The camp is on a 47-acre private island just 4 miles from either the San Juan Island or Orcas Island ferry terminals between Shaw and Lopez islands.  The wildness of the island has been nurtured with a carefully planned trail system through forested uplands and mossy promontories and along more than a mile of pristine shoreline.  The camp has a number of architecturally stunning camp buildings including the lodge, library, meeting and recreation rooms, infirmary, longhouse for performances or presentations, a crafts building, log cabin, 14 tipis on wooden platforms with cots, mattresses and electric lights,  guest house, heated freshwater pool, tennis court, and athletic field.

For schools and youth groups, Canoe Island French Camp can provide an opportunity for students, program leaders, and adult chaperons to live for a week, weekend, or longer on a beautiful island while participating in a custom education program that addresses the intellectual and academic needs of the participating students.  The program content can be specific (marine biology, island ecology, astronomy, geology, Native American culture and history, and French Canadian history) or it can be an interdisciplinary mix of any of these topics or others. For an extra fee, participants can also take a boat ride to observe orca whales and other marine mammals and wildlife that inhabit the Salish Sea.  An optional activity is to learn snorkeling skills in the camp's freshwater, heated pool, then use these skills to explore the near-shore environment with wetsuits, snorkels and masks.

The group program fee  covers full use of all Canoe Island camp facilities and boats, three meals per day, full use of CIFC teaching resources (classrooms, lab supplies, library, scientific field equipment, recreation supplies, guest houses, etc.) and leadership for your education programs by the CIFC Executive Director and Camp Director to the level you desire.

Groups can  access the camp from Friday Harbor via water taxis, via float plane from multiple Northwest locations, or via the camp's 27-foot landing craft from  the ferry landings on Orcas Island or at FridayHarbor.  Please contact us for custom program specifics.