Tiptoe Through The Tidepools: All visitors can visit the booth at the top of the beach to enjoy touch tanks and learn about marine creatures regardless of age or mobility.  We recommend Beach participants can walk steadily on uneven surfaces if they plan to visit the beach as the rocks are uneven and can be slippery.

Explore the Shore: We recommend this walk for ages 5 and up. For the great adventurers, you may walk up to 1.5 miles round trip from Owen Beach south to the Boat House and back. The length of your adventure depend on you. Due to the nature of this project we cannot accommodate groups above 15 individuals. Please contact us for more information.

Nope! These walks are great for all knowledge levels. Trained naturalists will help you identify and learn about tide pool animals. At Owen Beach naturalist will also record their location to create a baseline of what is found at Owen Beach. If you want to check out some animals you might see in advance, download the field guide beforehand. You can also participate in Community Science by using the iNaturialist app alongside our naturalist. With this easy to download app you can record animals and plants you see on the beach sharing these observations with the scientific community and helping to record changes in our environment.

Come prepared with sunscreen, a hat, weather-appropriate clothing and a water bottle. Sturdy, closed-toed shoes are recommended for walking on a rocky beach with lots of barnacles.

At Titlow Beach you can check out a field guide with your keys.

No RSVP is needed to attend. Low Tide Beach Walks are free.

• For Explore the Shore, meet on the beach near the Owen Beach parking lot in Point Defiance Park and register at the event tent. Please check-in within 10 minutes of the published start time.
• For Tiptoe through the Tidepools, meet on Titlow Beach anytime during the 3 hour event. The naturalists and educational station will be packed up at the end of the 3 hours. All borrowed materials must be returned by the end time.

Tiptoe Through the Tidepools: Participants can come at any time during the 3 hour event and stay as long as they like.

Explore the Shore: Check in begins 10 minutes before the scheduled start time and ends 15 minutes after. At the meet-up times listed above, participants can get a brief introduction to the day before the walk begins. Beach walks last about one and a half hours, though you may want to explore the beach for a longer time.

If you are interested in becoming a beach naturalist, email [email protected] or visit the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquairum’s volunteer page.