The Stunning Sandy Washington Lagoon Beach Where You Can Dig For Your Own Clam Dinner

There's something deeply satisfying about foraging for your own food, especially in a peaceful setting where the rigors of modern life feel a world away and your only focus is what's right in front of you. An outing at Lagoon Beach, in Indian Island County Park, Washington, delivers just that and more. This sandy stretch of tidal beach and salt marshes is filled with life, as it's an under-the-radar clamming destination, ideal for families or first-time clammers. 

Situated on the northeastern end of the Olympic Peninsula, about five minutes outside Port Hadlock and 20 minutes from Port Townsend, Lagoon Beach is a far stretch from Washington's most-visited state park. Here, you won't find tour operators hawking clamming trips. The uncrowded shoreline seemingly extends endlessly, and it's this lack of tourism development that makes Lagoon Beach special. 

If you're arriving by plane, you'll likely fly into Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, about two hours away. Next, you'll need to drive to Port Hadlock, as public transportation options aren't convenient, and carrying clamming gear on a bus is difficult. Lagoon Beach likely isn't on your map, either. Instead, enter "Indian Island County Park" into your GPS and follow the directions until you cross the bridge onto Indian Island. From here, follow Flagler Road and look for the Jefferson County Parks sign indicating access to Lagoon Beach. If you cross onto Marrowstone Island, you've gone too far.

Oyster, mussel, and clam harvesting season runs between April 1 and May 31 at Lagoon Beach. The activity is available year-round at the neighboring Isthmus Beach. The beaches are so close that many visitors to Indian Island County Park don't realize which beach they've enjoyed. As the shellfish-harvesting dates are subject to change and closure due to health advisories, it's important to check the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW)'s Beach Season Information and the Department of Health's Shellfish Safety Information on the day of your trip.

Anyone 15 or older needs a shellfish/seaweed license issued by the WDFD — a regular freshwater or saltwater fishing license isn't enough. This allows you to harvest the Manila clams, butter clams, native littleneck clams, horse clams, and cockles that call Lagoon Beach's tidal zones and channels home. It's possible to buy a one- to three-day short-term license or an annual pass.

In terms of your clamming kit, you'll want to pack a shovel and a trowel. While Manila clams usually burrow close to the surface, horse and butter clams live over a foot beneath the sand. You should also pack waterproof footwear like rainboots, a 5-gallon bucket with a sealed lid for transporting the morsels, a mesh bag for rinsing and gathering, and a scale to make sure you don't go over the foraging limit. You can't combine each person's daily limit into one container, so you'll need separate bags and buckets.

Even if the skies are overcast, one of the best ways to experience clamming at Lagoon Beach is by booking a secluded campsite at Oak Bay Campgrounds, only a three-minute drive from Indian Island County Park. Choose from sites at the upper or lower campgrounds; both offer beach access and are surrounded on three sides by water. You don't need this trick for scoring highly sought-out and sold-out campsite reservations because both campgrounds are first-come, first-served. However, only the sites at the upper campground have electricity. Depending on the time of year, you'll likely be more comfortable in a camper or RV than an unprotected tent.

Port Hadlock isn't nearly as developed for tourism as Gig Harbor — Washington's charming maritime city offering plenty of activities and picturesque views, but the sleepy town is undeniably charming. Reserve a table at Ajax Cafe, a rustic, waterfront eatery serving seafood-heavy Northwest cuisine that's a true standout on the Olympic Peninsula. Don't miss the local crab cakes or the wide selection of eclectic hats for guests to wear. 

After your meal, stop by the Old Alcohol Plant Inn to check out the farmstand and Bayside Art Gallery or learn about the building's history. Once a factory owned by the father of famed photographer Ansel Adams, it's now a boutique hotel with impressive views of Port Hadlock Marina. If the weather isn't appropriate for camping, this inn makes an excellent overnight stay for couples or small families in Port Hadlock.