Spring Beach: Vashon's Intriguing, Private Enclave


​Vashon Island is home to many unique communities, but few are as captivating—or as private—as Spring Beach. Unlike many of the neighborhoods we've explored, Spring Beach is on a private road, making it largely inaccessible to the general public today. To truly understand its charm, you have to look back at its fascinating origins as a bustling vacation resort.


​A Destination Only Reachable by Steamer

​Imagine a time when the only way to reach this spot was by water. Spring Beach was initially developed as a summer vacation destination. Its centerpiece was the magnificent Miramar Lodge, a grand log structure built in 1905. Though it’s a private home now, this building once served as the resort's dining hall, general store, and even the local post office for this planned getaway.

​Back then, the only visitors making the trek were arriving on the wooden steamer Tourist, which would leave from Point Defiance. In the height of the summer season, more than 8,000 visitors would make the journey! For a reasonable rate, they could enjoy a taste of Vashon's west coast beach living in one of the resort's 50+ small cabins and tent structures. The activities haven't changed much: guests enjoyed hiking trails, beachcombing, clam bakes, and fishing, just as residents do now.


​A Quiet Community with Alaskan style Charm

​Today, Spring Beach is a quiet, settled community. The road dead-ends where the private pier once stood, and a collection of private cabins seems to defy gravity on the steep slopes they are built on. The whole area feels more like a remote Alaskan fishing village than a Puget Sound suburb. Many of the homes feature signs with clever, quirky names that give hints to their families' long histories on the island.

​If that hasn't piqued your curiosity, there's another twist: the adjacent Spring Beach Park. This 45.8-acre park is known as a birder’s paradise, but it, too, is only accessible via Puget Sound. This unique feature solidifies Spring Beach as a truly private paradise.


​So, if you ever get a rare excuse to visit this private enclave, take a minute to look around and appreciate its rich history and wonderfully quirky cabin architecture. It’s a testament to Vashon's enduring spirit of remoteness and self-reliance.

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