Washington’s razor clam digs start October 9, but only two of the four beaches are in great shape
Everyone knows the Washington coast for its storms, but the real fall event happens after dark, when hundreds of people spread across the sand with flashlights and clam guns. Razor clam season is back, and the dates just got real.
Washington’s Department of Fish and Wildlife has penciled in 40 tentative digging days from October 9 through December 27. Here’s the catch: not every beach made it out of the summer in the same shape.
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The first Washington dates
The opening series runs October 9 through 14, with evening low tides that start at 6:23 p.m. on Friday the 9th and slide to 9:32 p.m. by Wednesday the 14th. Long Beach and Twin Harbors are on the list every night. Mocrocks and Copalis rotate in on certain dates.
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A second series is tentatively set for October 24 through 30. And “tentative” matters: every dig needs final marine toxin approval from the Washington Department of Health, which wants two test samples, seven to 10 days apart, under the domoic acid guideline. Check WDFW’s razor clam page before you drive anywhere.
Pick your beach like you mean it
WDFW’s coastal shellfish biologist says Long Beach and Twin Harbors populations remain strong, while summer surveys showed significant decreases at Copalis and Mocrocks. Kalaloch is closed because its clam numbers are depressed. My plain-spoken opinion: if your schedule only gives you one night, aim for Long Beach or Twin Harbors.
Long Beach is also the easy one to build a weekend around, since the beach itself is a destination. We wrote about why you can legally drive on it, which is a good read before you show up with a trunk full of buckets.
The rules in one breath
Anyone 16 or older needs a valid 2026-2027 license, and the limit is 15 clams per person per day. You have to keep your first 15, regardless of size or condition, so no cherry-picking. Most successful digging happens one to two hours before the listed low tide, so show up early.
Mind the 25-mph beach speed limit and stick to designated access points. Washington’s budget cuts could also mean delayed openings and fewer dig days, so keep your plans flexible.
What about Oregon and California?
Oregon’s most productive clamming stretch, the 18 miles of Clatsop beaches from the Columbia River down to Tillamook Head, was closed July 15 through September 30 to protect young clams. ODFW said it could reopen October 1 if biotoxin levels meet state safety standards, so confirm the current status before you go.
California has its own shellfish advisories that change by county, and the state health department posts them. Look them up before you dig anywhere along the coast.
Trip tips: grab a rental car to get out here, lock in your hotel before the good rooms are gone, or skip both and book a camper van instead.
Rules and fees change — always confirm current requirements before you go.
Have you ever dug your own razor clams, or is this the year you finally try? Tell us which beach you’re picking.
