Razor clams · 2026 status
East Cook Inlet razor clams are still closed
Clam Gulch has been shut since 2014 and Ninilchik is shut too. Plenty of pages still sell the trip. Here is where you can actually dig, legally, in 2026.
Verified 1 August 2026. Several lodge and tour websites currently advertise razor clam digging at Clam Gulch. That fishery has been closed for over a decade. Do not book a trip on the strength of those pages.
Closed
Clam Gulch — closed since 2014.
Ninilchik — closed, apart from a four-day reopening in July 2023.
Expected to remain closed at least through spring 2027.
Open
Polly Creek and Crescent River Bar, on the west side of Cook Inlet.
No road access. Boat or air taxi only.
The numbers behind the closure
Adult razor clam counts came in at roughly 31,000 at Ninilchik and 45,000 at Clam Gulch — both more than 85 percent below the thresholds ADF&G requires before allowing harvest. These are historic lows.
Sources: Alaska Public Media, 2 June 2026 · KBBI, 1 June 2026.
Straight answers
Razor clam questions
Is Clam Gulch open for razor clams in 2026?
No. Clam Gulch has been closed to razor clam digging since 2014 and remains closed. The closure is expected to hold at least through spring 2027.
Is Ninilchik open for razor clams?
No. Ninilchik is closed, apart from a brief four-day reopening in July 2023. It is closed for 2026.
Why are east Cook Inlet razor clams closed?
Populations have not recovered. Recent adult clam counts came in around 31,000 at Ninilchik and 45,000 at Clam Gulch, both more than 85 percent below the thresholds ADF&G uses to allow harvest.
Where can I legally dig razor clams in Alaska?
ADF&G directs diggers to the west side of Cook Inlet — Polly Creek and Crescent River Bar. There is no road access, so you get there by boat or by air taxi.
Are the beaches at Clam Gulch still worth visiting?
For the view and the state recreation area, yes. For clams, no — and be aware that several lodges and tour pages still advertise Clam Gulch razor clam digging. Those pages are out of date.
Who can take you
Air taxis and boat operators who run to the west side
Every business in our directory is listed free and lists its own phone, email and website. We take no commission and no booking — you deal with the operator directly.