Lummi Island Ferry

The Whatcom Chief services Lummi Island from 5:40 am to midnight on weekdays and from 7:00 am to midnight on weekends. You can catch the ferry from the dock on Lummi Nation (near Ferndale, WA). The ferry ride from Gooseberry Point to Lummi Island is usually between five to ten minutes, depending on the weather. You can purchase a round-trip ticket from the ferry crew on your trip to the island; no tickets are sold on the return trip. The ferry crew accepts all major credit and debit cards with the exception of American Express. Hikers and bikers are welcome! If you’re walking or taking a bike, you’ll wait and load at the gate as directed.  

Resident islanders usually purchase a punch-card for convenience and affordability—with a punch-card, each round-trip is a slightly reduced fee.

You can learn even more about the The Whatcom Chief- Lummi Island ferry on the on the Whatcom County Website. If you want to follow the most up-to-date information on outages, maintenance information, or other important news, be sure to follow the ferry crew on Twitter. The schedule for the ferry is typically posted on the ferry dock and is available at The Islander, the library, and other local businesses.

You can also access the full Lummi Island ferry schedule online.


Lummi Island Ferry Rates 

  • Pedestrian or passenger: $7 single ticket or $3.52 with punchcard 

  • Car with driver: $13

  • Bicycle with rider: $7 

  • Motorcycle with driver: $8 

  • Children less than 19 years old: Free
    *Children less than 12 years old must be accompanied by an adult.*

*2020 rates, please check the Whatcom Chief Ferry website for current rates and information. There, you’ll also find official county ferry rates for larger vehicles, trailers, and multi-ride passes.


Lummi Island Ferry Dry Dock

Each May, the Whatcom Chief ferry goes into dry dock for maintenance. This means that there is no substitute vehicle ferry service and the island is accessible via ferry only for foot passengers and bikes. Dry dock season typically lasts for about three weeks and exact dates are posted on the Whatcom Chief’s website. Visitors are welcome to come to Lummi Island during dry dock, and many islanders look forward to the quiet and even slower pace that dry dock brings. It’s a lovely time to visit, but it’s important to plan ahead as visitors will be without a vehicle. There is a shuttle with a limited schedule that makes numerous stops around the island; you can catch the shuttle from the ferry dock. If you’re considering visiting Lummi during May, please reach out to us and we’ll help you plan accordingly.

Callie Cullum