Razor Clam Digging Near Ocean Park, WA.
Grab the clam guns from the mud room, pick up your license at Jack's Country Store, and drive onto the beach from Bay Avenue — about five minutes away. Park wherever looks good and start digging.
Current dig dates.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) calls this whole stretch of coast — Columbia River north to Willapa Bay — the Long Beach zone. It's the name you'll see on their schedule, not just the town.
WDFW approves specific dates only after marine-toxin testing clears a beach, usually confirmed about a week out. The season generally runs fall into spring, best digging one to two hours before low tide. Schedules and approvals change — check WDFW's live dates before you come.
Driving onto the beach.
From the house, you drive onto the beach at the Bay Avenue approach, park on the sand, and dig from there — no trail, no lot. WDFW asks drivers to keep to 25 mph and stay on the hard-packed sand near the high-tide line; the soft sand above it hides clam beds and buried Dungeness crab.
License, limit, and gear.
- License required, ages 16+
- Limit: first 15 you dig, per digger
- Shovel or clam gun
- Your own container
Diggers 16 and older need a current Washington razor clam license. The daily limit is the first 15 clams you dig, any size, kept in your own container. For gear, a shovel or a clam gun both work — we keep two clam guns in the mud room for guests. Jack's Country Store sells licenses in person; WDFW also sells them online.
Back at the house
Clean up is part of the plan.
Rinse off at the heated outdoor shower, then clean your limit at the courtyard's outdoor kitchen — boil a pot for chowder, or grill them right there.
Guests ask.
Do we need our own clam gun?
No — we keep two in the mud room for guests.
How far is the beach?
About five minutes — drive onto the sand at the Bay Avenue approach and park.
Do kids need a license?
Washington requires one starting at age 16.
What if the dig gets canceled?
WDFW can delay or cancel dates after toxin testing — check their live schedule before you head out.
Swipe for more