Complete information for Ocean City

Park overview:

Ocean City State Park is a year-round, 170-acre camping park, featuring ocean beach, dunes and dense thickets of shore pine. Migratory birds may be viewed at the park, and beachcombing is a popular activity.



Want to support Washington State Parks? Get involved by joining a friends' group. For more information, visit the Friends' Group web page.

Park hours/updates:

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

The park is open year round for camping and day use.

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

Winter Schedule for all Washington State Parks

Current alerts:

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 park has 149 standard campsites, 29 full utility campsites, one dump station, four restrooms and six showers. The utility sites provide electricity, water and sewer. Maximum site length is 50 feet (may have limited availability). Year-round reservations are available by visiting online or calling (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688.

Group Accommodations:

The park offers two group camps. Group Camp 1 accommodates 20 - 40 guests and features two RV hook-ups with water and electricity, restroom and picnic shelter. Group Camp 2 accommodates 20 - 30 guests. RVs cannot enter Group Camp 2 area. Up to four vehicles are allowed in the group camp parking lots. Additional vehicles may park in the nearby parking lot and are subject to an additional vehicle parking fee. 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.

To view campsites and facilities reservable at this park, visit the reservation system and campsite maps.

Driving Directions

Located on the coast one-and-a-half miles north of Ocean Shores on Hwy. 115 in Grays Harbor County.

Park address:
148 State Route 115
Hoquiam, WA 98550

From Hoquiam:
Drive 16 miles west on SR 109, then turn south on SR 115 and drive 1.2 miles to the park.

Park Maps

To view campsites and facilities reservable at this park, visit the reservation system and campsite maps.

Ocean City downloadable pdf map #1


List of all downloadable Washington State Park maps.

Park Features

This beach park offers all the shoreside amenities, including clamming, surfing, kite flying, bird watching and winter-storm watching.

History

Native Americans traveled over the flat and wide beach and early settlers carried supplies from Aberdeen to Minard's Landing by crossing the peninsula to Oyhut, traveling north on the beach. Although necessary for survival back then, fishing and clamming are now recreational pasttimes at the park.

Interpretive opportunities

Visitors may enjoy interpretive signs available throughout the park. The Ocean Shores Interpretive Center is located on the south end of Ocean Shores near the marina. It's open on the weekends from May 26 to June 30, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday and Thursday to Sunday from July 1 to Labor Day.

Services/Supplies

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

A concessionnaire has firewood and ice for sale during the summer months. All services and supplies are available in the town of Ocean Shores, about one-and-a-half miles south. Horse rentals can usually be found at the Chance a la Mer and Oyehut ocean beach entrances. Moped rentals are available at various locations in the area. The nearest hospital is in Aberdeen. Ocean Shores has emergency medical technicians.

Activities

Trails	Water Activities	Other
	• Fishing (freshwater) • Diving • Personal Watercraft (saltwater) • Swimming (saltwater) • Clamming • Crabbing	• 1 Amphitheater • Beach Exploration • Bird Watching • Interpretive Activities • Wildlife Viewing
Loops one and two have grassy areas that accommodate badminton, croquet and volleyball. Digging for razor clams is allowed in certain areas during specified seasons and times. 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. Rip currents, hypothermia, floating logs and unexpected high waves may pose hazards for surfers, surf fishers, swimmers and waders. Laws and hazards are posted on each beach approach. Vehicle traffic is allowed seasonally on portions of the beach. Driving is allowed only on the uppermost hard-packed sand, and all the rules of the road apply, as on a public roadway. The speed limit on the beach is 25 m.p.h. All-terrain vehicles are not allowed in the park or on the beach or dune areas. Dogsledding with wheeled sleds is allowed on the beach. The city of Ocean Shores has an 18-hole golf course. Duck Lake is located in Ocean Shores and offers fishing, skiing and boat launch facilities.

Events

Full list of events at Washington State Parks

Picnic and Day-use Facilities

The park provides four sheltered and ten unsheltered picnic tables. The parking lot accommodates 100 vehicles.

NOTE: Nearby Griffiths-Priday State Park has a reservable picnic shelter for groups of up to 50 people. For reservations call the park at (360) 289-3553.

Wildlife

Mammals	Birds	Fish & Sea Life
• Bears • Chipmunks • Deer or Elk • Rabbits • Raccoons • Squirrels	• Crows or Ravens • Ducks • Eagles • Geese • Gulls • Hawks • Herons • Hummingbirds • Jays • Ospreys • Owls • Pheasants • Quail • Swans • Woodpeckers • Wrens	• Clams • Crabs • Mussels • Sea Birds • Seals • Shellfish • Starfish • Whales • Perch • Red Snapper • Salmon • Shark • Tuna

Environmental Features

Physical Features		Plant Life	Special
The area is part of the Pacific Flyway for migratory birds and is adjacent to the migratory route of gray whales and other sea mammals. A creek stained various colors by algae and shore plants separates the beach from dunes. Wildflowers, including buttercups, wild strawberry and lupine color the beach grasses. Dense shore pine hugs tidelands and surrounds fresh and saltwater marshes. The park offers an excellent example of coastal wetlands and dune succession. The area has an annual average rainfall of 100 inches.		• Cedar • Hemlock • Spruce • Alder • Berries • Eel Grass • Ferns • Moss or Lichens • Seaweed	Native American artifacts, including various cooking, hunting, fishing and clothing items found in the area, may be viewed at the Ocean Shores Interpretive Center. Beach combers still occasionally find glass floats on the shore, washed in from Japanese and Russian fishing boats.

Park photo gallery