The island is a popular destination for kayak trips due its relatively close proximity to the mainland and to the camping available at two sites on the east side.

Limited areas of fertile non-ultramafic soils occur around the island's northern end and in small pockets elsewhere.

[3] The first sighting of Cypress Island by Europeans was by the Spanish during the 1791 voyage of José María Narváez, who named it San Vincente.

Vancouver reports that the Chatham, one of the vessels in his party, lost an anchor in Strawberry Bay, on the west side of the island.

[5] Vancouver wrote: The island of Cypress is principally composed of high rocky mountains and steep perpendicular cliffs which in the center of Strawberry bay fall a little back and the space between the foot of the mountains and the sea side is occupied by low marshy land through which are several small runs of most excellent water that find their way into the bay by oozing through the beach.

Spokane industrialist Raymond A. Hanson acquired 3,150 acres (12.7 km2) on Cypress Island in 1978 [6] and, in the 1980s proposed first a large-scale public utility development and then a five-star resort and golf-course.