The 2026 Hood Canal shellfish season at Twanoh is over — the clam window ran May 15 through June 15, the oyster season ended September 30, and the beach has been closed for a shoreline restoration project since mid-June. The north end of the canal closed early, too. What follows is the 2026 season as it played out, and the checks that will matter again when WDFW publishes the next season’s dates.
WDFW closed Shine Tidelands State Park and Wolfe Property State Park in Jefferson County on May 3, 2026, for the remainder of the 2026 season. Both sites saw harvest violations at scale — crowded beaches, exceeded daily limits, abandoned dig holes, parking violations, and species misidentification — and WDFW ended the season early. That closure affects harvesters from across the Puget Sound region, many of whom will drive south to Mason County’s beaches instead.
Last refreshed: October 18, 2026 (Pacific).
The Twanoh window: May 15 through June 15
Twanoh State Park on SR-106 between Belfair and Union is the main Mason County shellfish destination. In 2026, the clam season ran May 15 through June 15 only. That was a one-month window — miss it and the clam season was over.
After June 15, Washington State Parks began a shoreline restoration project at Twanoh and beach access closed for construction — by September 2026, the state Department of Health was noting Twanoh closed for day use, beach access and shellfish harvest due to that construction. Campsite reservations closed from June 1, 2026 through spring 2027. The oyster season ran through September 30 on the WDFW chart, but the construction closure overrode beach access in practice.
On harvest day: bring your Discover Pass ($10 day-use, $45 annual). Oyster shells stay on the beach — this is both state law and essential habitat practice. Fill every dig hole before you leave. WDFW’s enforcement notes on the May 3 north canal closures called out hole-filling as a documented statewide compliance problem. Rangers were watching that season.
After June 15: your alternatives
Potlatch State Park, further south on Hood Canal near Hoodsport, has its own season dates that differ from Twanoh — check the WDFW beach page at wdfw.wa.gov/places-to-go/shellfish-beaches for current status. Our Potlatch beginner guide covers the layout, rules, and what to bring.
Belfair State Park’s shellfish access is tied to the Union River estuary and Great Bend seasons — smaller harvest opportunity than Twanoh but worth checking if you’re already at Belfair. See our full WDFW enforcement and 2026 season overview for the complete picture.
Two checks you must make every harvest morning
The WDFW beach page tells you the season. The Washington State Department of Health tells you whether the beach is safe that specific day. A beach that’s open under WDFW can be simultaneously closed under DOH for paralytic shellfish poison (PSP) or vibrio contamination. Neither check replaces the other.
DOH Biotoxin Hotline: 1-800-562-5632. Check it on the morning of harvest. Also check the DOH Shellfish Safety Map online for real-time closure status on your specific beach.
2026 rule changes to know
The geoduck daily limit has dropped from three per person per day to one in 2026. WDFW also made season date shifts at multiple Hood Canal beaches as part of a statewide conservation package targeting beaches showing harvest stress. The 2026 annual beach seasons bar chart PDF at wdfw.wa.gov has the full comparison — look up your planned beach before you go, every year, because dates shift.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Twanoh State Park open for shellfish in 2026?
Twanoh’s clam season ran May 15 through June 15, 2026, and the oyster season ended September 30, 2026. After the clam season closed on June 15, Washington State Parks began a shoreline restoration project and beach access closed for construction through spring 2027. Campsite reservations closed starting June 1, 2026.
What do I need to bring to Twanoh for shellfish harvest?
Bring a valid Discover Pass for parking ($10 day-use or $45 annual), containers for your shellfish, and a shovel for filling dig holes. Oyster shells must stay on the beach — removing them is illegal. Know your daily limits before you go: clams are typically 40 littlenecks or 40 butter clams per person per day (verify current limits on WDFW’s beach page). Geoduck limit dropped to 1 per person per day in 2026.
Are the north Hood Canal beaches still open in May 2026?
No. WDFW closed Shine Tidelands State Park and Wolfe Property State Park in Jefferson County on May 3, 2026, for the remainder of the season. The 2026 season at both sites was already shortened from January 15–April 15 (down from January 1–May 15). The May 3 action was an additional enforcement closure due to harvest violations at scale.
What happens if I harvest shellfish on a DOH-closed beach?
Harvesting shellfish from a DOH-closed beach is illegal and a public health risk. Paralytic shellfish poison (PSP) is a neurotoxin that cannot be detected by taste, smell, or appearance. It is not destroyed by cooking. Symptoms range from tingling to paralysis and can be fatal at high doses. The DOH Biotoxin Hotline (1-800-562-5632) and DOH Shellfish Safety Map provide current closure status — check both on the morning of every harvest day.
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