Miles: 4.9 mile loop
Elevation Gain/Highest: neglible
Map: USGS Point Brown, USGS Westport
Favorite Eats After Hike: Just Pack A Cooler.
Find out current conditions and as always, practice Leave No Trace. Pretty please.
Hike Details:
Damon Point is a long spit to the south of Ocean Shores that offers a sandy beach walk and views across the Pacific and into Grays Harbor. Look for agates at your feet, the Olympics on the horizon and wildlife in the preserve between the two shores. A part of the DNR system, it is popular with birdwatchers and one of a few nesting sites for the snowy plover. Dogs are limited in certain areas.
Leaving the parking area and walking out onto the beach, the shore spreads out in front of you. Depending on the tide, you may have to walk over rocks to continue. About . 6 miles in, the spit narrows and it is possible to cross to the other side. For the loop, continue on and around the tip and back on the other side, crossing back at that narrowing point.
Editor’s note: as of 1/27/2025, Damon Point is closed due to dangerous tidal conditions (it frequently becomes an island and tourists get stranded). Check here for updates.
My hikes:
7/15/2020
Damon Point is indeed open after being closed for COVID19 and made for a lovely stroll today. I wanted to return since my visit last year when we didn’t have time to make the whole loop.
The entire walk around the point and back was close to 4.9 miles and I was treated to a bald eagle having breakfast and heron wading in the water. I only found one agate (the beach is popular for them) but that’s more than last time!
The shore on the south side was easier walking than on the Gray’s Harbor side which was softer. But the turquoise blue of the water on harbor side and more seclusion made the loop worthwhile.
This is a great beach for driftwood and there were quite a few structures built along the beach. The marine layer luckily burnt off so I could see Mount Olympus standing proud on the horizon across the harbor, as well.
A bonus was the portapotty at the parking lot was clean and had hand sanitizer.
3/9/2019
This is a lovely beach stroll on the outskirts of Ocean Shores along the Washington Coast.
If I had known how beautiful and long it was going to be, I would have saved more time to do the entire loop of the spit. We found this little gem in my husband’s rockhounding book and I wish I would have known it was here all the other times I had been in the area. We made it to about the middle of the large knob of the inner coast line.
The waves lapped enthusiastically on the Gray’s Harbor side of the spit and we made our way around piles of driftwood near the beginning to continue further down the beach. Tanker ships lounged off shore and seagulls dove for stranded crabs.
Where the beach comes a no-dog zone to protect the wildlife, we crossed over and walked on the inside of North Bay. The water here was calmer and it was interesting to observe how the soft billowy clouds hovered only over the water rather than the land masses.
My husband was captivated by the variety of stones but I had fun taking pictures of contrasting textures as we walked along. I loved how narrow the spit was in some places you could see both sides and then widened out with grasslands to explore.
After about an hour we turned around and made our way back to our car. Next time I will save half a day to walk all the way around and back on the entire coastline of the spit.
Back at the walk up to the car, I could see the rest of the beach towards Ocean Shores and imagine that if staying in town this would make for an enjoyable walk if you still had some miles left in you after the point!
Directions: Drive on SR 109 west from Hoquiam to SR 115, marked for Ocean Shores. Go south on SR 115 until you reach Point Brown Avenue in Ocean Shores and turn left. In about 4.5 miles the road curves right and becomes Discovery Ave. The entrance comes up shortly on the right with parking on both sides of the road. There are port-a-potties available and no pass is needed.
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