The Oregon Coast: The Ultimate Guide To The Best Hikes

The Oregon Coast is without a doubt one of the most amazing stretches of coastline in the United States. There is miles of rocky coastline, sand beaches and some of the most unique rock formations. The beaches aren’t just for summer adventures, there are places to explore here year-round. Below is a list of my favorite hikes along the 101. Whether you’re wanting to explore the northern coast, the southern coast or somewhere in between, this guide has you covered.

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Things to Know About the Oregon Coast

• Stay on trail. Because of how muddy the trails are it can be tempting to find a bypass of mud puddles. Never walk off trail to avoid mud. Always walk through the mud to avoid damage to the trail and surrounding vegetation. Wearing proper shoes will make doing this possible. If you do not want to walk through the mud, wait until warmer months to do the hike.

• Cliffsides can be very unstable and collapse under your weight. Never climb over fences or get too close to the edge.

• Although many of these hikes may seem close, they can be hours apart. Be sure to look at a map and time the drive distance to see if it’s reasonable to see multiple spots on one trip. weekend trips can allow you to explore more over a weekend.

• Always practice Leave No Trace Principles on trail. Stay on trail, pack out all your gabage, never feed wildlife and be respectful of your fellow hiker.

• Know the dangers of king tides and other inclement weather warnings the Oregon Coast can get, like gale warnings. Going on stormy days can be an amazing experience but it also comes with a risk and being aware of the dangers will help you make educated decisions on where to go and what to avoid. Pay attention to tsunami signs so you know where to go if sirens were to ever go off. Be aware that there can be siren test to look at the towns schedule before going and look at other peoples behavior if you hear one. If no one is moving then it is a test.

Best Time of Year to Visit the Oregon Coast

The Oregon Coast is amazing year-round! With that said, if you’re wanting to avoid rain and mud, you’ll want to stick to summer exploring. Summer also brings a lot of other hikers, so the trails and beaches are a lot busier than in the winter.

Oregon Coast Hiking Trail Info

There are so many amazing trails to explore on the Oregon coast, but below I’m going to share my favorite hikes. They vary in difficulty and many are family friendly hikes. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing stroll to a secluded beach or a strenuous hike up a mountain for views, this guide has it all.

God’s Thumb

This hike is just north of Lincoln City. This trail is like a roller coaster: a lot of up and down elevation changes. It is also one of the muddiest hikes on the coast but it is worth it for the views along the way! The trail begins in a lush forest with a fern-lined trail. There are multiple meadows along the trail as well. When you reach the High Meadow, you will have views of God’s Thumb below and the coastline in both directions. This is an amazing spot to stop and enjoy or snack or make your turn-around.

The trail down to God’s Thumb it steep and muddy during rainy season and along the edge of a cliff. Take your time and know your limits if you decide to continue on. This hike is very popular and can be extremely crowded on weekends and summer. If you want to know more about this hike, check out my “God’s Thumb” trail guide.

Cape Lookout

This hike lies between Tillamook and Pacific City. The hike takes you out along the Cape Lookout Peninsula. It’s a popular spot for people to hike during whale watching season because it takes you two miles out into the ocean where whales need to detour the old lava flow.

The hike out is mostly a gradual decent through the forest and fern-lined trail. There will be long stretches where the trail takes you right along the edge of the peninsula where stunning views of the southern coastline are visible. The trail ends with at a small expanse surrounded by cable fencing. I loved this hike and the never ending views it provided! Take note this is an extremely muddy trail during rainy season and hiking poles are recommended to help you navigate the mud.

Neah-Kah-Nie Mountain

This hike falls within Oswald West State Park, just south of Cannon Beach. There are two route options- north or south trailheads. The south trailhead is rated as a hard, heavily trafficked 2.8 out and back trail. The North trail is a 4 mile out and back rated as hard. The north trailhead connects to two other trailheads within Oswald West so you can venture to multiples places from either trailhead.

I used the south trailhead because parking was pretty hard to find at the north. Since it has multiple trails, more people are going to park there. It is a steep hike, but worth the climb for the coastal views. It takes you through thick trees before opening up to a rock pile at the top. You’ll need to climb up the rocks to get the view of the southern coastline at the top. You can see the Nehalem Bay as well from the top.

Short Sand Beach

This is an easy and popular hike within Oswald West State Park. This is a paved trail to a cove beach that’s popular for surfing. The trail is attached to a larger trail system so you can explore multiple trails to make for a longer hike. The beach is surrounded by cliff sides covered in trees and has a waterfall on the far side. It can be very busy in the summer months, but is quite peaceful in the winter.

Indian Sands Trail

The famous Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach seems to get all the attention, but Southern Oregon honestly has some of the most beautiful, rocky coastline! This trail is within Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor and has stunning ocean views. It gets it’s name from the sandy sections of the hike. The trails can be over ground and hard to follow, but not impossible if you’re aware of your surroundings and you use a digital map.

Clatsop Loop Trail

This next hike is in Ecola State park, just north of Cannon Beach. You’ll drive the narrow road until you reach a large parking lot with a huge field overlooking the ocean. To the left is a trail that leads you down to the beach and to the right is the trailhead. It’s a 2.8 mile moderate out and back trail that takes you to a small lookout of the TIllamook lighthouse, which is out in the ocean on a rock. The trail can also be done as an out and back if you prefer, just check the map to decide which one you want to do.

We did this hike on a weekday, so it was less crowded. It’s an extremely popular area, especially in the summer. The trail will take you through forest the entire way. You’ll come across some old cabins on the right that are hikers cabins, available to rent. You’ll continue on the trail until you reach the viewpoint. There are some small closed off tunnels in the area you can stop to peek inside. The actual viewpoint of the lighthouse is pretty small and if there are multiple people, it could be crowded. There’s a small fence blocking you from going to the edge, but some photographers had crossed it while we were there. We stayed for a while watching a bald eagle in the area.

On your way back if you decided to do the loop, there’s a trail to the right just after the hikers camp cabins. We took this loop back to the parking lot. Once we made it back to the car, we decided to venture down to Indian beach, which is a short trail from the parking lot on the left. It’s a beautiful beach that wasn’t too crowded when we went. We didn’t explore the area too much, but it is a bit of a cove-like beach so there are rocks and tide pools to check out.

What to Bring Hiking The Oregon Coast

Wear proper shoes. The Oregon coast is very wet and trails can be extremely muddy. Sneakers don’t have great traction for slippery rocks either. Wear trail runners or hiking boots to keep your feet dry.

Wind Breaker. Unless you go on a sunny day you will want a coat to keep you dry and help cut the wind. A wind breaker is perfect because it packs down easily and will keep you warm and dry.

Water, water, water! It‘ so important to have an appropriate amount if water. You should consume a liter for every 2 hours of hiking. A small water bottle or a shared water supply will not be enough. If you have one, bring a water filter to resupply.

Reminders

• Always stay on trail and avoid making new trails by taking short cuts. This causes damage to the trails. Walk through the mud, not around it.

• Always check the weather prior to going. The Oregon coast can get Gail winds and heavy rain. You should always know what to expect while out hiking and if there will be any inclement weather dangers.

• Be Considerate of Other Visitors. Be aware of your noise levels and be sure to kindly share the trail. Know proper trail etiquette so everyone can enjoy their time outside in nature. Remember, others may be afraid of dogs or have allergies so keep you dog on leash or safely away from others.

I absolutely love exploring the Oregon coast! Not only are there amazing beaches but it’s covered in unique rock formations. Plus, if you aren’t afraid of getting muddy, you can hike them year-round if the weather is decent. Do you have any favorite Oregon coast hikes? Leave them in the comments so we can all check them out too!

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