Washington State Parks

Park overview:

Twanoh State Park, situated on the shoreline of Hood Canal, features one of the warmest saltwater beaches in Washington state. This is because Hood Canal is one of the warmest saltwater bodies in Puget Sound. The 182-acre marine, camping park has 3,167 feet of saltwater shoreline. The name of the park derives from the Native American Twana tribes, better known as the Skokomish, who made their home in the area.



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Park hours/updates:

Summer: 6:30 a.m. to dusk.
Winter: 8 a.m. to dusk.

The park is open year round for camping, with limited water supply in the winter.

Camping:
Check-in time, 2:30 p.m.
Check-out time, 1 p.m.
Quiet hours: 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.

Agency information:

Don't move firewood: Please protect the Pacific Northwest from invasive species by obtaining or purchasing your firewood at or near your camping destination (within 50 miles). Firewood can carry insects and diseases that threaten the health of our western forests. You can make a difference by buying and burning your firewood locally. For more information, visit online at www.dontmovefirewood.org or the Washington Invasive Species Council website.

Campsite Information:

The campground has 25 tent spaces, 22 full hookup spaces, two restrooms and one shower. Maximum site length is 35 feet (may have limited availability). Gathering firewood is not allowed, but packaged firewood is available for purchase from the campground host or local stores. All campsites are first come, first served.

Group Accommodations:

The park offers a group camp that accommodates up to 50 people. Facilities include a picnic shelter, water tap and vault toilet. The dirt road up to the group camp is steep and windy, so vehicle access is restricted to non-RV-type vehicles. Rental fees vary with size of the group. To make a reservation, visit online or call (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688.

2013 camping fees:

Please note that the following general fee information is not customized for each individual park, so not all fees will apply to all parks (for example, primitive campsite and dump station fees listed apply only to parks that have primitive campsites and dump stations).

May 15 – Sept. 15 (peak season)
Primitive campsite and water trail camping: $12
Standard campsite: $23 non-premium site, $26 premium site
Partial-utility campsite*: $30 non-premium site, $35 premium site
Full-utility campsite*: $32 non-premium site, $37 premium site
*Please note: Camping fees during the 2013 peak season are $28 for partial-utility sites and $29 for full-utility sites at Beacon Rock, Lewis & Clark and Schafer state parks. These parks are first come, first served.

Jan. 1 – May 14 and Sept. 16 – Dec. 31 (off-peak season)
Primitive campsite and water trail camping: $12
Standard campsite: $22 for non-premium and premium sites
Partial-utility campsite: $28 for non-premium and premium sites
Full-utility campsite: $29 for non-premium and premium sites

Maximum eight people per campsite.

Second vehicle: $10 per night is charged for a second vehicle unless it is towed by a recreational vehicle. Extra vehicles must be parked in designated campsite or extra vehicle parking spaces.

Dump stations (if available): Year-round dump station fees are $5 per use. If you are camping, this fee is included in your campsite fee.

More about park hours
Check-in time is 2:30 p.m., and check-out time is 1 p.m.
Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.
Engine-driven electric generators may be operated only between the hours of 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Length of stay: You may stay up to ten consecutive days in any one park from April 1 through Sept. 30; the stay limit is extended to 20 days between Oct. 1 and March 31.

Park Features

Twanoh is popular for shellfish harvesting. Oyster beds are seeded annually, providing for ample harvests. Clam season usually is open from Aug. 1 through Sept. 30 each year, while the park is open to oyster harvesting year round. There is a winter smelt run along the park beaches. In late fall, there is a chum salmon run in Twanoh Creek, but the creek is closed to fishing. Visitors also enjoy other recreational activities, including hiking, fishing, swimming, water skiing and wildlife viewing.

History

The park derives its name from the word tewa´ duxq. Twana, Twanoh or tewa´ duxq refers to the territory that encompasses the entire Hood Canal watershed. It is comprised of nine Villages of which the Skokomish is the largest and where most of the descendants of these villages reside today. The Skokomish people still practice their hereditary and treaty rights throughout this territory.

Before becoming a state park, the land was logged in the 1890’s and a meandering trail through the forest reveals springboard notches carved in cedar trees from early logging practices. Further exploration of the campground and day use area highlights historic park buildings which were constructed in the 1930’s by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

Interpretive opportunities

A plaque stands along the road in nearby Union. It commemorates Captain George Vancouver, the first European to sail into Hood Canal in search of the Northwest Passage.

Services/Supplies

Available in the park	Available in the area
• Camping • Pay phone • Fire wood	• Auto repair • Airport • Boat rental • Camping • Diesel • Fishing/hunting • Gasoline • Gifts • Golf • Groceries • Hardware • Hospital • Marine supplies • Overnight Accommodations • Pay phone • Postal service • Propane • Recreational equipment • White gas • Wood • Swimming

Fast food and camping accessories are available at local stores along SR 106 and in the nearby towns of Belfair and Shelton.

Activities

Trails	Water Activities	Other
• 2.5 mi. Hiking Trails	• Boating (saltwater) • 1 boat ramp (saltwater) • 100 feet of dock (saltwater) • 200 feet of moorage (saltwater) • Fishing (saltwater) • Personal Watercraft (saltwater) • Swimming (saltwater) • Water Skiing (saltwater) • Crabbing • Oysters	• 1 Badminton area • Beach Exploration • Bird Watching • 20 Fire Circles • 1 Horseshoe pit • 1 Volleyball Field • Wildlife Viewing
Campers and day-users must bring their own hand equipment, racquets, etc. There is a winter smelt run along the park beaches. Oyster beds are seeded annually, providing for ample harvests. In late fall, there is a chum salmon run in Twanoh Creek, but the creek is closed to fishing. Clam season is open from Aug. 1 - Sept. 30, closed the rest of the year. Oyster season is open year-round. Oysters must be shelled on the beach. A shellfish license is required to shuck oysters or to crab. This license is sold anywhere fishing licenses are sold. Please check Department of Fish & Wildlife fishing publications for daily limits and information. Regulations are available wherever fishing licenses are sold. Anyone over 14 years of age needs a shellfish license to harvest oysters. The daily limit is 18 oysters. A recreational license is required for fishing and shellfish harvesting at Washington state parks. For regulations, fishing season information or to purchase a recreational license, visit the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife website. Gathering firewood is prohibited, but firewood is sold at the park.

Events

Find other events at Washington State Parks

Boating Features

The park offers one watercraft launch ramp and 100 feet of dock.

A daily watercraft launching permit for $7 and a trailer dumping permit for $5 may be purchased at the park.

Annual permits also may be purchased at State Parks Headquarters in Olympia, at region offices, online, and at parks when staff is available.

The park also provides 200 feet of moorage.
Moorage fees are charged year round for mooring at docks, floats and buoys from 1 p.m. to 8 a.m. Daily and annual permits are available. For more information, call (360) 902-8844.

Picnic and Day-use Facilities

The park offers two kitchen shelters with electricity, plus 125 unsheltered picnic tables. One kitchen shelter can accommodate up to 150 people. To make a reservation, visit online or call (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688. The other kitchen shelter accommodates up to 40 people and is available first come, first served.

Wildlife

Mammals	Birds	Fish & Sea Life
• Chipmunks • Deer or Elk • Otters • Raccoons • Skunks • Squirrels	• Crows or Ravens • Ducks • Eagles • Gulls • Hawks • Herons • Hummingbirds • Jays • Woodpeckers	• Clams • Crabs • Mussels • Oysters • Sea Birds • Seals • Shellfish • Shrimp • Starfish • Whales • Bullhead • Perch • Salmon • Shark

Environmental Features

Physical Features		Plant Life
The soil in the park is "glacial till," an unlayered sediment which was deposited by glaciers over most of western Washington. Twanoh Park is on Hood Canal, which is actually a "canal" in name only. Hood Canal is (in reality) a "fjord," a long narrow body of water open to the ocean and bordered at one end by steep cliffs or hills.		• Cedar • Douglas Fir • Hemlock • Alder • Apple • Maple • Rhododendron • Berries • Ferns • Moss or Lichens • Seaweed