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Tag: Hood Canal

  • New to North Mason? Here’s How Hood Canal Shellfish Harvesting Works — 2026 Edition

    New to North Mason? Here’s How Hood Canal Shellfish Harvesting Works — 2026 Edition




    If you moved to Belfair, North Mason, or anywhere along the Hood Canal in the last year or two, someone has probably already told you: you can dig your own clams here. They weren’t exaggerating, and they probably undersold it. Shellfish harvesting is one of the most distinctly Pacific Northwest things you can do — and Hood Canal is one of the best places in Washington State to do it. Here’s how to actually make it happen in 2026, including what changed this spring that even longtime locals may not know.

    Yes, You Can Actually Do This

    Hood Canal is a deep fjord-like inlet that runs along the west side of the Kitsap Peninsula, and the North Mason stretch — from Belfair south through Union — sits right at the southern end. The warm, relatively shallow waters of Hood Canal create ideal conditions for Manila clams, native littlenecks, mussels, oysters, and yes, geoduck. The public beaches here are harvestable — legally, freely — by anyone with the right license and gear.

    The best public shellfish beach in the immediate North Mason area is Potlatch State Park, about 12 miles north of Belfair on Hood Canal Highway (Highway 101 North). The beach at Potlatch has extensive oyster beds near the highway and solid Manila clam habitat across the tide flats. Season for clams, mussels, and oysters runs April 1 through May 31, so right now is actually a great window to go.

    What You Need Before You Go

    1. A shellfish license — required for anyone 15 or older. Buy online at fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov or at most sporting goods retailers (Walmart, Fred Meyer, local tackle shops). Cost is modest and covers the season. Without it, you’re subject to a citation on the beach.

    2. A Discover Pass — required for parking at Potlatch, Belfair State Park, and most state trailheads. $30/year or $11.50/day. Get it at discoverypass.wa.gov or at licensing agents like Fred Meyer. If you’re going to use any state park or DNR land regularly — and in North Mason you will — the annual pass pays for itself fast.

    3. Gear — a small clamming rake or hand shovel, a mesh bag or bucket, waterproof boots or old shoes. Nothing fancy. You’ll get better at reading the sand as you go.

    4. A biotoxin check — this is the critical one. Marine biotoxins (primarily paralytic shellfish poisoning, or PSP) are a real hazard in Hood Canal. You cannot see, smell, or cook them out of shellfish. A beach that was fine last week may be closed this week due to an algae bloom. Check the Washington State DOH Shellfish Safety Map at doh.wa.gov/ShellfishSafety.htm or call 1-800-562-5632 before every single trip. This is non-negotiable, and it’s what separates people who’ve lived here for years from tourists who get sick.

    The 2026 Rule Changes You Need to Know

    Even if someone walked you through clamming last year, note that WDFW updated regulations effective April 1, 2026:

    • Cockle minimum size is now 2½ inches (up from 1½ inches). Cockles are the round, ribbed clams you’ll find mixed in with other species. Measure before keeping.
    • Geoduck daily limit is now 1 per person per day (down from 3). Geoduck are the giant clams with the iconic long siphon — you’ll know one when you see the “shows” (holes and dimples in wet sand at low tide). The limit cut is about protecting slow-recovering intertidal populations.

    Understanding the Tides

    Successful shellfish harvesting is entirely tied to the tide cycle. You want to be on the beach during low tide — ideally a minus tide (below 0 feet on the tide chart), which exposes areas that are normally underwater. The NOAA tide prediction for Hood Canal (the Bangor or Union reference station works well) gives you the exact window. A good rule of thumb: arrive about 1–2 hours before the predicted low tide and leave as it comes back in.

    What Else Is Happening Outdoors Near Belfair Right Now

    While you’re getting oriented to the outdoor recreation picture in North Mason, a few other updates for spring 2026:

    Tahuya State Forest — Just west of Belfair, Tahuya is a sprawling DNR trail system used for mountain biking, hiking, and OHV riding. Portions of the Howell Lake Loop Trail are currently closed due to a washed-out bridge. The rest of the system is open — check current conditions at dnr.wa.gov/GreenMountainTahuya before you go.

    Mary E. Theler Wetlands — One of the best free outdoor experiences in Belfair is right in town. The Theler Wetlands (600 NE Roessel Rd) has miles of trails through estuary habitat. This summer, crews from the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group will be building a new 1,200-foot elevated boardwalk to reconnect the full loop trail across the restored estuary. The preserve is still open during construction — just expect some activity in the area.

    Belfair State Park — The Tree Loop campground opens for reservations May 15 at washington.goingtocamp.com. Sixty sites, tents and small rigs, right on Hood Canal. It’s your local swimming beach, kayak launch, and evening campfire spot for the summer. Book early — it fills up.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Where is the best place to dig clams near Belfair, Washington?

    Potlatch State Park, about 12 miles north of Belfair on Hood Canal Highway, is the closest and best public shellfish beach. Manila clams, native littlenecks, oysters, and mussels are all available during the spring season (April 1–May 31). Always check biotoxin status first at doh.wa.gov/ShellfishSafety.htm.

    Do I need a license to dig clams on Hood Canal?

    Yes. A Washington State shellfish/seaweed license is required for anyone 15 or older. It costs around $12–15 for a fishing/shellfish combination license and is available at fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov or local retailers including Fred Meyer and Walmart.

    What are the new shellfish rules for Hood Canal in 2026?

    Two key WDFW rule changes took effect April 1, 2026: cockle minimum size increased to 2½ inches (from 1½”), and geoduck daily limit dropped to 1 per person per day (from 3). All other standard limits for clams, mussels, and oysters remain in effect.

    What is a biotoxin and why does it matter for Hood Canal shellfish?

    Marine biotoxins, including paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) from harmful algae blooms, can accumulate in shellfish and cause serious illness. They can’t be detected visually or by cooking. Hood Canal has a history of PSP closures. Always check the DOH status map at doh.wa.gov/ShellfishSafety.htm or call 1-800-562-5632 before harvesting.

    What is the Theler Wetlands and can I visit it this summer?

    The Mary E. Theler Wetlands is a 135-acre nature preserve in downtown Belfair at 600 NE Roessel Rd, managed by the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group. It’s free and open to the public with several miles of trails. This summer, crews will be building a new elevated boardwalk to reconnect the estuary trail loop — expect construction activity but the preserve remains accessible.

    Sources: WDFW 2026 Shellfish Regulations; WDFW Potlatch State Park Beach Page; WA DOH Biotoxin Information; WA DNR Green Mountain and Tahuya State Forest; HCSEG/WDFW Theler Wetlands Restoration Project; WA State Parks Belfair State Park.

    Also on Belfair Bugle

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

    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

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

    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.

    📱 Watch & Share on Facebook

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  • Tide and Timber: A Watch Page for Union, WA — Where the Music Never Really Stops

    Tide and Timber: A Watch Page for Union, WA — Where the Music Never Really Stops

    There is a place on the hook of Hood Canal where the land folds into the water like it has always meant to, where the timber stands close enough to the tide that you can smell both at once. That place is Union, Washington — and people come from everywhere to find it.

    They come from Seattle, leaving the steel and glass behind for a two-hour drive that deposits them somewhere that feels older and quieter and more honest than the city they left. They come from Portland. They come from across the country and from corners of the world that have never heard of Mason County. And when they arrive in Union, they tend to stay longer than they planned.

    The Best Live Music You Have Never Heard Of

    The open mics in Union are the kind of thing that travel writers should be writing about but somehow aren’t. On any given night you might be sitting next to someone who just drove down from Bainbridge or rode in from Bremerton, and the person up front playing guitar learned their craft in Nashville or New Orleans or Oslo — and ended up in Union because Union has a way of pulling people in and holding them there.

    There is something about the scale of the place. The Hood Canal narrowing to its southern reach, the Olympics rising to the west, the water sitting still on calm evenings while someone plays a song that was written somewhere else but sounds completely at home here. The local music community in Union is deep and serious and generous, full of working musicians who have played real stages and chose this life at the edge of the canal anyway.

    Tide and Timber — the song carrying this video — was recorded in that spirit. Listen to it as you watch the water move and the light change, and it will tell you everything you need to know about why this place matters.

    Union and the Olympic Peninsula Question

    You will hear people say Union is not part of the Olympic Peninsula. It comes up often enough to be its own small tradition — the argument that the Hood Canal is the eastern edge of the peninsula, and that Union, sitting at the canal’s southern hook, does not technically qualify.

    It is the kind of argument that dissolves the moment you visit. Drive into Union from any direction and you are surrounded by the same ancient forest, the same mountains catching clouds to the west, the same tidal rhythms that define everything to the north and west of it. The Hood Canal is not a boundary here — it is an artery. The peninsula breathes through it.

    Every argument that Union does not belong on a list of remarkable Olympic Peninsula destinations loses its footing once you have sat by that water at dusk, or stood in a room while a musician played to thirty people like it was the most important show of their life. The honest lists include Union. The good ones lead with it.

    When to Go

    Union rewards every season. Spring brings the rhododendrons and the first serious fishing traffic on the canal. Summer fills the waterfront and the open mics draw bigger crowds. Fall turns the hillsides amber and the oyster season comes into its own. Winter is quieter and colder and more honest, the kind of season that shows you what a place is actually made of.

    If you are planning a loop of Hood Canal — Hoodsport, Lake Cushman, the Skokomish Valley, and back out through Belfair — do not let Union be a waypoint. Let it be a destination. The music will still be playing when you get there.

    📱 Watch & Share on Facebook

    Copy the link below and paste it into a new Facebook post — Facebook will pull the video in automatically so your friends can watch it directly in their feed.

    🔗 https://tygartmedia.com/tide-and-timber-union-wa-watch-page-mason-county/

    The video is hosted right here on this page. No YouTube account needed — just share the link.

  • Hood Canal Shellfish Season Opens with New 2026 Rules — Tahuya Trail Closure and What’s Coming This Summer

    Hood Canal Shellfish Season Opens with New 2026 Rules — Tahuya Trail Closure and What’s Coming This Summer

    Spring is here and so is shellfish season along Hood Canal! If you’re heading out to dig clams or harvest oysters, take note of the new 2026 rules that kicked in April 1 — the minimum size for cockles is now 2½ inches, and geoduck limits have dropped to one per person per day. Potlatch State Park’s clam, mussel, and oyster season is open through May 31, so grab your shellfish license and your Discover Pass and get out there.

    Over at Tahuya State Forest, heads up that portions of the Howell Lake Loop Trail remain temporarily closed due to a washed-out bridge. Plenty of other trails are open for ORV riding, mountain biking, and hiking — just stick to marked routes and remember your Discover Pass.

    Looking ahead, the Theler Wetlands trail system is getting a major upgrade this summer. Construction begins on a new pedestrian boardwalk in the footprint of the removed levees, fully reconnecting the estuary trail loop. And Belfair State Park’s Tree Loop campground opens for reservations May 15 — start planning those summer weekends on the water.

    • Shellfish 2026 Rule Changes (April 1): Cockle minimum size 2½ inches; geoduck limit 1/person/day
    • Potlatch State Park shellfish season: Open through May 31
    • Tahuya Howell Lake Loop: Partial closure — bridge washout; other trails open
    • Theler Wetlands boardwalk: Construction starting summer 2026
    • Belfair State Park Tree Loop: Reservations open May 15
  • Hood Canal North: Bald Eagle Kayak Tours in Brinnon — Sculpin Season Draws 100+ Eagles to Hood Canal — Exploring Olympic Peninsula

    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

    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

  • Community Spotlight: Sweetwater Creek Waterwheel Park Opens — Ribbon Cutting April 10 — Belfair Bugle

    Community Spotlight: Sweetwater Creek Waterwheel Park Opens — Ribbon Cutting April 10 — Belfair Bugle

    Something special is happening right in the heart of Belfair this week — and if you’ve driven past Belfair Elementary on Highway 3, you may have already spotted it. Sweetwater Creek Waterwheel Park is opening its gates, and the North Mason Chamber of Commerce is hosting a ribbon-cutting celebration on Thursday, April 10 at 1 p.m. to mark the moment.

    This isn’t just another park. Sweetwater Creek Waterwheel Park is a years-in-the-making community vision brought to life by the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group (also known as the PNW Salmon Center, right off NE Roessel Road in Belfair). Tucked just across Highway 3 from the Theler Wetlands, the park features the only freshwater ADA fishing access in all of Mason County — a real game-changer for families and anglers of all abilities. Plans also include native plant gardens, a nature playground, solar panels, and interpretive trails connecting people to the salmon that make Hood Canal country so special.

    The Salmon Center has been a quiet pillar of North Mason life for years — running Salmon in the Classroom, hosting story-time events for families at their Belfair campus, and stewarding Hood Canal’s watershed one stream at a time. This park is their love letter to Belfair, and the whole community is invited to the celebration Thursday.

    Park Details

    • Location: Next to Belfair Elementary School, across Highway 3 from Theler Wetlands
    • Operated by: Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group / PNW Salmon Center (600 NE Roessel Rd, Belfair)
    • Features: Only freshwater ADA fishing access in Mason County, native plant gardens, nature playground, solar panels, interpretive trails
    • Admission: Free and open to the public
    • Ribbon Cutting: April 10, 2026 at 1:00 PM — hosted by North Mason Chamber of Commerce

    If you’re proud of what North Mason is building — come out April 10, shake some hands, and see what your neighbors have been working on. This is what community looks like.

    Sources: PNW Salmon Center (pnwsalmoncenter.org), Mason County Journal, North Mason Chamber of Commerce

  • Mason County Outdoors: New Shellfish Rules, Twanoh State Park Season & Lake Cushman Update — April 4, 2026

    Mason County Outdoors: New Shellfish Rules, Twanoh State Park Season & Lake Cushman Update — April 4, 2026

    Heads up, shellfish fans — if you’re heading to the beach this spring, there are some important new rules to know about. 🐚

    As of April 1, WDFW rolled out two big changes for recreational shellfish harvesting statewide. The minimum size for cockles jumped from 1½ inches to 2½ inches, giving more cockles a chance to reach reproductive age. And the geoduck daily limit dropped from 3 per person to just 1 per person per day — a move to protect those slow-recovering intertidal populations.

    For Hood Canal harvesters, mark your calendars: Twanoh State Park near Union opens for clam digging May 15 through June 15, with oyster season running through September 30. But heads up — beach access at Twanoh will close after clam season for a shoreline restoration project, and campsite reservations are shut down from June 1 through spring 2027. Meanwhile, Lake Cushman is still in its spring drawdown, so boat launches won’t be usable until closer to Memorial Day when the water comes back up.

    Know before you go — always check both the WDFW season status AND the Department of Health biotoxin map before harvesting. Stay safe out there and enjoy the spring weather. 🌊

    Sources: WDFW Shellfish News Release | WDFW Twanoh Beach Page | WA State Parks: Twanoh | WDFW: Lake Cushman

  • Outdoor Recreation Update: New Shellfish Rules, Potlatch Season & Trail Alerts — Belfair Bugle

    Outdoor Recreation Update: New Shellfish Rules, Potlatch Season & Trail Alerts — Belfair Bugle

    Spring is here and so is shellfish season along Hood Canal. If you’re heading out to dig clams or harvest oysters, take note of the new 2026 rules that kicked in April 1 — the minimum size for cockles is now 2½ inches, and geoduck limits have dropped to one per person per day. Potlatch State Park’s clam, mussel, and oyster season is open through May 31, so grab your shellfish license and your Discover Pass and get out there.

    Meanwhile over at Tahuya State Forest, heads up that portions of the Howell Lake Loop Trail remain temporarily closed due to a washed-out bridge. Plenty of other trails are open for ORV riding, mountain biking, and hiking — just stick to marked routes and remember your Discover Pass.

    Looking ahead, the Theler Wetlands trail system is getting a major upgrade this summer. Construction begins on a new pedestrian boardwalk in the footprint of the removed levees, fully reconnecting the estuary trail loop. And Belfair State Park’s Tree Loop campground opens for reservations May 15 — start planning those summer weekends on the water.

    Key Outdoor Updates This Week

    • Shellfish rules: New 2026 WDFW regulations effective April 1 — cockle minimum 2½ inches, geoduck limit 1 per person/day
    • Potlatch State Park: Shellfish season open April 1–May 31 (clams, mussels, oysters)
    • Tahuya State Forest: Howell Lake Loop Trail partially closed — washed-out bridge. Other trails remain open.
    • Theler Wetlands: New pedestrian boardwalk construction coming summer 2026, reconnecting the full estuary loop
    • Belfair State Park: Tree Loop campground reservations open May 15

    Sources: WDFW Shellfish Regulations, WDFW Potlatch Beach Page, Trailforks Tahuya, AllTrails, WA State Parks, HCSEG Theler Restoration Project