Friday Harbor Officials Help Sheriff’s Office Prosecute Trout Lake Trespassers

Trout Lake in 2020. Town of Friday Harbor, Contributed.

From the Town of Friday Harbor

There is a growing number of people trespassing in the Trout Lake Watershed.

The town of Friday Harbor will assist the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office in the identification and prosecution of these individuals. Cameras located throughout the watershed have taken photos of dozens of people walking through the watershed without authorization.

“Photo records show individuals walking their dogs, riding bikes and carrying fishing poles into this restricted area,” said Town Administrator Duncan Wilson. “No Trespassing signs are posted throughout the acreage that surrounds the Town’s water supply, and yet our cameras continue to catch people entering.”

Many of the photos clearly show the faces of those entering the watershed and include pictures taken while the individuals are standing next to the restrictive signage.

“Most concerning is a series of photos taken of an individual apparently hunting in the area, and you can see their rifle and they are dressed head to toe in camouflage clothing,” Wilson continued. “Unless expressly authorized, no one should be in the watershed area. The danger of having people in this area during the dry summer months is serious because of the high fire danger. A fire in the watershed would seriously jeopardize the quality of the Town’s drinking water, so we cannot tolerate continued trespassing activity.”

Neighbors are not exempt from these restrictions. While the town has an emergency fire road to Mt. Dallas, this road is gated and residents may not hike, hunt or fish within this area. All photos will be submitted to the sheriff’s office for investigation.

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