A Local’s Guide to Razor Clamming on the Washington Coast

For the most up to date clam digging dates, locations, and tides head to our events page.

For those who love a hot cup of coffee on a brisk morning, catching the sunrise, and soaking in the misty sea air,  razor clam digging on the Washington coast is an absolute must. When the tides are just right and the season opens, folks from all over flock to sandy Washington beaches bucket and shovel in hand.

We sat down with Buck, long-time local and owner of Buck’s Northwest (previously Buck’s Bikes) here in Seabrook and asked him what makes clamming so special.

“Everyone enjoys digging clams whether you eat them or not,” said Buck, “and Seabrook is my favorite place to dig.” 

Buck has been clam digging on the Washington coast since he was 8 years old. He remembers his very first expedition. His neighbor brought him and some friends out early in the morning for a dig. The next day, they enjoyed fresh clam chowder made with their harvest. To this day, clam chowder with bacon is still his favorite way to eat razor clams.

 WHERE AND WHEN TO GO

During the peak of clamming season you’ll see a parade of lights starting as early as 4:30 in the morning. Donning headlamps and rubber boots, clammers take over the beach and start the dig. When evening digs opening up it isn’t uncommon to see a clammer or two out until 12:30 at night. 

The exact time for clamming changes depending on the tides. Your best bet is to head out to the beaches about an hour before low tide. As for where to go, you have miles of coastline to choose from. There are five distinct razor clam beaches that you can visit. Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis Beach, Mocrocks Beach (the beach in front of Seabrook), and Kalaloch all permit clamming. Get the latest status of Washington’s razor clamming beaches here.

Each season, thousands of couples and families come to Seabrook, which is part of Mocrocks Beach, to dig for clams. Buck offers guided tours for those looking for a successful first dig or learn more about the process. The tour takes guests down to the sandy beaches directly below Seabrook. This is Buck’s favorite place on the entire coast to go clamming. “Seabrook’s beach is too far from Roosevelt to have the driving crowds and it is isolated by Joe Creek to the nNorth. Together it creates a peaceful setting that you won’t find elsewhere,” noted Buck.

Permitting and Daily Limits

Similar to hunting and fishing in the state of Washington, you need to purchase a permit before you hit the sand. The permit process ensures that the clams are not overharvested and that each year brings a healthy population back to the beaches.

The permits also signify that the clams are safe to eat and do not contain high toxin levels. When tested clams present a high toxin level, permits are halted until the levels drop back down. Each person needs a permit to dig and can only harvest a certain number of clams per day. 

You can buy permits, check toxin levels, and plan your trip online at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. You can also pick up your permits in town at Buck’s Northwest.

Gear Up

Sturdy boots and a good rain coat are necessary for any outdoor adventure here in the Pacific Northwest, but you’ll need a little more than that to start collecting your clams. On the beach you’ll see two main types of tools used to pull up the clams. A shovel can be used by more experienced diggers but you’ll find a lot of people using a special clam gun. 

To use the gun, shove the tube into the ground, cover the straw with your finger to create suction, and pull out. Inside the tube you’ll have all of the sand (and hopefully clams) that were in the ground. Sometimes you’ll pull up a gorgeous looking razor clam, but other times you’ll just remove the surface sand and find the clam at the bottom of your hole. 

You’ll also want to carry a bucket or bag with you to hold your findings. If you’re getting an early-bird start or heading out after dark you’ll need a light. Buck prefers an old fashioned propane lantern. “You need a low angle soft light to illuminate the imperfections in the sand which mark the clam’s location,” explained Buck, “I hold my light down by my feet which helps me see every little divot.”

Diggin’ Time

While you could test your luck and start digging anywhere along the beach, there are subtle signs in the sand where clams have burrowed underground. Keep an eye out for these three deviations in the sand and you’ll be a clamming expert in no time. 

Dimples are the most common but are extremely small and subtle. When agitated, the dimples can collapse and form the more noticeable keyholes which look like a small dot in the sand. Doughnuts are dimples or keyholes but with a raised mound of sand around them resembling a doughnut. Sometimes, the tide can wash over any deviations in the sand, so just because there’s no signs doesn’t mean there isn’t a juicy clam underneath. 

“The best digger I’ve seen yet was a vegan grandmother who adamantly refused to eat or clean the clams. But almost like a magician she could wave her hand over the sand and sure enough there was always a clam underneath,” recalled Buck. “It just goes to show you that anyone can have a blast clamming.”

Cleaning Your Clams

Digging for clams is just the beginning of the fun. Cleaning the clams and separating the meat takes a little bit of knowledge and handwork, but after a couple of clams you’ll surely get the hang of it. 

Blanching is the best way to open and remove the sharp razor clam shell. A quick dunk in boiling water followed by an ice bath reveal the clam while halting any cooking of the meat. 

Buck recommends a good pair of kitchen scissors and a paring knife to clean your meat. You can find step by step instructions with pictures on Buck’s Northwest.

Did you know that Seabrook has a clam cleaning station outside of our Front Street Market? Bring your harvest and clean away!

 

Cooking

A question we hear often is ‘What’s the best way to eat these?’ but that’s all up to personal preference. We’ve seen them served up every way imaginable. Battered and deep fried until crispy, sliced up and slow simmered in chowder, atop a pizza, baked into a fritter, grilled with butter and garlic, or raw with salt and lemon. There’s no wrong way to eat them.

Buck’s favorite way to enjoy clams is a classic chowder with bacon. It takes him back to his very first dig. On a rainy day, nothing sounds better. But if you’re looking for something a little out of the ordinary, try making a clamburger.

“It’s a spin on the classic crab cake,” explains Buck, “You roughly chop your razor clams, mix with some aromatics and breadcrumbs, and form a patty. After a quick fry in butter you serve it on a toasted bun with mayo, lettuce, and a slice of tomato. It’s quite dank.”

Enjoy!

No matter how you serve it, you’ll surely end up with clean-licked plates and more than a few stories to share. Snuggle up on a misty afternoon with a bowl of chowder, grill up a few at your next BBQ, or make a clamburger part of your Seabrook tradition.  

Clamming is a family-friendly, dog-friendly activity that just about anyone can do. If you can build a sand castle, you can dig for clams. Come to Seabrook and set out for a day of adventure. You can bring your own gear and permits or pick up all of the supplies you’ll ever need at Buck’s Northwest. You can also sign up for a guided tour with Buck that includes all the gear and permitting plus insider knowledge of the area.

 

Can You Dig It?

The first razor clam dig of the fall season will get underway Oct. 11 – Oct. 13, as various beaches, including Seabrook beaches.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFD) has approved the dig on evening tides at Mocrocks, Copalis, and Twin Harbors after marine toxin tests showed that clams on those beaches are safe to eat. No digging is allowed on any beach before noon.

The upcoming dig is approved on the following beaches, dates, and evening low tides:

• October 11, Thursday, 8:58 p.m.; -0.6 feet; Mocrocks, Twin Harbor
• October 12, Friday, 9:41 p.m.; -0.3 feet; Copalis, Twin Harbor
• October 13, Saturday, 10:26 p.m.; +0.1 feet; Mocrocks, Twin Harbor

Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager, recommends that diggers hit the beach about an hour or two before low tide for the best results.

Diggers want to be sure to come prepared with good lighting devices and always keep an eye on the surf, particularly in the fall when the best low tides come after dark, he added.

“Digging after dark brings with it the spectacle of thousands of small lights representing individual razor clam diggers working their way up and down the beach,” said Ayres.

All diggers age 15 or older must have an applicable 2018-19 fishing license to harvest razor clams on any beach. Licenses, ranging from a three-day razor clam license to an annual combination fishing license, are available on WDFW’s website at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov and from license vendors around the state.

Under state law, diggers at open beaches can take 15 razor clams per day and are required to keep the first 15 they dig. Each digger’s clams must be kept in a separate container.

Where to Dig

Seabrook’s beaches are ideal for digging clams. The actual name for the beach located directly in front of Seabrook is Mocrocks, and Copalis is south of that.

Mocrocks: Extends from the Copalis River to the southern boundary of the Quinault Reservation near the Moclips River, including Seabrook, Iron Springs, Roosevelt Beach, Pacific Beach, and Moclips.

Copalis: Extends from the Grays Harbor north jetty to the Copalis River, and includes the Copalis, Ocean Shores, Oyhut, Ocean City and Copalis areas.

How to Dig Razor Clams

First look for a “clam show”. What is a clam show? That’s where a clam has withdrawn its neck or started to dig leaving a hole or dimple in the sand. There are three major kinds of “shows” to look for:

• dimple: a depression in the sand
• doughnut: which has raised sides
• keyhole: which is usually in drier sand areas and is shaped like an “hour-glass” or is a hole with very distinct sides.

Always look for the larger sized hole as this is a good indication that the clam will be larger, but not always.

Clams will also show at the edge of the surf line when you pound the beach with a shovel handle or your foot. They may squirt sand and water out of the hole where they are located. You need to be quick when digging in the surf as razor clams dig really fast in the soft fluid sand.

While visiting Seabrook, Washington, partake in one of the most popular local activities—clam digging! There’s no experience quite like finding, preparing, and cooking your own delicious seafood dinner. As you plan your day of clam digging, you’ll need to find out more about the WA clam tides. Read on to learn everything you’ll think to know about when, where, and how to go clamming on Washington beaches. A family trip to Seabrook is sure to be an unforgettable vacation. If you’ve never experienced the Pacific Northwest before, you’re in for a treat! Surrounded by the natural beauty of mountains and beaches, you’ll never run out of outdoor activities. Check the WA clam tides and try digging up your own. Before your trip, look at our Things Do page for local insight on other activities as well as restaurants and local events.

Your Guide to WA Clam Tides

How to Locate Clams

One of the most important factors when clam digging in Washington state is the state of the ocean tide. Be sure to check the conditions of the WA clam tides before hitting the beaches.  The best time to go is low tide because you’ll have more space to look for clams. Many people suggest arriving an hour or two before peak low tide. To find the clams, you must look for “clam shows.” These are areas in the sand where clams have left a trace of their presence. Scan the sand for three types of shows: keyhole (a hole about the size of a dime), donut (a small hole surrounding by raised sand), and depression (a small dent in the sand). Sometimes you’ll have to hit the sand with a shovel, clam tube, or your foot to get these shows to appear.

What You’ll Need to Dig

Once you’ve located a clam, you can either use a shovel or a clam tube to pull the shellfish up. If this if your first time clamming, it’s easiest to use the clam tube. Place the tube over the clam show, angled slightly towards the water. If you feel the tube hit the clam, readjust. Then, push the tub down into the sand, lift it out and remove the sand by shaking the tube. Congrats! Your newly found clam should fall out along with the sand. Throw your clams into a bucket as soon as possible because they can dig very quickly, and may end up back in the sand before you know it. If you want to give the shovel method a try, use the same techniques to locate a show. Then, begin to dig about six inches from the show, closer to the water. Keep your back to the surf and shovel away from the ocean. When it feels as though you’ve just barely touched the clam, reach with a gloved hand and grab the shellfish from the ocean side, where its hinge is, and pull it from the ground. Be warned, it is easier to break clams using this method. You will likely get wet while digging, so wear high boots and bring an extra set of clothing to change into. If you don’t mind getting your feet wet, you can wear sneakers, but we suggest bringing a second pair of shoes with you.

When to Dig for Clams

One of the most common questions people ask is, “when can you dig for clams in Washington state?” Clamming season greatly depends on the type of clam you’re digging for. Razor clams usually appear on the beaches from October through May. Other species like geoducks and butters can be dug year-round. Be sure to check the state harvesting rules before hitting the beach.  

Relax in a Seabrook Cottage Rental 

After checking the WA clam tides and reaping in some fresh, tasty shellfish, head home to a Seabrook Cottage Rental! Prep and fry up the day’s catch in one of our properties large, modern kitchens. Book a few nights in our pet-friendly Anchor Down home. While staying at this beachfront property, you and your family can carry your haul of clams directly from the sand to your door!

Browse our full catalog of properties, and stay planning your getaway to Seabrook today!

Date Published: September 5, 2023 | Read Time: 5.5 Minutes

With just a few days left of summer, we’re looking ahead to the best fall things to do on the Washington coast. Seabrook’s vacation rentals beckon travelers this time of year as the town quiets, nightly minimums drop, and fall rates offer exceptional value. From crisp and sunny days to cool and misty nights, we’ve put together the must-dos of outdoor and indoor activities that are all within Seabrook or an easy day trip away.

The Top 10 Outdoor Fall Activities

1. Razor Clam Digging

Thousands of vacationers and day-trippers flock to Washington’s beaches each fall to take part in clam digging! The invigorating experience is followed up by preparing the fresh catches. Razor clams have delicious culinary qualities of smooth, distinctive texture, and subtle seafood flavor that leave diggers craving them year-round. First-time digger? Buck’s Northwest offers guided lessons with everything you need to know to become a seasoned pro. Razor clam digging usually begins in November, the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife always has the most up-to-date information on dig dates. Though the clams are usually battered and fried, there are all kinds of creative ways to use the seasonal delicacy in cooking!  

2. Mushroom Foraging

The forest floor transforms into a playground of treasured finds for mushroom-hunting enthusiasts during the fall. Another family-friendly activity, the forest in and around Seabrook offers the most sought-after gourmet edible mushrooms, like the ever-popular chanterelle. If you’re new to mushroom foraging, Seabrook has partnered with local experts to show you the ropes of safe mushroom foraging with classes from September to November. 

3. Beach Bonfire

One of the best ways to watch the famously beautiful fall sunsets is from the beach itself. The experience is made even better by a warm fire, complete with lounge chairs and a s’mores kit. You can bring your own supplies for a beach bonfire or opt for the Sunset Bonfire Package offered by Seabrook Hospitality that includes a smokeless fire pit, wood, and beach chairs set up for you on the beach.

4. Beachcombing

Fall is one of the best times of the year to turn your beach stroll into a treasure hunt. The beach is always a short walk away so you’ll be scouring the shore in no time. Keep an eye out for all kinds of collectibles that may have washed ashore after being churned up by bigger waves, like sea glass, fossils, or glass floats.

5. Mountain Biking

The crisp weather makes mountain biking more enjoyable than ever during fall! Biking routes are sprinkled throughout Seabrook with direct connections to the miles of DNR trails to explore anytime of the year. This year has been full of trail improvements and the addition of new trails, make sure to spend a day or two checking out the tracks!

6. Guided Experiences

Seabrook has you covered for guided experiences that take the prep and planning out of an excursion and turn it into carefree enjoyment! Seabrook Hospitality Concierge Services can help you set up a guided fishing trip, among other experiences, and Buck’s Northwest has you covered for kayaking tours, clam digging, surf lessons, mountain biking, and more.

7. Historic Sites Around Town

The North Beach area has a rich history from Native American culture to the logging industry boom that shaped what the Pacific Northwest is today. Seabrook itself has several spots to visit and see these glimpses into the past. Take a look at The Historic Dorothy Anderson Cabin, The Old Cedar Stump, The Old Spruce Heritage Tree, and even The Gnome Trail. The Museum of the North Beach is only a 5-minute drive away in Moclips, too! 

8. Day Trips

Seabrook is the perfect launching point for day-trip destinations that offer those awe-inspiring views of nature that people travel from all over the world to see. From the iconic sea stacks of Ruby Beach to the towering old growths of the Hoh Rainforest or the pristine cliffside views of the Pacific Ocean at Cape Disappointment, you’ll find your adventure meter full to the brim with all of the nearby sites.

9. Hiking Around Seabrook

Hikers can find miles of trails to explore during fall with new trails being constantly added to the increasingly elaborate trail network. Take a quick jaunt down the Elk Creek Trail to the beach or through The Gnome Trail’s various paths that pop out at different places throughout town.

10. Play Outdoor Games

The town amenities are open year-round to Seabrook guests, so if you’re craving a game of pickleball, basketball, soccer, or even a game of horseshoes, it’s easy to play your favorite games for hours with courts and parks conveniently located all throughout the town. For the little ones not quite old enough for structured play, there is a playground in the Alderwood neighborhood and South of Market neighborhood in Kucera Park.

Inspo For Cozy Day Activities

For those that enjoy sleeping in followed by sipping on coffee during a misty coastal morning, you can find easy-going activities that highlight fun things to do indoors.

Play At The Arcade

Have you seen the retro-themed arcade that opened on Front Street this summer? The Arcade became an instant favorite stop for adults and children alike in town. On those days where it’s just a smidgen too rainy to be out and about too much, The Arcade is the perfect cozy day pastime.

Make A Custom Candle

Add a personalized ambiance to your stay with a custom candle made at Lorraine’s Candle Studio with their fall scent collection. With dozens of scents and unique vessels to choose from, a relaxing morning, afternoon, or evening happens with ease at the candle studio.

Plan A Spa Day

The pitter-patter of rain and the faint roar of the ocean makes the spa experience on the coast all the more relaxing. Pamper yourself with a facial, massage, or one of the other bliss-filled experiences offered at Spa Elizabeth on Front Street.

Wine Tasting

Stop by The Stowaway Wine Bar for a laid-back afternoon filled with quality wines and equally delicious bites this fall. If you’re feeling more like enjoying an evening in, The Stowaway offers in-home wine tasting and bottles to go.

Get A Seabrook Painting Kit

Cozy days often inspire creatives to get into new projects. Concierge Services offers painting kits, complete with an instructional video, that has the option to paint the iconic Seabrook arch at sunset or a whimsical jellyfish. You can order one in advance to have waiting for you when you arrive!

Shop & Dine

Warm, aromatic food accompanied by your favorite beverages are easy to come by within the Town Center. Try your own food tour and go from restaurant to restaurant, sampling the flavorful dishes and enjoying the different vibes. Cozy days mean it’s the perfect time to bundle up and shop! The town merchants all have unique merchandise for you to browse, from clothing, homeware, books, toys, outdoor gear, and more.

About Seabrook

The vibrant town of Seabrook is a sustainable haven for full-time residents, vacationers, and day trippers – a walkable urban oasis seamlessly woven into nature on the Washington Coast. Home to 18 parks, an event space, boutique spa, fitness center, hundreds of acres of mountain bike and hiking trails, central amphitheater, sports and pickle ball courts, indoor and outdoor pools, miles of wide open beach, award-winning restaurants, and plenty of shopping options – it’s an ideal getaway for all ages. Read more about the growing beach town: What Is Seabrook

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