Tahlequah Ferry Terminal

Find parking, directions, arrival guidance and terminal facilities.

Vashon Hwy SW and SW Tahlequah Rd
Vashon, WA 98070

Parking & getting here

There is a Park and Ride lot adjacent to dock. It is located at Vashon Hwy SW & SW Tahlequah Rd. For park and ride information and bus connections check Metro Online. [http://metro.kingcounty.gov/tops/parknride/]

WSF terminal guidance. Parking rates, restrictions and transport services can change; confirm with the operator.

When should I arrive?

WSF arrival guidance is general advice, not a measured live queue wait or a boarding guarantee. Check your route’s schedule, wait reports and cameras before leaving.

  • Morning departures are busiest leaving Tahlequah with vehicles advised to arrive 20-30 minutes ahead of the scheduled sailing. For non-peak departures, a 20 minute advance arrival is suggested. Passengers should arrive at least 10 minutes prior to sailing.

    WSF guidance updated

Accessibility & boarding assistance

Accessibility details are not available from WSF. Confirm boarding assistance and access needs with WSF before traveling.

An elevator listing alone does not establish step-free access. Check WSF guidance for your terminal and sailing.

Facilities & food

  • Restrooms: unavailable
  • Waiting room: unavailable
  • Food service: unavailable
  • Elevator: unavailable
  • Overhead passenger loading: unavailable
WSF food service & vessel galley details

Food guidance may include vessel galley hours. Confirm the route, season and current hours with WSF.

Point Defiance Galley Operating Hours (Fall 2026) Vessel Operating Hours Special Notes Vessel #1 8:30 am – 5:10 pm Daily Limited menu and credit only

Facilities listed by WSF; availability can change.

Bicycle boarding

There is no payment for passengers or bicycles traveling from Tahlequah to Point Defiance. Bicyclists may bypass the line of vehicle traffic to get onto the ferry dock. Bicyclists should arrive 20 minutes prior to departure time to be loaded at the beginning of loading process. If a bicyclist arrives after vehicle loading has begun, they will be loaded at the end of the load. Riders should walk their bikes on and off the ferry to avoid injuring passengers. There are no bike racks.

Motorcycle boarding

While motorcycles are not, by Washington Administrative Code (WAC 468-300-700), a preferential loading category of users, they are often loaded prior to automobiles for operational and staging purposes. Arrival at the dock after vehicle load has commenced requires motorcycles to wait until all cars have been loaded for the next motorcycle loading opportunity. Motorcycles should proceed, while on the dock, at no more than 10 mph. Use caution when car decks are wet. The following information details specific staging for this terminal: Fare Purchase/Redemption Roundtrip Fares Purchased at Point Defiance or online in advance. Entry/Staging Motorcycles may bypass vehicles to stage in the front of the holding lanes. Loading Loading order: bicycles, motorcycles, vehicles, late arriving motorcycles as space permits. Special Communication There is no motorcycle fare charged when traveling from Vashon Island. Motorcycle fares are roundtrip from Point Defiance.

Trucks and large vehicles

The vessel assigned to this route has a height clearance of 16'. The overhead wires at the Point Defiance terminal and the wires leaving the Point Defiance terminal are only 13' 6" tall. WSF requires trucks with a gross vehicle weight of over 80,000 lbs and/or over 8’6” wide to have “travel approval” before crossing any of our routes. Vessels on this route have a limited height clearance and trucks may be loaded out of sequence. Trucks that have a gross vehicle weight of over 80,000 lbs but are hauling less than 80,000 lbs will need to provide a weight slip. Please fill out our Oversized/Overweight Vehicle Travel [https://wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/rider-information/trucks] form and email it to [email protected]. Please allow three business days for completion and approval. You can contact us at anytime for status updates at (206)464-6400. . Trucks with a ground clearance of less than 14" may not be allowed to travel to/from Vashon Island during periods of extreme low tides [https://wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/sailing-schedules/low-tide].

Security

WSF has implemented a U.S. Coast Guard approved security plan, for more information please visit our Safety and Security [https://wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/rider-information/safety] page.

Lost and found

Lost and found items on this route are turned into the Point Defiance Ferry Terminal. Due to storage limitations, items are held for 30 days from the date they were found. To check if we have your item, please call (206) 515-3439 or email [email protected] [[email protected]] between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. If you contact us outside these hours, we'll try to respond the next business day. Our Information Agents can also assist you with lost and found inquiries at (206) 464-6400. Phones are open daily from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Terminal details checked

Service notices: no current public results; checked

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Route crossing times & vessel facilities
  • Pt. Defiance / Tahlequah · crossing time: 15 minutes.

    Average vehicle capacity: 89.

    Normal vehicle capacity: 89.

    Maximum normal vehicle capacity: 89.

    Galley, vessel position 1: 07:35–17:10, weekdays Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

Coordinates: 47.33201595608293, -122.5077858029099.

WSF vessel watch