Yellow Pages
Agate Beach certainly lives up to its name. There are agates to be found if you are willing to put in the effort. There is also plenty of colorful sea glass.
This beach is great for beachcombing with the kids. There are lots of rocks to tip over to explore underneath. Just don’t forget to return the rock to where you found it.
Also, there is a rock formation just offshore in Outer Bay that bears a striking resemblance to a shark’s fin. The island to the southwest is Iceberg Island. It is undeveloped property owned by the state.
Outer Bay is a favorite spot of scuba divers. Divers enjoy exploring the rocky coastline and the offshore rock formations. Don’t be surprised if folks emerge from the water.
Outer Bay is also a favorite of sea urchins. The balls of spines can be found in great numbers in the area.
If you find yourself curious about the trail that leads from the parking lot, I will save you the time. It proceeds past a rather decorative outhouse. Yes, those two words don’t normally go together. However, someone has adopted this privy and has decorated it elaborately.
The trail passes the spiffy restroom and enters the forest. It eventually makes a complete loop, reconnecting with the road about 50 yards from the parking lot.
Distance: Three-quarters of a mile
Destination: Out and back
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation gain: None
Getting there: From the ferry terminal on Lopez Island, follow Ferry Road, then Center Road, south. In about eight miles, where Center Road ends at a “T” intersection, turn right. After a quarter-mile, go left on Richardson Road. Turn left (east) on Vista Road and follow it 11⁄2 miles to its intersection with Mud Bay Road.
Turn right on Mud Bay Road. Turn right on Mackaye Harbor Road. Take Mackaye Harbor Road 1.7 miles to a small parking lot on the shoreline of Outer Bay.
To the south of the parking lot is a small, grassy picnic area near the middle of the beach. There is a sign reading “Agate Beach.”
The Trek: After parking in the lot, locate a metal staircase across the road. This leads to the middle of Agate Beach.
Make your way down to the beach. There isn’t much room to the right. A sign proclaims the property to be private.
To the left, however, there is plenty of room to roam. Set out down the shoreline in search of agates and sea life.
If you are willing to get your hands dirty, agates are there for the taking. Pull up a spot of beach and begin to dig. I found it best to dig higher up the beach. The agates weren’t exceptionally large, however, they were colorful, as was the sea glass.
Set off to the south along Agate Beach and the waters of Outer Bay.
The beach is made up of rocks. Lots and lots of rocks. There are rocks big enough to jump from one to another, and smaller ones to simply stroll through.
Reach a massive rock worn smooth by water and weather. The surface is now home to marine life. Mussels and Chinese hat seashells make the surface anything but smooth.
If it is low tide, be sure to check out the tide pools in the rock’s crevasses. Tiny crabs, various mollusks and sea anemones call these tiny ponds of seawater home.
Make sure to watch where you step, and resist the urge to poke and prod the sea life. Many are very delicate.
After crawling over the large rock, make your way around the end of a downed tree and past an island of rock. Not large enough to have a name, the monolith can be reached at low tide. While the water on the shore side is shallow, that on the rock’s west side drops off quickly.
Continuing along, reach the end of the public access to Agate Beach. At the private property sign, turn around and begin the trek back to the rig.
Agate Beach
Vince Richardson
Agate Beach makes for a great family hike.
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