The beautiful Washington coast at it's best is waiting for the beach comber on Rialto Beach. Rialto beach is the gateway to amazing beach hiking to the north for explorers looking for pristine beaches, off shore sea stacks, great Pacific Ocean vistas and a unique hiking experience. Access to Rialto Beach is very easy for most visitors. The parking lot is located within a few yards of the beach and provides restroom facilities and an informational kiosk. 

Agates: I only found three small agates as I was hiking back down the beach toward the parking lot. The agates were found close to the surf in fine grained beach gravel. Other agate specimens may also be found in rock beds but diligent searching will be necessary. I spent several hours scanning the rocks beds as I made my way north up the beach with no success in finding agates. The three small agate specimens were surprise finds as I walked down close to the surfs edge. 

Sea Stacks: One of the most amazing aspects of Rialto Beach and even further north are the "Sea Stacks" positioned immediately off the beach or off shore. These eroded promontories are the remnants of mainland cliffs and bluffs that have separated from the mainland due to erosion over the years. They stand as sentinels against the wind and weather as they slowly disintegrate from the pounding of the surf, weather and wind. 

Directions to Rialto Beach: Rialto Beach is located approximately 14 miles west of the town of Forks, WA. 
Directions from downtown Forks: Follow Olympic Highway, 101 1.5 miles north of Forks. Turn left (west) onto State Route WA-110/La Push Road. After 7.8 miles, turn right onto WA-110/Mora Road. Rialto Beach is located at the end of the road.
Hiking Information: National Park Service web site- https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/rialto-beach.htm#CP_JUMP_151345
Maps: National Park Service web site- https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/maps.htm

There is a private country park in the south part of Kitsap County known as Anderson Point Park. It provides a 66 acre county park with access to an expansive beach looking out on the Colvos Passage that separates Vashon Island and the Kitsap Peninsula. The access to the park is rather unassuming but offers a peaceful retreat from the local community. 

• Features: Saltwater beach access and view points of Colvos Passage and Vashon Island
• Park Rules
The park is accessible from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily 

Parking is restricted to designated areas only. Vehicles blocking the entrance to the park or parked on road shoulders will be ticketed and towed at the owners’ expense.

Directions: From Port Orchard take Sedgwick to Banner, turn right on Banner. Cross S.E. Fragaria, and S.E. Willock.  Approximately two miles down look for the sign for Millihanna Road on a telephone pole on the right side of the road. Turn left onto Millihanna and drive to the gate at the end of the road. Parking is on the left.

The entrance to the park looks like you are entering a gated community. Once inside the gate you will notice several private residences as you continue east on Millihanna Road. The actual entrance to the park is farther in and you will notice the entry sign that will lead you to the parking area. 

Once you have parked follow the road farther down hill past the locked gate descending .6 of a mile down to the beach area. You will have to follow several switch backs on the closed park road before you make it to the beach. The hike downhill is easy and you will enjoy the views down into the valley filled with firs, aspens and many ferns along the way. 

Once on the beach you will enjoy a great place to walk, explore and just enjoy the great view of Colvos Passage and Vashon Island. There are many gravel beds to hunt for great rocks. I didn't find any agates or sea shells but the rocks were great with many varieties of quartz, basalt and granite. I did find a few pieces of sea glass but they were so new that they illustrated very little rounding, smoothing or frosting. I simply left them on the beach for more tumbling. The wave action at this beach is minimal and would provide less tumbling if sea glass was present. The tide was going out at the time of my visit and exposed a wide sandy beach further south to explore if time allowed. This is a great beach for local families simply looking for a place to run with the dog and children. Have a great time!

For beach combers looking for agates or sea glass you will be disappointed. The rock beds are good, however, and you will enjoy the peaceful walk south along the shore. It's a great spot to relax, explore and enjoy the outdoors. 

Many sea glass hunters have attempted to explore the beaches below the Port Angeles bluff west of town. This area has a rich history of civic dumping and would tempt most sea glass hunters. This area, however, is very difficult to access and not advised as a sea glass hunting site today. There are no easy access points and the bluff rises over 100 feet in most places. I would not recommend this beach to any family seeking a leisurely outing and a hunt for sea glass! A little history might help at this point. 
​
​History- In the early and middle part of the 20th century many coastal communities would typically dump their garbage into the sea assuming the vast ocean could handle a "little" debris. This was the community dumping policy in Port Angeles, Wa for many years. As was true with the Port Townsend community, several bluff locations west of Port Angeles became known as the town dump. According to an article in a Port Angeles newspaper in the 1970s, “Prior to July 1944, all refuse was collected by a private agency or individually hauled and dumped at the northerly end of McDonald Street,” according to the 1970 city report." “In July 1944, the city assumed responsibility for collection and disposal,” the report stated.
“They immediately began dumping at the westerly end of 10th Street and continued this operation until late 1947." “At this time, the property at the westerly end of 18th Street [the current landfill site] was acquired. Changes at the facility escalated in the late 1960s and early ’70s, Puntenney said."
"In 1967 the city purchased a D977 Caterpillar bulldozer and began landfill operations at the 18th Street site, compacting and covering the garbage with dirt rather than allowing it to be burned and pushed over the side. It’s unclear when private individuals were stopped from dumping at the 18th Street site, Puntenney said. Beginning in 1970, car bodies were not allowed to be landfilled or dumped, and the city removed the auto hulks that were on the beach. In 1971, City and county residents could no longer dump their garbage for free."

Beach combing- So, it would seem that the beach below the old dump site would be loaded with beach glass! Many visitors over the years have attempted to hunt for glass but very little has been discovered in recent years. ​
I made an attempt to access the beach below the old dump a few weeks ago. The descent down was difficult to locate and not recommended. Upon arrival down at the beach I noticed the intentional placement of large boulders to the west and east to help stabilize the beach erosion. I climbed down over the boulders and made my way onto the original sandy portion of the beach. There was no sea glass to be found at this point but if one hunted at a lower tide there is always hope. 

Conclusion: This beach is no longer a recommended spot to hunt for sea glass and should not be attempted due to the difficulty in access. ​

I have read several blog postings about this beach and the sea glass that can be found here. So, with much interest I made an exploratory trip recently to see what I could find. The Ediz Hook is a 3-mile-long (4.8 km) sand spit that extends from northern shore of the Olympic Peninsula at Port Angeles, W, northeasterly into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, located about 15-mile (24 km) West of the larger Dungeness Spit. 

The beach combing reports on other blogs described finding various amounts of sea glass or none at all. One stated, "When you go to Ediz Hook, don't expect to find much. Usually you'll get some tiny bits of indifferent glass, some metal objects, nice driftwood, but probably not a good piece of sea glass." Some did find sea glass marbles but little else. "So, if you go to Ediz Hook, go at low tide and don't expect to find anything. You may go home with nothing, or you may be SUPER surprised." http://www.odysseyseaglass.com/sea-glass-ediz-hook-port-angeles-wa.html​ 

I drove out on the road that is on the spit almost to the gate entry for the Coast Guard Station and parked. There is a large barrier of basalt boulders on the north side  creating a sea wall protecting the north beach. This is where I had heard that beachcombers find the sea glass.  I found an opening in the large boulders then began making my way west on the large round boulders. My experience that day was very disappointing. The outer beach of the Ediz Hook has been reinforced with a deep layer of rock and large boulders. I arrived right at low tide that happened on that morning to be at 4.4 feet. This was probably not a low enough tide to expose the lower beach area that held most of the sea glass and the prime reason I found nothing. According to other pictures I've seen, the beach at lower tides is primarily sand with gravel beds. The brick brack boulders seem to be higher on the beach and obscuring the sea glass. I recommend visiting this beach when the low tide is lower than 3 feet. You will probably find more glass and a much more successful hunt. The sea glass illustrated below were found by other combers in 2013. ​http://www.odysseyseaglass.com/sea-glass-ediz-hook-port-angeles-wa.html

Directions: Drive hwy 101 to Port Angeles, WA. Follow 101 (or E. Front St.) into town till it merges left onto Marine Drive. Follow Marine Drive out onto the Ediz Hook where it becomes Ediz Hook Rd. Park on the left just before the entry gate into the Coast Guard Station. 

5.3.16 Updated Field Report on Ediz Hook, Port Angeles, WA
I decided to return to Ediz Hook beach out in Port Angeles and see if a greater amount of sea glass could be found at a lower tide level. I arrived around 10am and the tide was nearing +1 foot and was dropping. This gave me some hope that more of the beach and gravel beds would be exposed. I had come to believe that some of the old glass debris from the Port Angeles beach dump below 8th and 10th streets would be washed up out here. This idea was supported by several blog postings over the years by other sea glass collectors. So, I began exploring the rock covered beach heading toward the west and back toward the main land. Even at lower tides the beach was still significantly covered with larger rocks and boulders making sea glass finds very difficult. 

Another larger piece of green sea glass was found about an hour later. This piece was very nice, well frosted and rounded. It had obviously been in the surf for several decades. Along the way I also picked up a few pieces of orbicular jasper which for me personally is hard to pass up. ​

In conclusion, the few hours sent on Ediz Hook were enjoyable but disappointing. It is a beautiful beach to explore with it's vast supply of rocks! If you are looking for sea glass, however, you will be disappointed. Here's a brief video of my last trip out to Ediz hook and the results of my hunt. 

3/8/16 - Special Field Trip to Glass Beach, Port Townsend!
This Saturday, March 12th, this web page's author will lead a hike out to Glass Beach to explore for glass treasures on the beach! We will meet at the North Beach park and parking lot around 9:00am or 9:15am in Port Townsend to begin our hike out to glass beach. Please pack a lunch, plenty of water bottles (2+), rain gear, good rubber boots and a hunger for sea glass. It will be about a 3 mile hike out to McCurdy Point to begin the hunt for sea glass around that area. For directions see the field report about Glass Beach on this web site. 

A few months ago I made an exploratory trip up to Port Townsend to see what North Beach was like. North Beach is considered to be Port Townsend's primary beach for the community. It faces north out onto the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Widbey Island is to the Northeast and the San Juan Islands due north by northwest. My primary focus at the time of this hike was agates. I hadn't begun my focused hunt of "Sea Glass" yet or even understood the types and qualities of glass that could be found on a beach. My focus at North Beach was to look for quality quartz and jasper in the gravel beds and to hopefully pick up a few agates. It's always the hope but usually a hit or miss proposition.  I found the North Beach parking lot and then set out heading east toward Point Wilson which is just north of Fort Warden. As a beachcomber heads east on North Beach you will notice that the bluff on your right will begin to rise with Fort Warden crowning it's headlands. The Fort Warden batteries were designed as coastal defenses beginning in 1900.  Multiple gun positions were strategically located on headlands that rise over 200 feet above the beach.

Agates: The gravel beds on North Beach were great hunting grounds that day and drew my focus every few yards. I did pick up a few amazingly opaque quartz stones that would go well in the rock tumbler. After about an hour and a half of focused rock hunting I turned my attention toward the sandy rock fall below the bluff. I thought there just might be a large agate waiting to be plucked from it's sandy embankment. After a few minutes my eyes landed on a cluster of rocks with an agate specimen staring up at me. ​

On several hikes weeks later I have found a few agate specimens as I have been scanning the rock beds for sea glass. The agates in most cases have been smaller specimens but the last one found on my way back up the beach toward the parking lot really caught my eye. It was a carnelian agate with a yellowish hue. It just proved to me that agates are actually more abundant on North Beach than I had previously thought. 

Sea Glass: While hunting for agates and colorful rocks on North Beach, I didn't really focus on sea glass but came upon an amazing sight while scanning the rock beds close to the bluff. Something very bright and colorful caught my eye. It was bright green and stood out against the drab browns and grays. I said to myself, "no way" and reached down. It was a beach tumbled green glass flower frog for floral arrangements, at least what remained of it. 

I'm sure with a beach combing focus leaning toward sea glass, I will be able to locate a greater trove next outing on North Beach. So, for all interested combers.... enjoy the beach!

Directions: Drive to North Beach parking lot, 5880 Kuhn St. in Port Townsend, WA.

Glass Beach/ North Beach hike tips to avoid high tide dangers
 New Entry: 2.22.16
On Monday, February 22nd, I made another exploratory hike heading west on North Beach in Port Townsend. A few weeks ago I made my first hike out to Glass Beach and found an abundance of sea glass as time allowed. During that hike I experienced a great deal of difficulty making my way along the beach because of the rising tide. The the tide was getting higher and higher and I was forced to go up on the rocks at the base of the bluff. After making it out to the beach below McCurdy Point I began finding fragments of glass immediately before the point and southward after it. The beach area called "Glass Beach" actually begins at McCurdy Point and spreads southwesterly. I had heard from many locals that the primary concern when taking a hike out to Glass Beach and McCurdy Point was the TIDES! The higher tides tend to cover the beach and make it very difficult to hike out to the point if you haven't done your homework! (See my video uploaded from Youtube about "Hiking out to Glass Beach, Port Townsend, WA- tips and tide concerns for the sea glass hunter.")
So, I decided I needed to do a little more exploratory work on North Beach to determine the best times and best tide levels to make the three mile hike. The high tide a few weeks ago was 8.8 feet which made hiking the beach very difficult. 
On Monday I deliberately set out on North Beach just before low tide in order to explore the exposed gravel beds, hunt for agates and sea glass and to determine what tides would work best for a trek out to Glass Beach. There are several places along the beach with obstacles that pose difficulty whenever the tides are higher. These obstacles actually protrude out onto the beach and as the rising tides come in the exposed beach becomes pinched off. These obstacles were observed at six feet "high tide" levels to determine whether they posed difficulty at that level. Most hikers who are determined to go out to Glass Beach beyond McCurdy Point must make that trek when tides are at least less than seven feet. When the tide rises higher than seven feet a hiker will be forced up onto the rocks or sandy bluff. The following map illustrates my route this week that brought me only 1.5 miles west on the beach from the North Beach parking lot. Several of the obstacles were passed and measured for tide levels at those points.  

The video below provides helpful tips and tidal information for a successful hiker to enjoy a trip out on North Beach and out to Glass Beach at McCurdy Point. I've also provided a collection of photos that illustrate the comparative levels of high tides at various locations along the North Beach route out to Glass Beach. These tide levels will aid the hiker in making wise decisions as you make your way along North Beach and possibly out to the Glass Beach area. Begin your hike as the tide is going out and below the 6 foot level. This will enable you to make a quick journey up the beach and not be forced into slow going as you climb over the larger rocks along the bluff. 

The picture below illustrates the typical rock bed along North Beach that holds many pieces of sea glass. A little concentrated digging throughout a bed like this would yield small and medium sized sea glass pebbles. It may be time consuming but will yield a handful of tiny treasures. ​

The gallery of sea glass pictures illustrated below is the result of a few hours of rock bed picking along North Beach. The sea glass pieces here were smaller than those found out on Glass Beach at McCurdy Point but they were still quite diverse in color and size. I was able to fill a small mason jar with the sea glass treasures. 

Harper Beach is a very accessible beach in South Kitsap County and also filled with a rich history that makes a day of beach combing very interesting. In order to appreciate the experience of exploring Harper Beach a little history lesson might be helpful. The following information may aid the beach combers understanding of Harper's rich history. https://yukonharbor.wordpress.com/2013/06/29/the-brick-people/

The Brick Era, 1900-1932.​
"The construction of the Harper Brick Factory in 1900 dramatically changed the local sights, sounds, and smells, adding smokestacks and whistles as well as a different type of vehicle traffic. The innovative tug, ATLAS, became a familiar sight, hauling mostly bricks to and from Seattle but also serving the Colby Lumber Company."

​"The story that has been passed down through the generations is that a visitor, E.A. Smith, discovered the requisite brick clay on a nearby hill in 1899. Smith apparently knew a thing about brickmaking, because he immediately declared that “it is a good quality material” and told his host, Louis Garnett about it. Garnett passed word of the abundant natural resource to investors in Seattle, and an enterprise was begun.
Established by Frederick Crane Harper and partners, the brick factory was located to the west of the creek estuary that lies between Harper and Southworth, where a small baseball field and park are today. At the height of production, 50-60 men worked at the plant, producing more than a million bricks annually. The facility was large and complex, and a model of brick making technology for that era.   The facility included kilns, warehouses, a bunkhouse, cookhouse, and a small rail tram. A dock and specialized barges were constructed, too. As motor vehicles began to appear, a drawbridge was constructed across the mouth of the estuary to facilitate the movement of the ATLAS and her barges.

Allen “AK” Kuppler, whose family has visited and lived in the Harper area virtually all of his life, brought provided a wealth of information relating to the Port Orchard Brick and Tile Factory and drawbridge that once existed along the shoreline between South Colby and Southworth.
 
AK provided the enhanced view (below) of the current landscape around his house and the nearby estuary, including Harper Hill Road, Southworth Road, the Boat Ramp, and the surrounding neighborhood at the point. The main current road is along the bottom of the photograph, with dotted lines showing the location of the drawbridge. The Port Orchard Tile and Brick Factory was located in the lower righthand corner, where a baseball field is located today.

​The second rendering (below) shows the region as it would have appeared about 1930, showing both the bridge and the roadway. Note the apparently active road along the beachfront, left, and the more extensive salt and freshwater marshes. Originally, AK reports, the only north-south route was across the drawbridge, as the road south from Colby was dedicated to the Brick Factory, lower right. A “hotel and boarding house” was also located along the present Southworth Road, at the bottom of  this picture. Also, AK has noted the location of portions of a barge that has been found near the northern entrance to the drawbridge structure.

The old brick dump actually extends out into the bay and was really exposed on this visit while the tide was out. 

After exploring the narrowing water's edge (tide was coming in) I began to see a pattern for finding some of the more frosted pieces. Along the southern portion of the beach there are areas of grass close to the water's edge that seemed to provide protection for the glass fragments. The grass plants were clinging to the pieces and almost camouflaging their placement. So, I began pulling back pieces of grass and uncovering hidden pieces that laid protected. 

On a later visit to Harper Beach at low tide I noticed that farther up the beach there was a large rock bulkhead supporting the roadway above. At the base of this bulkhead the sea had accumulated many rocks, shells and sea glass! This was a very productive place to look for the higher quality sea glass. Follow the beach north to where the large rock bulkhead begins and follow it for it's entire 190 feet. After you have combed this southern section of Harper Beach, you still have another 1,500 feet of beach until you meet the Harper dock to the north. 

Frosting- I also began to notice a pattern in the glass I was finding. The older glass fragments seemed to have a frosted tint quality. This process of frosting is the etching of the glass due to a chemical reaction of the higher Ph content of the seawater and chemical composition in the glass. (see the Sea Glass page for more information about "Frosting.") The tint was a yellowish coloration that seemed to typify the glass pieces that had been in the water longer. The glass pieces that were newer had sharper edges and a clearer opaqueness. As the glass aged in the sea water it seemed to take on this yellowing tint along with increased frosting on all sides of the fragment. This tinting also seemed to be a product of the algae in the inlet embedding into the etching or pitting on each fragment of glass. The picture below illustrates the difference between some older pieces (top) that were frosted white to older glass with a frosted surface and a yellowish/ to light green tint. 

The hoard I picked up at Harper Beach was after only an hour of searching close to high tide! Imagine what treasures could be found at lower tides. The glass may not be Jewelry grade but it is beautiful and would work great for craft projects.
(See the Sea Glass page for information about how to classify and grade Sea Glass.) 

During a later exploration of Harper Beach at low tide additional sea glass was found. Some had lettering and interesting shapes coming from vintage bottles or mason jars. 

There were also many fragments of bottle and jar necks.   

A small amount of vintage pottery was also found in various locations. 

This second trip to Harper Beach at a lower tide exposed a great deal of sea glass and I probably brought back more than I should. Many of the pieces will make great craft grade additions to a project displaying them in front of a window. 

Damon Point Beach at Ocean Shores is one of my favorite beaches to explore. Out toward the last half mile you will find many gravel beds. This has been my primary spot to locate agates for several years! I know, many of you will say that the Oregon coast has much better pickings and you'll be right. From my perspective, however, this beach is my best spot to find agates on the Washington coast!  

My family has been regularly visiting Ocean Shores since about 2005 while we were enjoy the beach house owned by our friends in California. In the beginning I would walk the wide main beach on the west side of the Ocean Shores peninsula in search of colorful rocks and agates. This effort was usually not well rewarded since the western main beach is typically covered in fine sand year round. Then one Thanksgiving while visiting the Ocean Shores annual craft show in the convention center a vendor told me about Damon Point and my hunting ground was changed forever! 

Damon Point is a long 2 1/4 mile spit of sand that flows southeasterly out into the mouth of Grays Harbor. This is precisely why Damon Point accumulates a good quantity of agates and other rocks on it's shores. It sits conveniently in the middle of the harbor catching the gems as they are washed out and back by the surf.   

Directions: From Hoquiam, drive SR 109 west to SR 115, the turn-off to Ocean Shores. Go south on SR 115 until you reach Point Brown Avenue in Ocean Shores. Proceed south on Point Brown Avenue about 4.5 miles. The entrance is just past a big abandoned hotel and RV campground. Park off the road on the wide grassy area. Go left (east) past a port-a-potty to reach the spit to Damon Point.
I park along the roadway at the end of Marine View Dr. There is a short walk (280 ft.) along an asphalt road that leads down to the beach. From there, my focus is to walk two miles out toward the point before you get to the good gravel beds where the best pickings are located. 

Sea Glass: On some visits to Damon Point sea glass fragments have been difficult to find. The area was not historically developed and had no history as a beach dumping ground. The point now serves as Damon Point State Park (day use only) and home to one of the few remaining nesting sites of the snowy plover. Many visitors are there for the bird watching. If you are looking for high quality "jewelry grade A" sea glass you might be disappointed. I have found a few pieces on some visits but the last hunt over Presidents Day weekend was much more productive. Many whites, browns and greens were found. Even a few cobalt blues were uncovered which are quite rare!

Shells: In the late winter and early spring you will find a hoard of shells at the high tide line along the entire spit. They vary in type and shape but you will find all you want if you're interested.   

Rocks: Damon Point is a treasure trove of smooth rocks with many quartz varieties, granite, beautifully surf smoothed basalt, jaspers and a good supply of agates. Each trip I make to the point brings a harvest of about 15 to 20 agates. Some agates measure 1 to 1 1/2 inches. One of my favorite rock types besides the agate is the "orbicular jasper" which is just about as difficult to find on Damon Point as agates. More details regarding the specific types of rocks found on Damon Point Beach is found on the "Rocks" page of this blog. 

Petrified wood- One of the rarest of finds you can discover on most beaches is a beach tumbled piece of petrified wood. Petrified wood is the state gem of Washington State and is found in abundance in several locations in the eastern part of the state. Finding petrified wood on west coast beaches, however, is no small discovery. Below is an example of petrified wood found on Damon Point beach over the Presidents Day weekend. 

Agates: In my estimation the most valuable gem stone found on Damon Point is the agate. Agates on Damon Point are characterized by variable colors. They are found along the shore after a high tide and embedded in the sand or gravel beds toward the end of the point. The inclusions on the gem's surface help identify it to a scanning beachcomber. They also are quite bright while lying in a grayish tan rock bed. Their glass like appearance causes them to stand out among the rest of the rocks. So, when a beachcomber comes upon a typical agate the moment of eye contact is quite thrilling. The gravel beds at the end of Damon Point are so extensive that recovery of agates is quite easy on a typical day. My pattern of combing, however, is to arrive on the beach just after sun up to capture newly beached or uncovered gems after a night of tumbling and tide cycles.    

You will notice that all these picture were of agates that I found on the surface of the sand. I really haven't spent much time digging in the rock beds. It just seemed more productive to scan the surface of the beach and the rock beds knowing that the agates would just leap out once I made eye contact. Some of these agates were so visually pronounced on the beach it was amazing that previous beach hikers hadn't scooped them up. Most people, however, on Damon Point beach were hikers and focused on their brisk walk out the point and back. With a little extra focus on the gravel beds a diligent agate hunter will find many gems. The gallery of agates below were discovered on my last visit to Ocean Shores over the Presidents Day weekend. 

Recommendation: As with all beaches it is always good to check the tide levels so you will know what to expect and plan your outing. Low tides will offer the best time to find gravel beds loaded with agates. This beach is not difficult to explore even at high tide with the wide expanse of the spit and the no bank environment. Always dress warmly anticipating the wind and cold. Take a water bottle and a snack if you plan on spending several hours scanning the gravel beds and waters edge. I always wear rubber boots to allow for the freedom of entering the surf if an agate is exposed. I also carry a backpack to load up any rocks that would be appropriate for my rock tumbler. Have a great time out on Damon Point. You will love the solitude and beauty out on the point. 

There is a small beach located northwest of the Southworth ferry immediately off of Olympiad Dr. in the Port Orchard area. The access to the beach is limited but quite easy to navigate on foot from Olympiad Dr. The street runs just a few feet off of the beach for about 800 feet.  There are wide spots to park at either end of the 800 foot section that parallels the beach. At high tide debris is blown up onto the road and across onto the front yards of local homes. At low tides the beach spreads to the west from the road access for an additional 1/3 of a mile.   

​Directions: 10771 SE Olympiad Dr., Port Orchard, WA- This is the home immediately across the street and will provide adequate GPS coordinates. 

Beach treasures: There is fine gravel covering most of the beach. Although my initial focus on the beach was to explore the quality of "Sea Glass" which is quite abundant, I was surprised to find an agate within a few minutes! Sea shells were also in moderate amounts across the beac 

Sea Glass: The sea glass found on Olympiad Dr. beach was moderately abundant and easy to accumulate. It seemed to be primarily Craft quality, quite large and thick. Enjoy the hunt. There is more glass on this beach to be found. 

Glass Beach is one of the best beaches to find jewelry quality beach glass in the Pacific North West. I'm sure you can find great quality beach glass in various locations but not concentrated into an area such as Glass Beach in Port Townsend. Beach Glass or "sea glass" of jewelry quality is produced where adequate surf tumbling has occurred (see our page on Sea Glass). Glass Beach is located just beyond McCurdy Point and extending south below the elevated bluff.  You will find the exposure to surf at the point to be a prime producer of high quality beach glass. 

Historical: In the past, McCurdy Point was a remote bluff located several miles west of Port Townsend and a great place to dump trash before modern environmental concerns and local real estate development prohibited the dumping. McCurdy Point is a 100 foot bluff that extends south and east with elevated headlands. The North Beach headlands that extend east from McCurdy Point toward Point Wilson Lighthouse offer a four mile stretch of beach for beach combing where agates, driftwood, colorful rocks and sea glass might be found. North Beach is considered to be Port Townsend's main beach. 

Access: There are two ways to get to Glass Beach. One might access the beach from the Marina Drive parking lot at Cape George and walk 3.2 miles northeasterly to Glass Beach at McCurdy Point. My choice is to park at the North Beach parking lot on Kuhn St. in Port Townsend and walk the 2.7 miles west to McCurdy Point. Believe me, you will have actually walked 3.5 to 4 miles by the time you have reached McCurdy point because of the tendency to beachcomb along the way.  The three mile hike to McCurdy Point west is not for the faint of heart and offers a certain level of sacrifice to those committed to finding great beach glass. 

Warning! The tides will challenge you if you haven't done your homework. Attempting to move westerly up North Beach at high tide is not recommended. The beach above +8 foot high tide becomes obscured with waves and the hiker will be forced to climb over fallen cliff rocks and retreat upwards toward the high bank that in places holds game trails. This is not recommended! ​Only attempt to hike out on North Beach toward McCurdy point when the tides are below 6 feet and falling. This is very important especially if you are accompanying children! Please watch the video to the right providing information about the "Hike out to Glass Beach."

Directions: Drive to North Beach parking lot, 5880 Kuhn St. in Port Townsend, WA. Walk west on North Beach for 2.7 miles to McCurdy Point. After rounding the point you will be on Glass Beach. There is a 100 foot high bluff and access to Glass Beach is made only by walking the full 2.7 miles from the North Beach parking lot or 3.2 miles from Cape George marina. ​

​Rocks: Rockhounds may find various rocks along North Beach as they hike out to McCurdy Point. There are large gravel beds filled with granite, basalt, quartz and jasper of various colors. It is always my focus to look for colorful quartz with a high level of opacity that allows light to pass through. I am also looking for orbicular jasper that is peculiar to the Pacific Northwest. As always on each beach, my radar is also focused on agates! Walking back from my last hike out to Glass Beach I was really dragging. Then as I crossed a gravel bed I noticed gleaming up at me a nice medium sized carnelian agate. It's always a thrill to pick up a carnelian. Even though it was the only agate I picked up that day since my radar was primarily on sea glass.

Beach Glass: Glass Beach is loaded with beach glass and the hunter can load up a bag within an hour. As the hiker rounds McCurdy Point you will notice two old car axels illustrating the remains of the old dump as the point was known decades ago. This marker is the beginning of Glass Beach!

After you have rounded the point you will notice concentrated gravel beds up close to the bluff. You will find many glass pieces here and beyond. Search the gravel beds and with almost every scoop you will pull out glass fragments. Every few yards there are concentrated gravel beds sculpted by the waves and loaded with glass. 

You will find many clear and brown glass fragments in abundance. The real hunt is for diverse colors such as greens, blues and various others shades. The cobalt blues and reds are very rare and a significant find. Have a great time. (see our page "Sea Glass" for information about sea glass, types, quality, grading and art- it's still under construction)

Porcelain: Scattered in among the rocks and glass fragments you will also find porcelain or pottery shards. These are usually quite thick and were artifacts from vintage dinnerware or other home accessories. 

Stay Focused: You will notice once you've arrived at the spot that you will become lost in the hunt that captures prizes every few seconds! Don't forget to watch the waves, the time and the tide! Several bottles of water would also be suggested since the hike is taxing and you will possibly suffer from dehydration and leg cramps on the ride home if you don't drink enough. (learned experience)
Note- next time I'm taking a garden hand rake to dig into the gravel beds. 

Murdock Beach aka. "fossil beach" or "round rock beach" is a DNR maintained beach 9.2 miles beyond the Camp Hayden Rd. turn right off on hwy 112.   
They require a discovery pass for day use of the park. It is a short walk down to the beach from the parking area which includes a bathroom facility and information kiosk. The beach is known for it’s plenteous round rocks and wide variety of fossilized round rocks. These variably sized round formations are called "concretions" by geologists and have formed around plant life or various objects over the ages. You will notice many of these concretions protruding out of the exposed bank as you make your way west on the beach. Agatized fossils may also be found here. Craig Thomas found the agatized clam fossil illustrated below on 1.12.16. The beach is almost covered at high tide and should be most enjoyed at lowered tides when more of the beach is exposed. 

The youtube video below provides directions to Murdock Beach and hunting tips for agates, fossils and agatized fossil sea shells that can be found in the gravel beds on Murdock Beach. 

Rocks: If tides are right, you will find a wide expansive beach with many round rocks. The beach immediately off the trail and to the east offers more gravel beds where rocks and agates may be found. Most of the rocks are granite, basalt, quartz and jasper related. There are also a few specimens of orbicular jasper. If you sift through the gravels smaller agates along with agatized sea shells may be found. The round concretion fossils are quite diverse and amazing in their formations. ​

Sea Glass: the sea glass found here is not plenteous and mostly at a lower craft grade quality. ​