If you have not made it out to Little Squalicum Beach this spring, you are overdue. Tucked into the northwestern edge of Bellingham along Marine Drive, this stretch of Bellingham Bay shoreline is one of the city's most underappreciated outdoor destinations, and with the newly completed Little Squalicum Pier in full operation, there has never been a better reason to visit.
Little Squalicum Park spans 24 acres along the Little Squalicum Creek corridor, running from upland trails all the way down to the tidelands of Bellingham Bay. The park falls within the City of Bellingham's Urban Growth Area, positioned at the intersection of Marine Drive and Lindbergh Avenue in the city's northwest corner. It is the kind of place longtime residents have quietly loved for years, and newcomers often discover and immediately claim as their own.
The centerpiece of the park's recent transformation is the new Little Squalicum Pier, which officially opened to the public in early April 2025. Stretching 1,248 feet into Bellingham Bay, it is now the longest public pier in Washington state and on the entire West Coast between White Rock, B.C., and Pacifica, California. The pier was built on the footprint of an old industrial structure with roots going back more than a century, and its transformation into a public recreation space represents one of the more meaningful waterfront improvements in Bellingham's recent memory.
The pier is designed with accessibility in mind. The surface is flat concrete grating with protective railings along both sides. There are no stairs required to reach the pier deck, though there is a slight uphill incline on the trail leading to the entrance. For people with mobility needs, families with strollers, or anyone who simply wants a comfortable walk over open water, the pier delivers. Fishing and wildlife watching are both permitted, and on a clear day the visibility into the bay is striking. At low tide, visitors have reported seeing shells and sea life on the bay floor from the pier's far end.
Just east of the city park, Squalicum Beach is a Port of Bellingham property accessible from a small parking area near the end of Seaview Avenue. The beach is one of only a handful of protected, accessible sandy shorelines within the developed portion of Bellingham Bay. At low tide, the beach connects to Little Squalicum Park, allowing visitors to walk between the two properties along the shoreline. Together, they form one of the most walkable stretches of Bellingham waterfront outside of Boulevard Park and Fairhaven.
The park also features a designated off-leash dog area, which has made it a steady destination for the city's dog owners throughout all seasons. Trails wind through the park and connect to the broader Bay to Baker trail network, making it possible to link longer walks that take in both the shoreline and the upland creek environment. A full trail guide and park map are available through the City of Bellingham's parks department.
For bird watchers, the combination of tidal shoreline, creek habitat, and open bay views makes Little Squalicum one of the better observation spots in Whatcom County during spring migration. Shorebirds, waterfowl, and raptors all move through the area in April, and the pier's length gives observers an elevated vantage point over the bay that few other public spots in Bellingham can match. Bring binoculars.
Bellingham's parks system has seen a burst of attention lately. The city recently announced a trail closure at Maritime Heritage Park for erosion repair work, a reminder that maintaining waterfront access takes ongoing investment. Little Squalicum, by contrast, is in strong shape heading into the warmer months, with the pier fully open and the off-leash area and trail connections intact. For details on that Maritime Heritage closure and how it affects routes along the waterfront, the full update is here.
The park is open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Parking is available at the park entrance on Marine Drive and at the Seaview Avenue lot for beach access. Neither charges a fee. Whether you are heading out for a morning dog walk, an afternoon of fishing off the pier, or just somewhere to sit and watch the boats moving in and out of Squalicum Harbor, Little Squalicum Beach delivers the kind of easy, unhurried Bellingham experience that reminds you why people choose to live here.
