Directions to Ediz Hook:

From Port Angeles, head west through town on Front Street. As you are leaving the downtown section, the road veers to the left and turns into Marine Drive. Follow it for approximately 3 miles and it will take you right out to the spit. There are several parking areas along the road, with the largest being at Harborview Park.

 

Field Notes:

 

Ediz Hook is a 3-mile long sand spit. It has been reenforced with large rocks and sees a fair number of visitors. The Coast Guard is situated at the end of the spit, limiting public access to the last mile of Ediz Hook.

I had high hopes for Ediz Hook as an agate hunting site, but I have yet to find a nice agate there. I’m sure they do show up from time to time, but I haven’t ever had much luck. I have found a few pieces of orbicular jasper which are really neat.

Its close proximitely to Port Angeles and the historic dumping that took place does mean that sea glass is present here. However, unlike at North Beach, 99% of the pieces I find here are more modern trash.

The nice frosty, polished sea glass takes some effort to find. The big blue piece in the picture was the only polished piece I found on my last visit.

This beautiful piece of dark blue sea glass made my trip worthwhile!

 

Other Considerations:

 

There are some nice rockhounding sites in this area that might be worth further exploration. One site is about 16 miles west of Port Angeles at Murdock Beach. This is a wonderfully rocky shoreline that is a popular site for beachcombers.

While this beach can certainly turn up some nice agates and jaspers, the real prize is marine fossils. They are generally found within round stones called “concretions.” These stones form around marine debris, shells and bones. Less common are complete specimens of fossilized crabs.

If you are looking to do some beach combing in the Port Angeles area, consider making the drive to Murdock Beach.

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While this eruption occurred thousands of miles away from the shores of Oregon and Washington Coast, there is still expected to be storm surges. There is a tsunami advisory for all coastal areas from Mexico up to Alaska.

First I should says without a doubt that agate hunters should steer clear of the coast while the tsunami advisory is in effect. It can be hard to predict when a storm surge may arrive, and it’s best to stay off the beach right now.

Fortunately this even took place thousands of miles away from the Pacific Coast. We are likely to expect increased wave activity, but hopefully it will dissipate by the time it arrives along the coast.

Of course it goes without saying that you should avoid the beach and adhere to all advisories regarding evacuations along the coastline. As I write this, it appears that we aren’t going to see a large enough event warrant mass evacuation.

Assuming that this passes and we are all safe, I expect to see fantastic agate hunting along the coast! It is these large storm events that help to strip the beaches of their sand and expose rocks and gravel that hide the jaspers and agates. This will almost certainly happen.

Next: Orbicular “Poppy” Jasper of the Washington Coast

Next: Orbicular “Poppy” Jaspers on the Washington Coast

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Having said that, it’s the big waves and tumultuous weather that really bring the pretty rocks to shore.

On an average year, the start of agate hunting season starts in November and runs through March. These are the months when we can anticipate consistent winter storms along the coastlines of Oregon and Washington. Those storms bring big waves that strip the sand from the beaches and expose all sorts of goodies for the adventurous beachcomber.

Of course it’s not just agates. Be on the lookout for nice jaspers, which can come in a whole variety of different colors. These beautiful stones can be put in a rock tumbler to enhance their beauty, although some stones are perfect just as they are found.

A handful of beautiful jaspers found along the Oregon Coast. As you can see, they come in a wide array of colors. The black stone in the bottom right is actually a rare blue-black agate. You can shine a light through it, but just barely. All of these are nice hard stones that would polish up nicely, but I decided to keep these all-natural.

There are select beaches along the Pacific Coast where nice fossil specimens can be found. The central Oregon Coast will turn up a wide variety of invertebrates like clams and snails. Often they are encases in sandstone and are beautiful cabinet displays.

There are also some beaches in Washington that will also consistently turn up fossils. Particularly along the Strait of Juan de Fuca and even throughout Puget Sound. There are more fossils in Washington than many people realize. In fact, it’s not unheard of for people to stumble across Wooly Mammoth teeth and other incredible fossils.

Of course the winter storms that make agate hunting and beachcombing so productive during the winter months should always be respected. Always be mindful of extreme weather and stay off the beaches when they are dangerous. Sneaker waves can hit at anytime and have been known to wash people off their feet. The Pacific Coast is a beautiful place, but it can be dangerous in the winter months. Always be cautious.

Even during prime beachcombing season, some beaches are better than others. Always be on the lookout for exposed gravel beds. Some areas will be awesome hunting one day, then the next day you’ll find nothing but sand. Searching the consistently productive beaches will increase your odds of success this season.

40 Best Beaches to Find Agates in Oregon

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The beaches around Port Townsend can be very productive for agate hunters, but the real draw for this site is the exceptional sea glass. The beaches just north of town are perhaps the best place in the entire state of Washington to find smooth, waterworn glass.

North Beach sits adjacent to Fort Warden Historical Park. This is a county park and requires no parking fee. This is a popular area with the locals, and has a nice network of trails in addition to beachcombing.

From the parking area, walking west toward McCurdy Point (also called Glass Beach) is good, or you can go east to Fort Warden Park. Either way, the pickin’ was good. One word of caution here… pay special attention to the tides. The beach gets very “skinny” at high tide.

This is one of the most fun beaches to explore in Western Washington. There are plenty of agates and jaspers to find here, but they are more of a bonus at this site. That’s because lovely pieces of polished sea glass are very abundant at this beach. If you spend even a short time exploring the beach here you are almost guaranteed to find some. All the glass in the pictures below were found in less than an hour.

North Beach County Park is adjacent to the Fort Warden State Historical Park. This is a free access. You can park on the beach and walk both directions. A popular hike is to head west about 2.5 miles to McCurdy Point. You don’t have to go far though… even the beach right by the parking lot will likely turn up some nice sea glass pieces.

Get the new book: Agate Hunting on the Washington Coast

Where did the sea glass come from?

Back in the old days, the town dumped its refuse off the bluffs and into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, resulting in an abundance of sea glass today. Actually, there’s a good chance you’ll find a variety of old garbage at this site. Old car parts and iron junk also washes ashore from time to time.

Of course this practice stopped decades ago, but the little glass “pebbles” still remain. Occasionally you can even find polished pottery shards, which are also fun to collect.

The glass comes in all the colors of the rainbow. The most common is your standard “beer bottle brown” as well as clears and greens. Less common are the beautiful blues and reds. Since they have been rolling around in the ocean for decades, almost all of the glass is polished and waterworn into nice smooth little bits. They look really beautiful and some people make them into very neat pieces of jewelry.

A nice collection of sea glass that was all found in less than an hour at North Beach. I didn’t walk too far from the parking area and I still found plenty!

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The Chetco River produces a lot of beautiful and fascinating rocks. This material erodes from the surrounding mountains and finds itself deposited in the banks and gravel bars along the river.

Over time, these rocks also find their way to the Pacific Ocean. Areas around Brookings at the mouth of the Chetco River have long been known by rockhounds. A fascinating variety of chalcedony materials, quartz, agates, jaspers and other minerals are abundant.

Chetco River Access

There is a lot of good access points on the Chetco River, with miles of gravel bars that can be explored upstream. The best way to get there is to take the North Bank Chetco River Road. Drive about 8 miles and you will get to Loeb State Park. This spot gives you a miles of good bank access with lots of good gravel to search.

Continue up the road for another mile or so, and you will be on Forest Service land. From here, you’ve got all sorts of places to explore and plenty of easy access at Miller Bar, Nook Bar and Little Redwood. There are nice agates to be found.

Get the new book: Agate Hunting on the Oregon Coast: A Guide to the 40 Best Agate Hunting Sites

Brookings

The mouth of the Chetco River is right in Brookings. There are several good places to search right near town. One good site is McVay Rock State Recreation Site. It’s about 4 miles south of Brookings.

I have been here twice. On both visits I found a nice handful of small agates. I also found some nice sea glass at this site including one piece that was a brilliant dark blue. It’s a popular access, but there always seems to be some good gravel here.

If you continue south for a couple more miles you can stop off at Crissley Field State Recreation Site. This stop is at the mouth of the Winchuck River. There is often some decent gravels here at this site too. A good site to explore if you are in the area.

I notice there is a lot of nice “tumbler material” here. Not exactly jaspers, but nice colored stones that are hard enough to take a nice polish.

Next: Gold Beach- Agates & Glass Floats

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My favorite prize to discover along the Oregon Coast has always been the bright, beautiful carnelian agate. Agates can come in all sorts of different types, but these are the ones that always have me hollering in delight whenever I find one.

Many people haven’t even heard the term before. What is carnelian? Is it a type of agate? How is it different from a “normal” agate and how do I find them?

Let’s take a quick look at a few of these questions.

What is a Carnelian Agate?

Remember that all agates are a form of chalcedony. So the name carnelian agate is simply the name given to a specific form of chalcedony with the particular yellow/amber/orange/red color variety.

The colors can have a wide range, but they all fall into that “warm” category. The most brilliant pieces are generally a bright shade of orange that will absolutely POP in contrast with the grey and black basalt stones along the coast.

Another variation that might be the ultimate prize is a deep red variety. Some pieces can be so dark and rich that they the descriptive “blood red” would match nicely.

Get the new book: Agate Hunting on the Oregon Coast: A Guide to the 40 Best Agate Hunting Sites

How to Identify Carnelian on the Pacific Coast

Since carnelians are still agates, the same identification methods would suffice. The most basic of course is that they are translucent, allowing at least some light to pass through them. I like to carry a small flashlight and check my pieces. It’s quite satisfying to see how they will light up so brilliantly.

And remember that there there is common jasper that is abundant along the Oregon Coast that can also appear orange, red or purple in appearance. Yet these stone are completely opaque and will not let even a speck of light through them. This is the clearest indication that you’ve got a piece of jasper, not an agate.

Where to Find Carnelian on the Coast

Any of the popular beaches for agate hunting hold potential to turn up carnelian material. It really depends a great deal on the beach, because some areas will more often turn up different shades of agate than others. For example, I have noticed a lot more clear agates on sections of the north coast like up around Oceanside and Cape Meares.

The central coast from Newport down has always seemed to produce more carnelian agates for me, but of course that might just be my experience. The truth is, just about anywhere on the coast could potentially turn up a nice piece. Particularly on the better beaches known to produce agates.

Actually, it’s not just Oregon’s beaches that produce nice carnelian agates. Some of the best pieces you will find are actually on the rivers and smaller streams. Since the volcanic conditions that produce chalcedony were present all across Western Oregon, just about all of the major river systems can turn up nice agates too.

Orbicular “Poppy” Jaspers of the Washington Coast

10 Tips for More Successful Agate Hunts

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The coastline is different than many other places along the Oregon Coast. You won’t find miles and miles of sandy beaches here. Yachats is rocky and treacherous. This makes for some awesome wave-watching.

As for agate hunting, it can be exceptional if you hit it just right. There are a few different places to check out which we will outline below. And since Oregon’s entire 363 mile coastline is a state park, there is plenty of great access!

Smelt Sands State Recreation Site

This spot will always turn up an agate! In fact, it’s one of the places I recommend people if they are just dying to find their first agate because it’s about as close as you can get to a guarantee. I won’t guarantee it will be big, but there I can always find a bunch of small ones at this site. Be very careful here as the shoreline is even more dangerous than usual.

One reason I like Yachats is that you can almost ALWAYS find an agate even if they’re not too big.

Get the new book: Agate Hunting on the Oregon Coast: A Guide to the 40 Best Agate Hunting Sites

Neptune State Scenic Viewpoint

About 4 miles south of Yachats, this access is always a good place to explore. Gwynn Creek, Cummins Creek, and Little Cummins Creek all enter the ocean here.

Strawberry Hill Wayside

Head south another mile to get to the Strawberry access. This is a good beach to explore for agates. The shoreline is very rocky and there are consistently some nice gravel beds exposed. Get their early or time it right with the tides, since there will likely be a few other agate hunters there too. It’s a popular spot for experienced beachcombers!

Bob’s Creek

Another miles south is the parking area for Bob’s Creek. This is one of by favorite little beaches on the entire coast. Not only is there excellent agate hunting, but there are also some exceptional tide pools here with abundant marine life (starfish, mussels, anemones, crabs, etc.). It’s an awesome place to bring the kids.

Stonefield Beach

About a mile and a half south on Highway 101 and you will get to Stonefield Beach. Yet another great beach to explore, If conditions are right you can really hit the jackpot here. I have found some very large agates at this beach.

Agates and Glass Floats at Gold Beach, OR

Rockhounding and Fossil Hunting at Cape Meares

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There is some prime agate pickin’ right in the town of Gold Beach. On the north end of town, turn on Harbor Way, then again on South Jetty Rd. You can get to the beach at the South Jetty, and you can follow Oceanside Road for numerous easy accesses to the beach. Basically any beach in Gold Beach is worth exploring.

My favorite access is called Kissing Rock, about 2 miles south of Gold Beach. There is a large pullout next to a large rock outcrop with a short trail down to the beach. There will be less people here than right in Gold Beach, and it’s located at the mouth of Hunter Creek.

Good Gravels and Nice Agate Pickin’

There is excellent agate hunting at this site. As with several other beaches along the southern Oregon Coast, there is larger gravels here than a lot of other areas. As a result, when you do find an agate you can expect it to be larger than average.

There is a lot of fun variety here too. I always find some agates here, but I also find white, yellow, green and red stones. This is a great site for brecciate jasper that has neat veins shooting through the stones.

My last visit here was in the winter after a large storm. Even though there were plenty of folks out beachcombing, it was still super easy to find agates. I also found one of my favorite pieces of petrified wood at this site.

Glass Floats

Gold Beach also attracts tourists during the winter months by hiding glass art floats on the beaches. Keep an eye out for them between February and April. They are hidden between the Rogue River jetty down to Kissing Rock. Look for them hidden above the high tide amongst the grass and driftwood.

Find a tagged float and you can bring it into the Gold Beach Visitor Center for a chance to win prizes. There are various prizes given out weekly and monthly.

Gold Beach isn’t the only town to do this. Finders Keepers in Lincoln City also hides decorative floats on the beach. These can be a fun little “change up” after a long day of agate hunting.

Get the new book: Agate Hunting on the Oregon Coast: A Guide to the 40 Best Agate Hunting Sites

Other Treasures at Gold Beach

Gold Beach gets its after miners discovered gold amongst the sands at the mouth of the Rogue River. The first discovery was made in 1852, not long after the gold rush to California started.

Miners sluiced on the beaches at Gold Beach and recovered considerable gold before the deposits were depleted. You can visit the Curry Historical Museum to learn about this interesting part of Oregon’s past. Even though most of that gold is long gone, you can still use a gold pan to find tiny specks of gold that were left behind.

Next: Be Safe & Prepared on your Beachcombing Adventures

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Good Beaches for Agates

As with all of the Oregon Coast, there is plenty of good access. I’m going to mention a couple access sites that I have had the best luck at. Both of these sites are a few miles south of Cannon Beach. Arcadia Beach (3.5 miles) and Hug Point (~4.5 miles) both have access will parking right off of Highway 101.

Hug Point has bathrooms, while Arcadia Beach has no services. There are several more accesses in this stretch of the beach.

Beachcombing

There is good access to long beaches here that you can walk for miles anywhere from Cannon Beach down to Hug Point. Agate hunting here is very hit-or-miss in my experience. Most of the time you will find miles of sand with very little cobble, and attempting to find an agate or jasper can be pretty fruitless. However, if you time it just right and plan your visit after a good storm, this is an area known to produce an agate from time to time.

If you have the time, take a road trip to Oceanside or Cape Meares about an hour south of Cannon Beach. It’s worth the trip if you’re serious about finding agates.

Get the new book: Agate Hunting on the Oregon Coast: A Guide to the 40 Best Agate Hunting Sites

Other Attractions

Cannon Beach is one of the more popular tourist towns along the coast and offers plenty of fun activities for the family. There is an impressive art community there with many galleries featuring glasswork, woodcarving, etc. Definitely check out the Haystack Rock Marine Garden in Cannon Beach. This is a fascinating little ecosystem of tide pools that are exposed during low tide at Haystack Rock.

There is an abundance of marine life that you can see up close in its natural environment. Just be aware that there is no collecting of any kind within the Marine Garden, which extends in a 300-yard radius from Haystack Rock.

Next: Oregon’s Wilson River Agate Hunting

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Beachcombing:

This spot will get you access to several miles of beach from Cape Meares and many miles all the way up the Bayocean Peninsula.

Cape Meares is a nice little beach town that seems more isolated than many on the coast, and therefore doesn’t get near the traffic from beachcombers. It is a known agate producing stretch of beach with good material to search. You can find agates, jaspers and interesting zeolite specimens here. I have had particularly good luck walking south of town toward to rocky cliffs and usually find better materials to search there, although anywhere can be good when the conditions are right.

An interesting rock collected near Cape Meares. Close inspection shows small crystalline pockets with yellow and green colors.

Get the new book: Agate Hunting on the Oregon Coast: A Guide to the 40 Best Agate Hunting Sites

Note: There is a known fossil site along Bayocean Road as you are driving along Tillamook Bay on your way to Cape Meares. Look for exposed sandstone cliffs along the bay; these are ancient seabeds that contain a variety of different marine fossils.

2nd Note: While you are in Cape Meares, make sure you also do some hunting at Short Beach just north of Oceanside. This is one of my favorite agate hunting sites in Oregon and definitely worth a visit while you are here.

A small fossil shell fragment found on the Oregon Coast.

Other Attractions:

The Cape Meares Lighthouse provides some excellent views. It is a great site for whale watching. It is surrounded by the Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge which is home to many seabirds and other marine life. Bring your binoculars!

Also Read: 10 Tips for More Successful Agate Hunting

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