Beards Hollow─Just in the Nick of Time for razor clam season

A hiker faces Beards Hollow.

Quick Facts:

Location: Long Beach Peninsula, Pacific County, WA

Land Agency: Washington State Parks

Contact: Cape Disappointment State Park

Roundtrip to Beards Hollow: 1.0 mile

Elevation Gain: 50 feet

Roundtrip to North Head Lighthouse: 3 miles

Elevation Gain: 300 feet

Access: From Ilwaco, take Loop Spur State Road 100 in either direction to Beards Hollow Trailhead parking in Cape Disappointment State Park.

Notes: Discover Pass required; dogs must be leashed.

Bivalve connoisseurs take note—grab your pail and shovel and head to the Washington coast this weekend for a little razor clam harvesting. The razor clam dig for this season is set to begin April 29th at four beaches; Copalis, Mocrocks, Twin Harbor, and Long Beach. And while all of those beaches offer some nice hiking and beach walking, I can’t think of a more apropos place to grab a razor than at Beards Hollow. Located within the shadows of the Cape Disappointment headlands, Beards Hollow makes for one scenic place to comb for clams.

And while harvesting those succulent mollusks certainly can be a rewarding and therapeutic endeavor, you may want to do a little hiking while you’re in such a beautiful location. The hike to Beards Hollow is short—a mere half mile one way along the Discovery Trail, but you can extend your adventure on that trail or on the nearby trail to the North Head Lighthouse.

Leaving from the same trailhead, the North Head Trail climbs 300 feet through a luxuriant old-growth Sitka spruce forest. Peek-a-boo views down to Beards Hollow tease you along the way. However, once you get to the North Head Lighthouse you are granted a sweeping view down the 28-mile long, Long Beach Peninsula. That’s a whole lot of territory for razor clamming. But take note, you’ll have plenty of company on those beaches. Of course you can always buy a bucket of Willipa Bay oysters to tide you over just in case you come up short handed in the clam department!

For more information on hiking on the Long Beach Peninsula, pick up a copy of my best-selling Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula 2nd edition

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