If you’ve been waiting for Hood Canal’s legendary shellfish season to kick off, now is the time to start planning. Summer 2026 brings a fresh lineup of outdoor opportunities for our North Mason community — from the tide flats at Belfair State Park to the deeper waters of Marine Area 12, the Canal is waking up.
Belfair State Park Shellfish Season Opens July 15
Mark your calendars: the clam, mussel, and oyster season at Belfair State Park’s Hood Canal tide flats opens July 15, 2026, and runs through December 31. According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), this year’s opening comes two weeks earlier than originally scheduled — a welcome change for the families who make annual pilgrimages to the park’s famously productive mud flats at the south end of the Canal.
Belfair State Park sits on 3,720 feet of Hood Canal shoreline at 1002 NE Beck Road, Belfair WA 98528. The beach is known for oysters in particular, though portions near the tideline are soft mud, so waterproof boots are non-negotiable. Harvesters need both a valid WDFW shellfish/seaweed license and a current Department of Health (DOH) beach approval to take anything home. Check the WDFW “Find a Beach” tool at wdfw.wa.gov before you go — health closures can happen with little notice.
Standard Puget Sound daily limits apply: 18 oysters, 10 clams, and 10 mussels per person. Children 15 and under harvest free without a license.
Dungeness Crab Season: Summer 2026 in Marine Area 12
For crabbers, WDFW has confirmed that Hood Canal’s Marine Area 12 recreational Dungeness crab season will open in summer 2026 — exact dates to be announced. Watch the WDFW crab seasons page at wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfishing-regulations/crab for the opening announcement, which typically drops a few weeks before day one.
The standard Hood Canal setup: five male Dungeness, hard-shell, 6¼-inch minimum carapace width, recorded immediately on your catch record card. Crabbing has historically run Thursdays through Mondays in this marine area. The south end of the Canal near Belfair and Union tends to fish well early in the season.
Belfair State Park Camping: All Loops Open Mid-May
Planning to combine a shellfish trip with a weekend on the water? Belfair State Park’s full campground opens all loops by mid-May. The park offers 184 mixed-use sites — including 41 full hookup sites and 8 cabins — spread across three loops on the Canal shoreline. The Tree Loop (tents and rigs under 18 feet) is the most popular and fills fast.
Book at washington.goingtocamp.com or call 1-888-226-7688. Summer weekends typically fill months in advance, so check availability now if you haven’t already.
Theler Wetlands: Free Spring Birding Right Now
While the shellfish season is still weeks away, the trails are open today. The Mary E. Theler Wetlands Nature Preserve off SR-3 in Belfair, located at 600 NE Roessel Rd, offers more than three miles of accessible trails through 139 acres of salt marsh and estuary. May is peak migration season on Hood Canal — shorebirds, herons, and songbirds work the Union River estuary. The trails are free, open dawn to dusk, and the main boardwalk sections are ADA accessible.
The Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group (HCSEG), which manages the Theler Nature Center, is restoring the facility with plans to reopen interpretive community programs. Check pnwsalmoncenter.org for upcoming event announcements.
Before You Harvest
Shellfish closures can happen any time based on water quality. Always verify both the WDFW season status and the DOH health approval before harvesting at any beach. The DOH Shellfish Safety hotline is 1-800-562-5632. Same rule applies to every beach on Hood Canal — no exceptions.
The Canal belongs to all of us. Harvest within limits, pack out your gear, and leave the tide flats better than you found them.
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