The Whale Trail

Our Mission

The Whale Trail's mission is to inspire appreciation and stewardship for orcas, other marine mammals, and the marine environment by identifying a network of viewing sites along the whales' trails through the Salish Sea and along the Pacific Coast. Our goals are to increase awareness, build community, and promote land-based whale watching. Our overarching goal is to recover the endangered southern resident orcas (J, K and L pods) from the threat of extinction.

About The Whale Trail

Founded in 2008, The Whale Trail is a series of sites to watch orcas and other marine mammals from shore.  From 16 inaugural locations in Washington state, The Whale Trail has grown to a network of over 150 sites, spanning the west coast from California to British Columbia. Our signs reach a broad and diverse general public—people out for a walk, or riding a ferry. Every minute of every day, someone is reading a Whale Trail sign,  learning about the place they are at and the animals they might see. Collaboration in Action. Whale Trail sites are in city, county, state, and national parks,  Tribal lands and First Nations. We work closely with site hosts, agencies, community members and researchers to identify potential sites, and design and install our signs.  The Whale Trail is a simple, powerful way to connect people to marine mammals and their environment, without disturbing the animals that are being watched. As the harmful impacts of noise on ocean ecosystems becomes more clear, The Whale Trail has pioneered a model that is inspiring similar efforts around the globe.

Community Engagement

The  Whale Trail produces innovative programs and tools that bring people together to learn about whales.  We've hosted a long-running lecture series called Orca Talks, produced transboundary Orca Tours, and played Orca Bingo with hundreds of schoolchildren aboard Washington State Ferries. When whales are near, our volunteers hand out binoculars    so people can spot the whales, and learn about who they are watching.  We have helped thousands of people watch whales from shore since our founding in 2008, and galvanized participation in conservation and recovery.

SRKW Recovery 

The Whale Trail leads successful efforts to protect southern resident orcas by reducing the noise and disturbance around them. Director Donna Sandstrom served as a member of Governor Inslee's Orca Recover Task Force, where she championed a recommendation to licensing commercial whale-watching.  The recommendation became law in 2019. In 2023 the law was updated based on studies showing the harmful impact of noise on the ability of southern residents to find and catch their prey.  Beginning January 1, 2025 all boaters are required to stay 1000 yards away from the southern residents year-round. Together we have made a tangible difference in the lives of these vulnerable pods. A sea change is underway, against great odds. When the southern resident orcas return to the Salish Sea it is quieter, and they have more acoustic space to forage and rest and tend their young.   Reasons for Hope. There are eleven calves under six years old in the population and seven of those are female. The future of the population is here! Whether they survive and thrive into adulthood is up to us.

Your Support Matters

The Whale Trail turns 18 next year! With your help, here's what we'll accomplish in 2026:

• We'll add new sites and signs, and tools that make it easy for people to know where and when to watch whales from shore. 
• We'll continue to produce programs that bring communities together to learn about whales.
• We'll continue to lead successful efforts to protect the southern residents, and give J, K and L pods the space they need to forage, rest and tend their young.
• And we'll build resilience and capacity as an organization, to better meet challenges and opportunities in the coming months and years. 

Support The Whale Trail with confidence that 
your donation will make a real difference for whales, dolphins and their ocean homes.