Muir Creek Beach
What to Expect:
From the parking lot, a hard packed dirt path leads you to beginning of the beach area; Orveas Bay estuary (west side of the creek). The piles of driftwood and bull kelp that line high tide mark on the south west shore of the estuary soon give way to the narrow beach that is boarded by steep cliffs.
Be sure to check the tide tables, as much of the beach is impassable at high tides.
Muir Beach is a mix of sand and stone. The first bit of beach you’ll approach is pretty rocky, but it gets better. As you turn right, you’ll notice a point of rocks jutting out to the Juan de Fuca Strait. These are a photographers dream. Keep walking west. Just past this rocky point the beach gets more sandy and the walking becomes easier.
Another 1/4 kilometer west and you’ll start to find a lot of sandstone, which makes for some wonderful photos. The smooth texture, swirls and colours are really cool!
Keep watching the sandstone cliffs, you’ll discover some very unique fossils in the rocks.