Tag: Outdoor Recreation

  • 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

  • Outdoors & Environment: New WDFW Shellfish Rules, Twanoh Season & Lake Cushman Update — Mason County Minute

    Outdoors & Environment: New WDFW Shellfish Rules, Twanoh Season & Lake Cushman Update — Mason County Minute

    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 significant 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. If you haven’t updated your knowledge of the regs this season, now is the time.

    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 there’s an important heads-up — beach access at Twanoh will close after clam season wraps for a shoreline restoration project, and campsite reservations are shut down from June 1 through spring 2027. Plan your Twanoh trips accordingly.

    Meanwhile, Lake Cushman is still in its spring drawdown phase. Boat launches won’t be usable until closer to Memorial Day when the water comes back up — so hold off on trailering the boat out there for another few weeks.

    Key Outdoors Updates — Mason County

    • WDFW Shellfish Rule Changes (effective April 1, 2026): Cockle minimum size raised to 2½ inches. Geoduck daily limit reduced to 1 per person. Applies statewide including all Hood Canal beaches.
    • Twanoh State Park (Union): Clam season open May 15–June 15. Oyster season through September 30. Beach access closes after clam season for shoreline restoration. Campsite reservations closed June 1–spring 2027.
    • Lake Cushman: Spring drawdown ongoing. Boat launches unavailable until Memorial Day weekend.

    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 Regulations News Release, NW Sportsman Magazine, WDFW Twanoh Beach Page, WA State Parks

  • West End & Forks: Visit Rialto Beach Now Before Summer Road Closure — Gray Whale Migration & Hoh Rainforest Spring — Exploring Olympic Peninsula

    West End & Forks: Visit Rialto Beach Now Before Summer Road Closure — Gray Whale Migration & Hoh Rainforest Spring — Exploring Olympic Peninsula

    If Rialto Beach is on your spring bucket list, now is the time to go. Starting this month, construction on Mora Road will reduce traffic to a single lane near milepost 1.25 — and from July 8 through October 5, the road will close entirely beyond Mora Campground. That means no vehicle access to Rialto Beach for most of the summer. A full closure caused by 2019 Quillayute River flood damage is finally being addressed, but the timing means summer visitors will be rerouted. Visit now while you can still drive right up to those iconic sea stacks and massive driftwood logs.

    Meanwhile, the Hoh Rainforest is absolutely magical this time of year. Spring rains have the waterfalls roaring, the mosses are glowing an electric green, and Roosevelt elk are easy to spot grazing in the lowland meadows. Keep your eyes on the trail for banana slugs and Pacific tree frogs — they love this weather. The Hoh is one of the few temperate rainforests in the world, and April is genuinely one of its finest months.

    And if you’re heading to La Push or the coast this weekend: April is peak gray whale migration season along the Washington coast. Mothers and calves travel close to shore on their northbound journey, making them visible right from the beach. Grab your binoculars and scan the horizon — you might just spot a spout.

    West End Spring Highlights

    • Rialto Beach / Mora Road: Single-lane construction starts April near milepost 1.25. Full road closure July 8–Oct 5. Visit before July for vehicle access. Caused by 2019 Quillayute River flood damage repair.
    • Hoh Rainforest: Peak spring conditions — roaring waterfalls, electric green moss, Roosevelt elk in meadows, banana slugs and Pacific tree frogs active. Hall of Mosses Trail and Hoh River Trail both open.
    • Gray Whale Migration: First two weeks of April are peak northbound migration off the Washington coast. Mothers and calves travel close to shore. Best viewing spots: La Push, Rialto Beach, Cape Flattery area.

    Sources: Peninsula Daily News (April 3, 2026), Forks Forum (March 19, 2026), The Daily World (March 25, 2026), NPS.gov, The Whale Trail, Puget Sound Express