Beach Rights
So what is this “Beach Rights” thing all about?
There are very few public beach areas in the State of Washington.
Walking along the beach in front of another’s property may technically be a trespass. The following link explains the legal principle within Washington State.
Tidelands are frequently privately owned. This can result in the following situations:
- 1 The adjacent Upland owner also owns the abutting Tidelands
- 2 One party owns the Uplands, Another owns the Tidelands
- 3 A specific number of Upland Owners share undivided ownership of abutting Tidelands.
- 4 One party owns the Tidelands, and provides certain Upland owners the right to use and enjoy the Tidelands.
The term “Beach Rights” usually refers to the access provided under situations described in 3 or 4
Another term you may hear is “Beach Access” which refers to upland properties located near a public beach area.