Razor clamming at Copalis

The Copalis beach runs from the north jetty at Grays Harbor up to the Copalis River, taking in the popular access at Ocean Shores along with Ocean City and Copalis Beach. It’s a wide, busy beach with plenty of parking and a short walk to the water — a favorite for diggers coming from the Olympia and Tacoma side.

The thing to know: Copalis and Mocrocks alternate

This trips up a lot of people. Copalis and Mocrocks usually do not open on the same days. During a dig series they often alternate, so on any given approved date only one of the two may be legal. Always check which beach is actually open before you commit the drive — it’s the single most common Copalis mistake, and exactly the kind of thing our alerts are built to catch.

Getting on the beach

Ocean Shores has the largest, easiest access, with room for a lot of vehicles on the hard sand. There’s a razor clam reserve (no-dig area) just south of the Ocean City approach — it’s marked with ten-foot poles and signs, so steer clear of that stretch.

Tides and timing

Get on the sand one to two hours before the listed low tide. Winter digs run in the evening, spring digs in the morning. The nearest official NOAA tide reference is Westport (station 9441102) across the harbor entrance to the south — there’s no gauge at Ocean Shores itself, so use a local correction.

When can you dig?

Copalis is one of the four main WDFW-managed beaches and opens on announced dig dates, confirmed final only after the Department of Health clears clam samples for toxins — typically a few days before the dig. Combined with the Copalis/Mocrocks alternation, it pays to confirm the exact open beach and date before you go.

Before you go

• Daily limit: 15 razor clams per person; keep your first 15, separate containers per digger.
• License: Required at 16+. See limits & licenses.
• Safety: Always confirm a beach is open and toxin-safe — here’s how.

We’ll alert you the moment Copalis (not Mocrocks!) is the one that’s open. New to digging? Start here.