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Tidal cancellations and travel restrictions

Learn about when to avoid certain routes during low tides so you do not damage your vehicle from scraping or getting caught on the loading ramps.

Port Townsend/Coupeville route tidal cancellations

Our Port Townsend/Coupeville route is subject to scheduled cancellations or adjustments to sailing times due to tidal currents. Visit our Port Townsend/Coupeville tide cancellations page to view dates and times of all upcoming sailing times canceled or adjusted for tidal currents.

Low tide travel restrictions 

At low tides, some of our loading ramps have a steep slope that causes an extreme angle for:

  • Trucks
  • RVs with a low ground clearance
  • Vehicles towing a trailer

People driving these vehicles should wait for a ferry when the tide is higher for safe clearance and to avoid damage to your vehicle. Below are the routes with low tide warnings.

Vashon Island routes

Trucks with a ground clearance of less than 14 inches should not travel on our Fauntleroy/Vashon, Southworth/Vashon and Point Defiance/Tahlequah routes during the following dates and times:

November 2024

  • Sunday, Nov. 3: 11:15 p.m. to 12:29 a.m. Monday, Nov. 4 (-1.5 feet)
  • Monday, Nov. 4: 11:50 p.m. to 1:11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5 (-1.5 feet)
  • Wednesday, Nov. 6: 12:48 to 1:38 a.m. (-1.4 feet)
  • Thursday, Nov. 14: 8:40 to 10:40 p.m. (-2.0 feet)
  • Friday, Nov. 15: 8:52 to 11:50 p.m. (-3.1 feet)
  • Saturday, Nov. 16: 9:24 p.m. to 12:42 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 17 (-3.6 feet)
  • Sunday, Nov. 17: 10:07 p.m. to 1:24 a.m. Monday, Nov. 18 (-3.5 feet)
  • Monday, Nov. 18: 11:04 p.m. to 1:58 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19 (-2.9 feet)
  • Wednesday, Nov. 20: 12:17 to 2:19 a.m. (-2.0 feet)
  • Saturday, Nov. 30: 9:35 to 11:03 p.m. (-1.6 feet)

See the schedule for our Fauntleroy/Vashon, Southworth/Vashon or Point Defiance/Tahlequah route.

Edmonds/Kingston and Mukilteo/Clinton routes

There are a few times each year when trucks with a ground clearance of less than 10 inches should not travel on our Edmonds/Kingston and Mukilteo/Clinton routes. Sign up for rider alerts for these routes to be notified of these occasions.

See the schedule for our Edmonds/Kingston or Mukilteo/Clinton route.

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Highlights from the Gray Notebook

166,800 electric vehicle

registrations in Washington in 2023, up from 114,600 in 2022.

87 wetland compensation sites

actively monitored on 918 acres in 2023.

25,000 safe animal crossings

in the Snoqualmie Pass East Project area since 2014.