clayton beach

My husband and I often pack a picnic basket and hang out at Clayton Beach. Our dog loves to play in the water and we enjoy tide pooling when the tide is low. Best place in Belingham to find beautiful purple starfish. I just wish people would enjoy the starfish with their eyes and not feel as though they had to pick them up. Please be good stewards of all the beautiful parks we have in Bellingham.

I live in Bellingham and visit Clayton Beach several times a year. I love walking south on the beach at low tide, pas the curious old pilings. Check the tides before you go. The kids love to climb around on the rock formations and listen to the resonances in the sandstone cavities and find shells and check out tide pool creatures. We often see lizards sunning themselves on the rocks. In the summer the water is warm enough to go swimming, at least for some of us. Those things make this a jewel of a beach.The trail to the beach has a couple of scrambles, which aren't suitable for everybody.What I don't like about this beach is the usually large amount of broken glass in the sand at the beach where the north trail comes in. Instead of signs disallowing nudity, the beach needs signs reminding people to pack out their beer bottles instead of breaking them on the beach. A little nudity never hurt anybody nearly as much as broken glass under the feet of a barefoot beach-goer.But signs are clearly useless because the reminders to keep dogs leashed as per state park regulations routinely go unheeded, and I've had unleashed dogs steal my lunch from my backpack. Maybe next time that happens I'll take my clothes off.

I just moved here. Where do you park to access this beach? I am looking for a particular rock climbing spot, but I have explored a lot of Larrabee State Park and it is amazing!!

beautiful rocky beach with really nice cliffs and woods lining the shores. it makes for an awesome day trip hike or picnic spot. its a really easy place to get to but has a remote feel to it.

This beach in Larabee State Park is a little hike form the parking lot...and might be hard for older people. We took our little kids and they where fine. The beach is rocky and has drift wood, it is a stopping place for kayaks too. We had fun wading out and looking for shells..

nice and small little northwest beach, usually not too many people here at all, starfish, gulls and seabirds, sometimes little crabs, great blue herons, watch boats go by and kayaks, have a picnic or just read and hang out.definitely worth a visit.

This was well worth getting the little ones out and about. Got them up to the ocean and lots of nice park for them to run and play! The walk way was also nice.

Unique rocks to climb and watch the surf for the moderately sure footed. View from above worth it if you can't, or are not inclined to manage the short hike.

The foot path has just been closed by the WA State Park Commission siting private property concerns, something to do with unregulated railroad crossing on the path...

This beach was overcrowded when I visited mid summer. There was trash on the little bit of beach that wasn't covered in rock. The view was also not good. There is a long hike before getting to the beach with lots of mud holes. Would not reccomend.

Miles of sandy beaches where you feel you are all by yourself. Off of Chuckanut Road. Bellingham, a narrow scary winding road with nail biting cliffs and drop offs.

A great place bring your special friend or dog for a sandy beach wander and to catch a sunset. Crowded on nice weekends, but midweek not so much. Nice 20 minute wander from parking spot. A few places can be a little steep & slippery so were shoes with good traction

Gets busy in the summer, but on clear days during the winter this is an awesome spot to get away if you are dressed for the weather.

I rated it lower because there are no facilities and as a park most folks expect something. Trail maintenance is not great.

Interesting hike to beach through woods and under railroad line. Surprising ending at lovely beach surrounded with cliffs.