WDFW Beach Season Information
Clam, mussel and oyster season OPEN November 1 through April 30 only.
WA Department of Health (DOH) classified Duckabush as Conditionally Open with an annual HARVEST CLOSURE from May 1 through October 31 each year.
For your own safety please DO NOT PARK ON HIGHWAY 101. See parking information for proper beach access.
Please respect private property. Shellfish may not be taken from private beaches without the owner's permission.
WDFW shellfish seasons indicate the specific times of year when harvesting is permitted. Before heading to the beach, please also check the Department of Health (DOH) information below which is related to health of the shellfish and may be updated daily. To harvest on this beach, it must be both during the WDFW approved season and approved by the DOH.
Duckabush is an excellent beach for Manila clams. The best areas are in the mid-intertidal zone in sand and gravel substrate. Duckabush is a very large, flat beach and it can be hard to tell where the best clam digging is. One way to find productive clam areas is to look for spots where digging has occurred, or in exposed areas in tidal channels. There are some native littleneck clams at Duckabush but they are not as abundant as the Manila clams. Butter clams, cockles and horse clams are found in the low intertidal zone in sand and mud. There is good digging for geoducks below minus two feet of tide elevation.
Duckabush was formally a commercial oyster beach. It is a superb place to harvest oysters.
The Duckabush public tidelands are located on Highway 101 between mile markers 310 and 311, about 3.9 miles south of Brinnon and 20 miles north of Hoodsport.
Coming from the north on Highway 101, drive about one mile past Black Point Rd., passing the turnoff for the Forest Service Duckabush Recreation Area. You'll pass over the large concrete superstructure bridge crossing the Duckabush River. Shortly after the bridge there is a sign on the right announcing "Public Parking Next Right". Turn right into the large gravel parking area (marked by a "Slow Vehicle Turnout" sign).
Coming from the south on Highway 101, drive about 0.4 miles north of the Olympic Canal Tracts subdivision (and Canal Lane). There is a sign on the left, just before the lot, announcing "Public Parking Next Left". Turn left into the gravel parking area south of the Duckabush River Bridge.
Walking Directions (see photo)
To reach the beach, drive towards the back of the parking lot and park near the first old road on the right that leads towards the river. Walk down the road about 50 yards and turn right (downstream) where the road starts to parallel the river. Proceed to where the road meets the highway near the south end of the guardrail that parallels the highway. Use the bridge sidewalk on the up-stream (west) side of the highway to cross to the north side of the river. At the end of the sidewalk, follow the trail that leads under the bridge to the downstream (east) side of the highway. Please do not cross the highway. The route under the bridge is strongly recommended. Proceed north along the guardrail until you reach the trail on the right that leads down the road grade to the riverbank. Follow this footpath along the north side of the Duckabush River until you reach the tideflats. Watch your step, especially when the grass is high; there are narrow, deep, water channels crossing the path.
There are no toilets or other facilities at this site, but Dosewallips State Park is only about 2.4 miles north on Highway 101.