Puget Island sits in the Columbia River directly across from Cathlamet, connected by the Julia Butler Hansen Bridge (built 1938) via State Route 409. At 7.5 square miles, it's flat enough for an easy bike loop — the roads along the dike offer wide views of the Columbia, the Oregon shore, and the Cascade foothills on clear days.
The island is also home to the Robert W. Little Preserve, a protected habitat for Columbian white-tailed deer, so wildlife sightings are possible even without venturing into the main refuge. Named after Peter Puget of the 1792 Vancouver Expedition, the island has a year-round population of about 900, many of them retired — which gives it a quiet, unhurried feel that suits the setting.
At the island's south end, the Wahkiakum County ferry departs for Westport, Oregon — a 10-minute crossing that is itself worth the trip.