🌤 Weather at Twanoh State Park by season
| Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 37–65 °F | 50–76 °F | 39–69 °F | 35–48 °F |
Each range runs from the coldest monthly average low to the warmest monthly average high in that season (1991-2020 climate normals), measured at Cushman Powerhouse #2, 9 mi away, elevation 21 ft. Conditions at the park can differ from the station, especially where elevation differs — check a forecast before you go.
Twanoh State Park is a public state park in Washington near Union in Mason County. Spanning 182 acres and established in 1923, this park offers a peaceful retreat into nature for visitors of all ages.
Quick Facts
| State | Washington |
| Nearest City | Union |
| County | Mason |
| Park Size | 182 acres |
| Established | 1923 |
| Google Rating | ⭐ 4.5/5 (800 reviews) |
| Accessibility |
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Location & Getting There
Twanoh State Park is located near Union, Washington. The park’s coordinates are 47.4569, -123.0042.
Things to Do
Twanoh’s 3,167 feet of Hood Canal shoreline is, in Washington State Parks’ own words, “one of the warmest” saltwater beaches in the state — the canal’s shallow, sheltered water heats up in a way Puget Sound proper never does, which makes this the family swimming beach of the south canal. It is also serious shellfish ground: the park seeds its oyster beds every year, oyster harvesting is open year-round (shuck them on the beach — the shells stay), and a clam season runs roughly two months each summer. You need a Washington shellfish license, and the WDFW and Department of Health call the seasons and biotoxin closures day by day, so check both before you dig.
Boaters get a two-lane launch, a 100-foot dock, seven mooring buoys and a marine pump-out; a single Cascadia Marine Trail site takes paddlers arriving by kayak. Behind the beach, 2.5 miles of forest trail follow Twanoh Creek under big second-growth timber, and the day-use area keeps the 1930s intact: tennis and volleyball courts, horseshoe pits, 125 picnic tables and a stone-and-log kitchen shelter that holds 20 to 150. The park calls itself one of the most intact examples of Depression-era park architecture in the state system — the Public Works Administration built the bathhouse and community kitchen in 1933–35, and a Civilian Conservation Corps company added the rest through 1938.
Best Time to Visit
Summer is beach season, and the reservable camping window runs May 15 through September 15; outside it, sites go first come, first served with limited water in winter. Oyster season never closes, so a calm winter low tide with the beach to yourself is a legitimate plan. One dated caveat: in summer 2026 the day-use area and beach closed from July 5 into late August for a shoreline and creek restoration project (salmon habitat), with camping staying open — check the park page for the current status of the beach and shellfish beds before you go.
Visitor Tips
A Discover Pass is required — $10 per day, $45 per year. The campground has 25 standard sites and 22 full-hookup sites (35-foot maximum) with hot showers, open year-round; statewide rates run $31–$43 for standard sites and $46–$56 for full hookups in peak season. Launching costs $7, buoys $23 a night, dock moorage $1 per foot — as of September 2026. The one thing the park does not offer is a roof: there are no cabins, yurts or lodge here. If you’re searching for hotels near Twanoh, the answer is the towns on either side — Union and Belfair — plus Shelton for supplies. For more canal camping nearby, Belfair State Park and Potlatch State Park bracket it along the shore.
The park sits on SR-106 at 12190 E State Route 106, Union (360-275-2222), open 6:30 a.m. to dusk in summer and 8 a.m. to dusk in winter. It was the first Washington state park ever bought rather than donated — 40 acres for $4,150 in March 1923 — and takes its name from the Twana language of the canal’s Coast Salish people.
Fees, seasons and facility details verified against parks.wa.gov on September 2, 2026. Fees change — confirm before you travel.
Explore More Washington State Parks
Twanoh State Park is one of many outstanding state parks in Washington. Discover more parks in our Best State Parks in Washington guide, or use our Park Finder to search by activity, location, or features.
Wildlife & Nature
Twanoh State Park — 182 acres on Hood Canal in Mason County — offers one of the warmest saltwater swimming beaches on the canal, with water temperatures reaching 70°F+ in summer — unusual for Puget Sound waters. The park was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s — original stone and log structures remain. Harbor seals swim in the canal. Bald eagles fish from shoreline conifers. The park offers shellfish harvesting (oysters, clams). Great blue herons stalk the shallows.
Nearby Attractions
Belfair State Park — 5 miles east — has additional Hood Canal beach access. Kitsap Memorial State Park — 15 miles north — has Olympic Mountain views. Potlatch State Park — 10 miles south — sits on ancestral Skokomish lands. Shelton — 20 miles south — provides services.
Keep exploring: The closest neighbors are Lilliwaup Tidelands State Park (a short drive away) and Belfair State Park (a short drive away).
⛺ Camping at Twanoh State Park: Campgrounds & Cabins
| Campsites | 48 (25 standard, 22 full hookup, 1 primitive water-trail site) — 25 standard campsites, 22 full hookup sites, maximum site length 35 ft. 1 primitive site available first-come, first-served as part of the Cascadia Marine Trail for those arriving by wind- or human-powered watercraft. |
|---|---|
| Pets | Dogs allowed on leash. |
| Reservations | washington.goingtocamp.com, (360) 275-2222, [email protected]. Discover Pass required for park entry. |
| Special sites | Two reservable kitchen shelters for day-use gatherings (capacity 150 and 40); not group camping sites. |
| Season notes | Campground operates first-come, first-served during day-use closure period July 5-Aug. 31, 2026. Winter schedule referenced elsewhere on site. |
Camping questions about Twanoh State Park
Can you camp at Twanoh State Park?
Yes. Twanoh State Park has 48 (25 standard, 22 full hookup, 1 primitive water-trail site). 25 standard campsites, 22 full hookup sites, maximum site length 35 ft. 1 primitive site available first-come, first-served as part of the Cascadia Marine Trail for those arriving by wind- or human-powered watercraft.
How do you reserve a campsite at Twanoh State Park?
washington.goingtocamp.com, (360) 275-2222, [email protected]. Discover Pass required for park entry.
Are pets allowed at the Twanoh State Park campground?
Dogs allowed on leash.
Source: parks.wa.gov (verified July 2026). Details change seasonally — confirm when booking.
🐾 Dogs & Pets at Twanoh State Park
- Pets allowed? statewide rule
- Pets are allowed in most Washington state parks but must be under physical control on a leash at all times.
- Leash rule statewide rule
- 8 ft maximum leash required; pets must be under physical control
- Beaches & swim areas statewide rule
- Pets are not permitted on designated swim beaches
- Cabins & lodging statewide rule
- Pets are not allowed inside vacation houses but are permitted in designated pet-friendly cabins and yurts (e.g. Grayland Beach, Seaquest, Ike Kinswa — Cape Disappointment does NOT allow pets in its yurts), typically up to two pets, with a pet fee
- Pet fees statewide rule
- No day-use pet fee; $15 per night pet fee in pet-friendly cabins/yurts
- Statewide exceptions statewide rule
- Director-designated off-leash areas are exempt from the leash rule and are conspicuously posted
Are dogs allowed at Twanoh State Park?
Pets are allowed in most Washington state parks but must be under physical control on a leash at all times. Individual parks can post stricter rules — check signage on arrival.
Rules verified July 2026 via parks.wa.gov. More: Washington state parks guide · Dog rules in all 50 states compared
Park Location
Plan your gear for Twanoh State Park
From our editorial guides, matched to this park’s activities:
