Tygart Media

Category: Olympic Peninsula

Discover the Olympic Peninsula — Washington State’s wild western edge. Regional guides covering the West End & Forks, Hood Canal, Port Townsend & East Jefferson, South Coast & Grays Harbor, Sequim & Dungeness, and Olympic National Park. Trail conditions, events, wildlife, and travel inspiration year-round.

  • South Coast & Grays Harbor Spring Guide: Razor Clams, Gray Whales & the Quinault Rain Forest

    There are three very good reasons to point your car toward Grays Harbor this spring.

    Razor Clamming at Twin Harbors & Mocrocks

    Twin Harbors and Mocrocks beaches are open for razor clamming — one of the most reliable and accessible clamming spots on the Washington coast, just south of Westport. Low tides in the morning make for prime digging conditions. Grab your license (the 2026–27 recreational fishing license is required starting April 1), a clam gun, and a bucket. Always verify current openings with WDFW before heading out, as schedules can shift based on marine biotoxin monitoring.

    Gray Whale Migration from Westport Light

    April is peak gray whale migration season on the Washington coast, running from March through early May. Westport is one of the best places in the state to watch them. Head to Westport Light State Park — the tallest lighthouse in Washington — and scan the horizon for spouts. On a calm spring day you might spot 10–25 whales, with surfacing every 5–15 minutes during peak hours. Charter whale watch trips run from the Westport Marina if you want to get closer to the action. Westport Light State Park is an official stop on the Washington Whale Trail.

    The Quinault Rain Forest in Spring

    The Quinault Rain Forest is in its most magical spring form right now. The cedar bogs along the Rain Forest Loop Trail are bursting with skunk cabbage in vivid gold and green, snowmelt is feeding the waterfalls, and the mosses are electric after months of winter rain. The Quinault Rain Forest Loop Trail is accessible — though some sections may have flooding, and returning via South Shore Road is an option if needed.

    Lake Quinault Lodge has been welcoming guests since 1926. It’s the kind of place that makes you want to stay for dinner and wake up to mist on the lake. Always check current road and trail conditions at NPS.gov/olym before heading into the backcountry.

    Plan Your Visit

    Grays Harbor doesn’t always get the spotlight, but in spring it’s putting on a show. The combination of razor clamming, whale watching, and old-growth rainforest hiking makes for one of the most diverse single-day itineraries on the Olympic Peninsula. Give yourself a full day — or better yet, a long weekend.

    Sources: WDFW, experiencewestport.com, westportwa.com, NPS.gov/olym, GraysHarborTalk, hikeoftheweek.com

  • Hood Canal North: Mt. Walker Spring Hike & Bald Eagle Kayaking in Brinnon — April 2026

    April is the sweet spot for Mt. Walker. The gate on Forest Road 2730 reopened April 1st, the rhododendrons are budding up the slope near Quilcene, and you have a few weeks before the big May crowds arrive. It is 5 miles roundtrip with 2,050 feet of gain — this trail earns its views — but from the north summit you get an unreal look at Hood Canal and the Olympics stretching out beyond. Take US 101 south from Quilcene about 5 miles to just before milepost 300, then turn right on Mt. Walker Road. Go this week if you can. 🌿🏔️

    #HoodCanalNorth #MtWalker #OlympicPeninsula #HikingWashington #ExploreHoodCanal

    This is one of those Hood Canal North experiences people do not forget. Hood Canal Adventures in Brinnon runs Tide Pool Kayak Tours through the spring, and in mid-April you get a bonus: bald eagles are gathering in serious numbers along the canal. Some groups have spotted up to 100 in a single paddle. That is not a typo. 🦅

    Tours launch from Yelvick’s Beach in Brinnon, run about 2.5 hours, and are $105/person. Book with Christina at kayakbrinnon.com or call 360-301-6310 — spots fill fast on clear spring days.

    #BrinnonWA #HoodCanalNorth #KayakBrinnon #OlympicPeninsula #WashingtonWildlife #BaldEagle

  • How We’re Building Exploring Olympic Peninsula With AI — And Why Your Input Matters

    How We’re Building Exploring Olympic Peninsula With AI — And Why Your Input Matters

    What Exploring Olympic Peninsula Is

    The Olympic Peninsula is enormous. Four counties, hundreds of miles of coastline, a national park, tribal lands, small towns separated by mountain passes and rainforest, and communities that range from Sequim’s sunshine to Forks’ rainfall. Covering all of it — the trails, the restaurants, the events, the local issues, the hidden spots — is a massive undertaking for any publication.

    Exploring Olympic Peninsula was built to try. And we’re using AI to help us do it.

    How AI Helps Us Cover the Peninsula

    We use AI tools to research, organize, and draft content about the Olympic Peninsula. Specifically, AI helps us monitor public sources across four counties, pull together event listings from chambers of commerce and tourism boards, compile trail conditions and park updates, research businesses and attractions, and draft articles that our editorial process then reviews and refines.

    AI lets a small team cover an area that would traditionally require a newsroom spread across Clallam, Jefferson, Grays Harbor, and Mason counties. It’s not a replacement for local knowledge — it’s a multiplier that helps us get to more stories, faster.

    Why We’re Telling You This

    We believe in being transparent about how our content is made. AI-assisted journalism is growing across the industry, and the publications that are honest about it build more trust than the ones that hide it. You deserve to know how the content you’re reading was produced.

    We’ve also learned from our sister publications — Belfair Bugle and Mason County Minute — that transparency about AI use invites the kind of community feedback that makes everything better. When readers know that AI is part of the process, they understand why certain types of errors happen and they’re more willing to help correct them.

    Our Verification Process

    Every article that mentions a specific business, restaurant, hotel, trail, attraction, or physical location on the Olympic Peninsula runs through a Google Maps verification gate before publication. This checks that each named place exists, is currently open, and that the details in our article match the official record.

    This protocol was built after community members on our Mason County publications caught entity errors and pushed us to do better. We took that feedback and made it a permanent part of our process across all our publications, including this one.

    For a region as vast and geographically complex as the Olympic Peninsula — where a road closure can cut off an entire community and a restaurant might be seasonal — this verification step is especially important.

    Where You Come In

    No database captures the Olympic Peninsula the way people who live here do. You know which roads are actually passable in March. You know which restaurants are seasonal. You know the local name for that trailhead that Google Maps calls something different. You know which beach access points are real and which ones exist only on old maps.

    That knowledge is what we need most. If you see something on Exploring Olympic Peninsula that doesn’t match what you know — a business that’s closed, a trail description that’s off, a geographic detail that misses the mark — please tell us. Comment on the post, reach out on social media, or message us directly.

    We’re building this publication for the people who love the Olympic Peninsula. Help us get it right.

  • Washington’s New E-Bike Rebate Program Is Open Now — Olympic Peninsula Residents Can Apply

    Washington E-Bike Rebate: Washington state residents age 16 and older can apply for a $300 or $1,200 e-bike rebate. The program runs from March 30, 2026 through March 29, 2027. Monthly random selections began April 13, 2026. In Jefferson County, households earning at or below $59,238 qualify for the higher $1,200 rebate.

    Washington’s E-Bike Rebate Program Is Live — Here’s How to Apply

    If you’ve been thinking about getting an e-bike for exploring the Olympic Peninsula, Washington just made it a lot more affordable. The state’s new e-bike rebate program opened on March 30, 2026, and the first monthly drawing of applicants began today, April 13.

    Washington residents age 16 and older can apply for a $300 rebate toward the purchase of a qualifying e-bike. Lower-income households can receive a $1,200 rebate. Rebates are applied at participating bike shops at the time of purchase.

    How the Program Works

    You only need to submit one application to be considered for all monthly drawings through March 2027. Each month, the program randomly selects applicants from the pool. If selected, you receive a rebate to use at a participating bike shop toward a qualifying e-bike model.

    The rebates cover all three classes of e-bike and are designed to reduce — though not necessarily eliminate — the upfront cost. E-bikes typically range from around $1,000 to well over $5,000 depending on the model.

    Who Qualifies for the $1,200 Rebate?

    To qualify for the higher $1,200 rebate, your household income must be at or below 80 percent of the median income for your county. In Jefferson County, that threshold is $59,238. Income thresholds differ by county — check the program’s application for your specific county’s limit.

    For the standard $300 rebate, you just need to be a Washington resident age 16 or older with a working email address. No income verification required.

    Why E-Bikes Make Sense on the Olympic Peninsula

    The Olympic Peninsula has no shortage of bike-friendly roads and trails, and e-bikes extend how far and how comfortably you can ride — especially on hilly terrain or longer routes. Port Townsend, Sequim, and the Dungeness Spit area all have established cycling infrastructure. For local commuters, e-bikes are an increasingly practical option given gas prices in the region.

    How to Apply

    The application is available through Washington state. You only need to submit once to be entered in all monthly drawings. The program runs through March 29, 2027. For details and to apply, search “Washington e-bike rebate” at the Washington State Department of Commerce or Transportation website.

    Frequently Asked Questions: Washington E-Bike Rebate 2026

    How much is Washington’s e-bike rebate?

    $300 for most Washington residents age 16+. $1,200 for households at or below 80% of county median income. In Jefferson County, that income threshold is $59,238.

    How do I apply for the Washington e-bike rebate?

    Submit one application through the Washington state program — you’ll be entered in monthly random drawings through March 2027. Search “Washington e-bike rebate” at the state commerce or transportation website.

    When do the monthly drawings happen?

    Monthly selections began April 13, 2026. The program runs through March 29, 2027.

    What types of e-bikes qualify?

    All three classes of e-bike qualify. The rebate is applied at participating bike shops at the time of purchase.

  • Planning a Trip Around the Olympic Loop This Summer? Here’s What WSDOT Has on US 101

    2026 construction season: WSDOT has multiple active work zones on US 101 and connecting state routes around the Olympic Peninsula this year. Most are part of a long-running fish barrier removal program. Expect reduced speeds, shifted lanes, and occasional one-way alternating traffic at several locations. Plan extra travel time.

    Driving the Olympic Loop in 2026? Here’s What WSDOT Wants You to Know

    If your summer plans include a drive around the Olympic Loop — or a trip to the Hoh Rain Forest, the coast, or Hood Canal — you’ll be navigating some construction zones this season. WSDOT has multiple active projects on US 101 and connecting routes across Jefferson, Clallam, and Grays Harbor counties in 2026.

    The good news: WSDOT is keeping traffic moving through all work zones. The practical advice: leave early, check the WSDOT app before you go, and don’t count on maintaining highway speeds at every stretch.

    Active Work Zones on US 101 — What to Expect Where

    Near Port Angeles — Lees and Ennis Creeks

    On US 101 just outside Port Angeles, fish barrier removal work at Lees Creek and Ennis Creek is ongoing through summer 2026. The speed limit is reduced from 40 mph to 25 mph through both work zones. Travelers will see shifted lanes. No daytime lane reductions at these sites — nighttime lane closures happen between 7 PM and the early morning hours.

    Near Ruby Beach — Milepost 165

    One-way alternating traffic controlled by a signal is in place at milepost 165 near the Olympic National Park Ruby Beach entrance. This is an ongoing erosion repair on the highway shoulder following December 2025 winter storms. WSDOT is monitoring conditions and scheduling a permanent repair.

    South of Forks — Jefferson/Clallam County Line

    A fish passage work zone south of Forks at the Jefferson-Clallam county line remains in place through the end of 2026. This is part of the Coastal 29 fish barrier correction project that has been running on the peninsula since 2023.

    SR 116 — Chimacum Creek Closure Coming This Summer

    On State Route 116, a culvert replacement at Chimacum Creek is scheduled to begin after the July 4 holiday weekend in summer 2026. This will include a longer-term road closure with a signed detour via State Route 19, Irondale Road, and Chimacum Road. Travelers heading to Port Hadlock and beyond should plan accordingly.

    Hood Canal Bridge — SR 104

    In late spring and summer 2026, travelers using the Hood Canal Bridge (SR 104) will see overnight closures from 11 PM to 4 AM as preservation work continues on the bridge’s shock absorbers and center lock system. Short maintenance openings lasting 30–40 minutes may occur during daytime hours. Check the Hood Canal Bridge status page at wsdot.wa.gov before crossing.

    Tips for Driving the Peninsula This Summer

    • Download the WSDOT app for real-time traffic, closures, and ferry updates
    • Check engage.wsdot.wa.gov/olympic-peninsula-construction for the full project map
    • Build in extra time at known work zones, especially on US 101 near Port Angeles and south of Forks
    • For ferry planning, make reservations early on the Port Townsend/Coupeville route

    Frequently Asked Questions: US 101 Olympic Peninsula Construction 2026

    Where are the main construction zones on US 101 on the Olympic Peninsula in 2026?

    Key areas: Lees and Ennis Creeks near Port Angeles (25 mph reduced speed, shifted lanes); milepost 165 near Ruby Beach (one-way alternating traffic); south of Forks near the Jefferson-Clallam county line (ongoing through end of 2026).

    Is the Hood Canal Bridge open in 2026?

    Yes, but expect overnight closures from 11 PM to 4 AM in late spring and summer 2026 for preservation work. Check wsdot.wa.gov for current status before crossing.

    Why is WSDOT doing so much construction on US 101?

    Most projects are part of a court-ordered statewide fish barrier removal program, replacing outdated culverts under highways that block salmon migration. The “Coastal 29” project has been correcting 29 barrier sites along US 101 and SR 109 since 2023.

    Where can I check current Olympic Peninsula road conditions?

    Use the WSDOT app, visit wsdot.wa.gov, or check engage.wsdot.wa.gov/olympic-peninsula-construction for the full project map.

  • Four Olympic Peninsula Campgrounds Face Closure After State Budget Cuts

    What’s happening: Gov. Bob Ferguson signed Washington’s new state operating budget on April 1, 2026. The budget cuts forced the Department of Natural Resources to plan closures or service reductions at up to 19 recreation sites statewide. Four Olympic Peninsula campgrounds are on the preliminary list. The DNR’s final closure list has not yet been released.

    Four Olympic Peninsula Campgrounds Are on the DNR Closure List

    If you’re planning a camping trip to the Olympic Peninsula this spring or summer, check ahead before you go. Washington’s new state budget, signed April 1 by Gov. Bob Ferguson, has triggered plans to close or reduce services at multiple campgrounds managed by the Department of Natural Resources — and four sites on the Olympic Peninsula are on the preliminary list.

    The four Olympic Peninsula campgrounds identified for potential closure are:

    • Anderson Lake — Jefferson County
    • Bear Creek — along the Sol Duc River, Clallam County
    • Hoh Oxbow — on the Hoh River
    • Lyre River — near Joyce, Clallam County

    These are DNR-managed sites, not Olympic National Park campgrounds. The DNR’s Courtney James told local media that the final list of impacted sites will be released in the near future. Some sites may see full closures while others face partial or seasonal service reductions.

    What the Budget Cuts Mean on the Ground

    The DNR, Washington State Parks, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife all took significant hits in the new budget. Beyond full campground closures, the DNR has warned that even sites that remain open will feel the effects: slower storm damage recovery, less trail and bathroom maintenance, reduced staffing, and more trash on trails.

    The DNR’s statement put it plainly: “Visitors to Washington public lands should expect less trail and bathroom maintenance and slower response to things like storm damage and downed trees.”

    What This Means for Olympic Peninsula Visitors

    The Olympic Peninsula draws visitors from across the Pacific Northwest and beyond each summer. DNR campgrounds at sites like Bear Creek and Lyre River provide lower-cost, first-come first-served camping that complements the Olympic National Park campground system — which operates separately and is not affected by these state budget decisions.

    Before heading out, check the DNR’s recreation alerts page at dnr.wa.gov/OlympicPeninsula for the latest updates on site status. The final closure list is expected before summer season begins.

    Frequently Asked Questions: Olympic Peninsula DNR Campground Closures

    Which Olympic Peninsula campgrounds might close in 2026?

    Four DNR-managed sites are on the preliminary list: Anderson Lake (Jefferson County), Bear Creek (Sol Duc River, Clallam County), Hoh Oxbow (Hoh River), and Lyre River (near Joyce, Clallam County). The final list has not yet been released.

    Are Olympic National Park campgrounds affected?

    No. These closures affect DNR-managed campgrounds only, not campgrounds inside Olympic National Park, which operates under the National Park Service.

    When will the final DNR closure list be released?

    The DNR has said the final list of impacted sites will be released “in the near future.” Check dnr.wa.gov/OlympicPeninsula for updates.

    Why are the campgrounds closing?

    Washington’s new state operating budget, signed April 1, 2026, significantly cut funding for the DNR, Washington State Parks, and Department of Fish and Wildlife recreation programs.

  • Tide and Timber: Union, WA — The Olympic Peninsula Place That Wins Every Argument

    The people who know the Olympic Peninsula best will tell you it is not one thing. It is a rainforest dripping into the Hoh. It is the Strait of Juan de Fuca with its freight traffic and its harbor seals. It is the Pacific coast at Kalaloch, and the mountain meadows at Hurricane Ridge, and the river valleys that cut down from the Olympics toward the water. It is also — though some will debate this, right up until they visit — Union, Washington, at the southernmost hook of Hood Canal.

    What this video captures is Union in its essential form: the light on the water, the timber closing in from every rise, the quiet that settles over the canal on a still afternoon. The song you are hearing is called Tide and Timber, and it was written for places exactly like this.

    Why People Leave the City for the Hood Canal

    On any weekend you can find people on the road from Seattle who are not heading to the mountains and not heading to the coast — they are heading to the canal. From Portland, the drive is longer but the pull is the same. From elsewhere in the world, the pull is more mysterious, the product of some article read years ago or a friend’s description that never quite left the back of the mind.

    They find Hood Canal and follow it south, and the further south they go the quieter it gets, until they reach Union and the road curves and the water opens up and they understand why the drive was worth it. The Hood Canal here is at its most intimate — narrow enough to feel like a river, tidal enough to remind you it connects to the ocean, surrounded by hills that catch the last light of the afternoon in a way that makes even seasoned travelers stop the car.

    The Music Scene That Nobody Talks About

    Union has open mics that draw musicians from across the Pacific Northwest and beyond — people who came to visit the canal and stayed, or who drove out from Seattle looking for a different room to play. The quality is serious. The community is real. On the right night, in the right room, you will hear something that stays with you the way that the best live music does: unexpectedly, completely, in a way that makes the venue and the town and the landscape around it all part of the same experience.

    This is not an accident. Union attracts a certain kind of person who values authenticity over spectacle, who can hear the difference between a musician playing for attention and a musician playing because the song demands it. The tide and the timber have a way of sorting people out.

    Union Belongs on the List

    The debate about whether Union counts as Olympic Peninsula is a small debate in the end. Geography has its arguments, and they are not uninteresting. But anyone who has driven the Olympic Loop and skipped Union has missed something — not a footnote, but a chapter. The hook of Hood Canal is where the peninsula gathers itself before the water widens back toward Puget Sound, and Union sits at that gathering point like a town that knows exactly what it is.

    The best lists of remarkable places on the Olympic Peninsula include Union. Not reluctantly, as a runner-up, but with the full weight of what the place actually is: a waterfront community at the intersection of the tidal canal, the old-growth timber, and a music scene that could hold its own anywhere. Come for the view. Stay for the song.

    Plan Your Visit

    Union is roughly 25 miles southwest of Belfair on Highway 106, along the southern shore of Hood Canal. The drive from Seattle takes about two hours and is worth every minute of it. Combine it with a visit to Twanoh State Park just to the east, or continue west along the canal toward Hoodsport and the trailheads into the Olympics. However you approach it, leave more time than you think you need.

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  • Port Townsend & East Jefferson: Farmers Market Opens, UFO Fiber Art Exhibit & Victorian Heritage Festival April 24–26 — Exploring Olympic Peninsula

    Port Townsend has a lot going on this spring — here’s what to know before your next visit.

    The Port Townsend Saturday Farmers Market opened for the 2026 season on April 4, and it’s running every Saturday 9 AM–2 PM through the season at Tyler and Lawrence Streets in Uptown. With up to 90 vendors at peak season — local produce, seafood, baked goods, artisan crafts, and prepared food — it’s one of the finest small-city farmers markets in Washington State. Easy to combine with a stroll through Port Townsend’s Victorian downtown.

    Also worth a stop: Peninsula Fiber Artists just installed “UFO: Second Sightings” — a walk-by fiber art exhibit at the Fiber Habit Window, 675 Tyler St. The concept is intriguing: artists traded their own unfinished objects (UFOs) anonymously with each other and transformed them into entirely new finished works. The exhibit is viewable 24/7 through May 31, no ticket required.

    Looking ahead to late April, mark your calendars for the 30th Annual Victorian Heritage Festival, April 24–26, 2026. The festival includes presentations and events at Fort Worden State Park, Victorian fashion talks, and guided walking tours through Port Townsend’s remarkable collection of preserved Victorian architecture. One of the most distinctive heritage events anywhere on the Olympic Peninsula.

    Port Townsend Spring Events

    • Saturday Farmers Market: Every Saturday 9 AM–2 PM, Tyler & Lawrence Streets, Uptown Port Townsend. Up to 90 vendors. 2026 season runs April through fall. jcfmarkets.org
    • “UFO: Second Sightings” Fiber Art Exhibit: Fiber Habit Window, 675 Tyler St. Viewable 24/7 through May 31. Free. Peninsula Fiber Artists.
    • 30th Annual Victorian Heritage Festival: April 24–26, 2026. Fort Worden State Park events, fashion talks, architectural walking tours. Port Townsend Heritage Association. yourpeninsula.com for details.

    Sources: Jefferson County Farmers Markets (jcfmarkets.org), Peninsula Daily News (April 7, 2026), PT Leader, yourpeninsula.com, Chevy Chase Beach Cabins event listing

  • Hood Canal North: Bald Eagle Kayak Tours in Brinnon — Sculpin Season Draws 100+ Eagles to Hood Canal — Exploring Olympic Peninsula

    Spring is eagle season along Hood Canal North — and right now, the numbers are extraordinary.

    Hood Canal Adventures in Brinnon is running their Bald Eagle Viewing Kayak Tours through June, and the timing couldn’t be better. The annual Pacific midshipman sculpin spawn draws massive concentrations of bald eagles to the Hood Canal shoreline near the Dosewallips delta. At low tide, the spawning fish become exposed in the shallows — and the eagles follow. Guides routinely spot 40 to 60 bald eagles at once, with some peak days exceeding 100 perched along the banks and overhanging trees. This is one of the most dramatic wildlife spectacles in western Washington, quietly unfolding on the jade-green waters of Hood Canal every spring.

    If you’re craving more intertidal magic, Hood Canal Adventures also runs Tide Pool Exploration tours with an on-water marine biologist — paddle out at low tide to find sea stars, nudibranchs, sea anemones, sea cucumbers, and crab in the rocky shallows. Their Dosewallips Estuary Kayak Tour takes you deep into the 1,000-acre wildlife delta at Dosewallips State Park, where elk sightings are surprisingly common even from the water.

    Spring is the sweet spot to experience Hood Canal North — before summer ferry crowds and before temperatures push visitors toward the mountains. Book at hoodcanaladventures.com or find their full listing and reviews at explorehoodcanal.com.

    Hood Canal North Spring Guide

    • Bald Eagle Viewing Kayak Tour: 2.5 hrs. Running April–June. 40–100+ bald eagles typical during sculpin spawn. Hood Canal Adventures, 306146 Hwy 101 N, Brinnon. (360) 301-6310. hoodcanaladventures.com
    • Tide Pool Exploration Tour: 2.5 hrs with marine biologist guide. Sea stars, nudibranchs, anemones, sea cucumbers.
    • Dosewallips Estuary Kayak Tour: 1,000-acre wildlife delta. Elk sightings common. Connects to Dosewallips State Park trail system.
    • Dosewallips State Park: 1,000+ acres, Maple Valley and Steam Donkey trails, yurts available year-round.

    Sources: explorehoodcanal.com, hoodcanaladventures.com, TripAdvisor 2026 listings, Hood Canal Adventures Facebook

  • Hood Canal South: Hama Hama Oyster Rama Returns April 18–19 After Seven-Year Hiatus — Exploring Olympic Peninsula

    Two weeks from now, one of Hood Canal’s most beloved celebrations makes its long-awaited return — and it’s worth circling on your calendar right now.

    The Hama Hama Oyster Rama is back on April 18 and 19, noon–6pm both days, at Hama Hama’s legendary beach farm in Lilliwaup, WA — after a seven-year hiatus since 2019. This is a genuine tidal celebration: guided tours with intertidal ecologists and oyster growers, u-pick oysters and clams straight from the Hood Canal flats, a Shuckathalon shucking competition, live music, local beer and wine, kids’ activities, and food vendors showcasing the best of Hood Canal’s incredible seafood culture. Ticket proceeds benefit the Hood Canal Education Foundation and local charities.

    Entrance tickets are $45 for adults (16+), with kids 15 and under free. If you want to harvest your own shellfish to take home, the u-pick pass is $85 and includes 3 dozen oysters plus 3 lbs of clams. These events sell out — if you’re planning to go, get your tickets now.

    Hama Hama Oyster Rama Details

    • Dates: April 18–19, 2026 — noon to 6 PM both days
    • Location: Hama Hama Oyster Farm, 35846 N US Hwy 101, Lilliwaup, WA 98555 (Mason County, Hood Canal)
    • Tickets: $45 adults (16+) | Kids 15 and under free | U-pick pass $85 (3 doz oysters + 3 lbs clams)
    • Activities: Intertidal ecology tours, u-pick shellfish, Shuckathalon competition, live music, beer/wine, kids’ activities, food vendors
    • Charity: Proceeds benefit Hood Canal Education Foundation and local charities
    • Tickets: hamahamaoysters.com | Event listing: explorehoodcanal.com

    Sources: hamahamaoysters.com, explorehoodcanal.com, KING5 Evening coverage