Map of Birch Bay CDP

Birch Bay is a protected bay of the east shore of the Salish Sea, between Semiahmoo Bay and Lummi Bay; approximately 100 miles (160 km) north of Seattle and 35 miles (56 km) south of Vancouver, BC, Canada.

The bay gives its name to a census-designated place (CDP) along the bay’s shore in Whatcom County, Washington, United States. The population was 8,413 at the 2010 census, a 69.6% increase over the 2000 census.

Birch Bay was named in 1792 by Archibald Menzies, a member of the Vancouver Expedition. Vancouver’s two ships used Birch Bay as an anchorage for several days. Menzies noted a number of species of birch and gave the name to the bay.

Birch Bay CDP overview:
Name:	Birch Bay CDP
LSAD Code:	57
LSAD Description:	CDP (suffix)
State:	Washington
County:	Whatcom County
Elevation:	10 ft (3 m)
Total Area:	21.2 sq mi (54.9 km²)
Land Area:	15.8 sq mi (41.0 km²)
Water Area:	5.4 sq mi (14.0 km²)
Total Population:	8,413
Population Density:	532.5/sq mi (205.2/km²)
ZIP code:	98230
Area code:	360
FIPS code:	5306190
GNISfeature ID:	1512009

Online Interactive Map

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Birch Bay online map. Source: Basemap layers from Google Map, Open Street Map (OSM), Arcgisonline, Wmflabs. Boundary Data from Database of Global Administrative Areas.

Birch Bay location map. Where is Birch Bay CDP?

Birch Bay location on the U.S. Map. Where is Birch Bay CDP. — Birch Bay location on the U.S. Map.

Birch Bay location on the Washington map. Where is Birch Bay CDP. — Location of Birch Bay in Washington.

History

In the 2000s, the development of condominiums and vacation homes became more prominent in Birch Bay due to high demand from wealthier clientele in the United States and Canada. A proposal to incorporate the community as a city was announced in 2023 following earlier attempts and discussion. By 2020, Birch Bay had grown to approximately 10,000 people, making it larger than all but three cities in Whatcom County.

Birch Bay Road Map

Birch Bay city Satellite Map

Geography

Birch Bay is on the Salish Sea in northwestern Whatcom County, about 6 miles (9.7 km) south of the Canada–United States border and 37 miles (60 km) from Vancouver, British Columbia. The community that surrounds the bay is connected by State Route 548, a short highway that runs between two interchanges on Interstate 5 near Ferndale and in Blaine.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 21.2 square miles (55.0 km), of which, 15.8 square miles (40.9 km) of it is land and 5.4 square miles (14.0 km) of it (25.45%) is water.

Geology

Birch Bay is a headland bay created by the refraction of incoming waves on the headlands that lie on either side of the bay. The headland to the north is Birch Point, and the one to the south is Point Whitehorn. The waves bend as they enter the bay and lose energy in the process. The result is a half-moon-shaped bay with a gentle sloping beach. The beach has been modified in past years by the implementation of groins and riprap. Terrell Creek runs parallel along a section of the beach, eventually flowing into the bay.