About This Beach
Birch Bay is a shallow, crescent-shaped bay that warms up significantly during summer months, making it one of the most swimmable beaches in Washington. The bay’s extreme tidal exchanges can expose up to a half-mile of tidelands during low tide, creating exceptional opportunities for collecting shellfish and exploring tide pools. The 194-acre Birch Bay State Park includes 8,255 feet of saltwater shoreline and 14,923 feet of freshwater shoreline on Terrell Creek. The community hosts the unique Birch Bay Polar Bear Plunge on New Year’s Day and the Rollback Weekend classic car show. The warm, protected waters make it particularly family-friendly compared to Washington’s Pacific coast beaches.