Captain Eliza of the Spanish Expedition of 1792, named the island "isle de Mata". Mata has many meanings in Spanish, most having to do with lush plant growth. The U.S. Coast Survey conferred the name Matia on the island in 1854, which means "no protection" in Spanish.
The park is on the Strait of Georgia and is accessible only by boat. Park facilities include a one-mile loop trail, campsites, and features picnicking, saltwater fishing, scuba diving, hiking, and clam digging.
The Washington State Parks system includes more than 125 developed parks and covers about a quarter million acres.
Plan your vacation to the Pacific Northwest with 
