Razor Clamming at Twin Harbors Beaches
Stretching along the sandy coastline between two of Washington's great natural harbors, Twin Harbors is a longtime favorite among razor clam diggers for its sheer length and reliable access. Backed by the working fishing town of Westport and the quieter community of Grayland, it offers some of the most consistent digging opportunities on the entire coast. Its long, largely uninterrupted stretch of sand means fewer bottlenecks than shorter beaches, and its typically dependable open-every-day status during approved digging series makes it a favorite for anglers who want to plan a trip with confidence rather than gamble on which beach happens to be open that day.
Where are the Twin Harbors Beaches
Twin Harbors Beach runs along the Pacific coast from the north edge of Willapa Bay up to the south jetty at the mouth of Grays Harbor, in Grays Harbor and Pacific counties. As its name suggests, the beach sits between these two harbors, giving it a long, largely uninterrupted stretch of sand backed by dunes and beach grass. The nearest towns are Westport, a busy commercial and sport fishing port with plenty of restaurants, lodging, and marine services, and Grayland, a smaller, quieter community just to the south known for its cranberry bogs as much as its beach access.
From Seattle, plan on roughly 2.5 to 3 hours to reach Twin Harbors, generally down I-5 and then west on Highway 8 and Highway 12 toward Aberdeen, before continuing on Highway 105 south through Westport and Grayland. That puts it in the same general drive-time range as Grays Harbor and Copalis, and Westport's amenities make it an easy base for a weekend built around both clamming and other coastal activities like fishing charters or crabbing.
Twin Harbors Map
Best Twin Harbors Beach Access Points
Twin Harbors has four maintained public access points, all reached off Highway 105. Grayland Beach Road and Cranberry Beach Road both provide access near the town of Grayland, while Bonge Avenue offers another approach roughly in the middle of the beach's long stretch. Warrenton Cannery Road, further south toward the Willapa Bay end of the beach, rounds out the access points. Because the beach is one of the longest of Washington's razor clam beaches, having several access points spread along its length makes it easier to spread out and avoid the heaviest concentrations of diggers, especially compared to shorter beaches with only one or two ways in. A quarter-mile razor clam reserve, closed to all harvesting, sits along the middle of the beach near the county line approach, so pay attention to posted markers in that area.
For some great walk-in access in Westport, Westhaven State Park is the northernmost section of Twin Harbors and is open during daylight hours. Westport Light State Park has a nice walk-in beach approach with ample parking closeby.
Twin Harbors Clamming Seasons and Rules
Razor clam season on the Washington coast generally runs from early fall through late spring, with WDFW announcing tentative digging dates a few weeks to a few months in advance and final approval for each specific date typically coming just a few days to a week ahead, based on marine toxin testing. Unlike Copalis and Mocrocks, which alternate open days between each other, Twin Harbors and Long Beach are generally open on every date within an approved digging series, making Twin Harbors one of the more reliably open beaches once a series is confirmed. All diggers age 16 or older need a valid Washington shellfish license for the current license year, which runs April 1 through March 31, available online through WDFW, via the MyWDFW mobile app, or from statewide license dealers; buying one before arriving at the coast is strongly recommended. The daily limit is 15 clams per digger, and every digger must keep the first 15 clams they dig regardless of size or condition, so nothing dug can be tossed back once it's out of the sand. Each digger's clams must be kept in a separate container. Both WDFW's season approval and current Washington Department of Health guidance on domoic acid, a naturally occurring marine toxin, need to align before any beach, including Twin Harbors, is actually safe and legal to dig. WDFW Razor Clam Seasons and Beaches
Digging the last clams to make a limit as the sun sets over Grayland, Washington.
How to Dig Razor Clams
At low tide, look for a "show," the small dimple, dome, or keyhole-shaped indentation in the wet sand that reveals a clam sitting just below the surface. Razor clams sense vibration and dig down fast once disturbed, so a light footstep and a quick dig just beside the show, rather than stomping around or digging straight down on top of it, gives you the best shot at bringing one up intact. Many diggers prefer a clam gun, a metal or PVC tube pushed straight down around the show and pulled back out to bring up a core of sand with the clam inside, since it's gentler on the clam and easier on the back than repeated shovel digging, especially over a long stretch of beach like Twin Harbors where you may be covering a lot of ground.
Gear You Need for Digging Razor Clams
At a minimum, bring a valid shellfish license, a shovel or clam gun, and a bucket or mesh bag to hold your catch, keeping each digger's clams separated as required. Waterproof, grippy gloves make handling a sandy shovel handle easier, and waterproof rubber boots or hip and chest waders are worth having given how much time you'll spend standing in wet sand. Coastal weather can turn quickly, especially with Twin Harbors' exposure to open ocean swell, so layers, a warm hat, and a rain shell are smart additions, and a headlamp or flashlight is essential for the evening low-tide digs common earlier in the season. Westport's marine supply shops and sporting goods stores make it one of the easier places on the coast to pick up last-minute gear.
Driving on the Beach
Vehicles are permitted on much of Twin Harbors Beach, but Washington law requires drivers to stay on the hard-packed sand near the high tide line rather than the softer, dry sand closer to the dunes. When in doubt, following existing tire tracks is the safest bet. The posted speed limit on the beach is 25 mph, and vehicles should only enter and exit at designated public access points. Because Twin Harbors is such a long beach, it's worth planning ahead for which access point puts you closest to where you actually want to dig, since driving the full length of an open stretch takes real time. Violating beach driving laws can result in fines, with steeper penalties for incidents involving protected wildlife such as nesting snowy plovers, so watch for posted closures around sensitive habitat.
Twin Harbors offers miles of beaches to explore.
Other Clamming Info
Westport is one of the most full-service towns on the Washington coast, with charter fishing, crabbing, a maritime museum, and a lighthouse all within easy reach of the beach, making Twin Harbors a natural anchor for a longer coastal weekend rather than a quick clamming trip alone. Because razor clam populations and digging opportunity can vary meaningfully from year to year based on WDFW's summer population assessments, checking the current razor clam webpage before planning a trip is the best way to know both what's open and how much opportunity that season actually offers. With its length, reliable access, and the amenities of Westport and Grayland close by, Twin Harbors remains one of the most dependable and well-rounded razor clamming destinations on the entire Washington coast.
Check out our other Washington Razor Clam Beaches: Long Beach, Mocrocks and Copalis.
