Hike the Elk Flats Trail to Devils Cauldron
The Elk Flats Trail stays relatively uncrowded despite having some of the most jaw-dropping, stand-up-and-take-note views on the Oregon Coast. Only fifteen minutes from Cannon Beach and five from Manzanita, the trail’s obscurity is surprising given its location. I blame (credit?) the low-profile trailhead, an unpromising gravel pull-off beside a bramble patch. I drove past it about half a dozen times before knowing it was there and hiked it twice before realizing I was missing a mind-blowingly cool viewpoint at the end of an unmarked spur trail. So that you don’t repeat my mistakes, here is everything you need to know about the Elk Flats Trail and the Devils Cauldron.
Views from the trail
Know before you go
It’s free to park at the Elk Flats Trailhead. You don’t need a pass or permit.
The trailhead has no restrooms or other amenities.
Leashed dogs are welcome on the Elk Flats Trail.
The hike leads to overlooks next to cliffs. The one at Devils Cauldron has a fence but others do not.
I had some raised itchy spots on my arm after the hike that I think were from stinging nettle. You can’t always avoid contact with the brush along the trail. I’d suggest pants and long sleeves.
The Elk Flats Trail is often muddy and can be slippery. Wear shoes with some traction, preferably hiking boots, especially on wet days.
Elk Flats Trailhead
Elk Flats Trailhead
The Elk Flats Trail begins at an unassuming parking lot that’s essentially a gravel pull-off next to Highway 101. It’s easy to drive past the parking lot without realizing it but, once you’re there, the trailhead is obvious. You’ll see a sign warning about a suspension bridge being out, which you can ignore. It won’t impact the hikes I mention here.
About 0.1 miles from the trailhead, the trail splits. Both directions will bring you to excellent viewpoints. Neither hike is long and it’s worth doing both if you have the time and energy.
Head left at the fork to reach a viewpoint overlooking the cliffs at the base of Neahkahnie Mountain. This viewpoint is unfenced and not family-friendly.
Go right at the fork to reach Devils Cauldron, with the option of continuing to Short Sand Beach.
Cliffside Overlook
Distance: 0.5 miles out and back
Elevation gain: 300 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Spectacular views await at the end of the trail
As mentioned above, you’ll reach a fork soon after starting the Elk Flats Trail. The path to the left leads to one of the most amazing unadvertised viewpoints on the Oregon Coast. I’d been to Devils Cauldron twice before investigating this spur trail, which is strangely absent from guidebooks and other tourist resources. An icon on Google Maps labeled Elk Flats Rock excited my curiosity. I can’t find this name anywhere else and I’m not sure it’s official. Still, it was intriguing enough to send me exploring.
Yarrow blooms along the trail in summer
After following the fork to the left, you’ll walk steadily downhill through a lush coastal meadow. On my midsummer hike, berries were ripening on the salal and salmonberry bushes. Late-blooming wildflowers like yarrow, checkermallow, and tiger lilies mingled with the grasses. The coastal manroot blooms were fading, replaced by its strange, inedible spiky fruit.
Tiger lily blooms near the viewpoint
You’ll see a glimpse of the ocean at the beginning of the hike, a hint of what’s to come. On a rare hot and sunny day at the coast, a small patch of Sitka spruce trees provides the only shade on the trail. When you reach them, you’ll see a steep uphill path off to the right that you can ignore. Continue down the hill and the viewpoint will be just ahead.
The cliffside viewpoint
The trail ends at a viewpoint on an outcropping covered with grasses and wildflowers. Surrounding it are sweeping views of the Pacific. On a clear day, you can see for miles in three directions, making it an excellent place to watch for whales, especially during the winter and spring gray whale migrations. Take care and watch your step while at the viewpoint. The drop-offs are sheer and directly above the ocean.
Seaside daisies bloom at the viewpoint
The viewpoint would be stunning with the ocean panoramas alone, but greater wonders await. Once you reach the end of the trail, you’ll see the dark, jagged cliffs of Neahkahnie Mountain to both the north and south. To the north, look for a tall and narrow sea cave carved from the cliffside. In the distance, you’ll see Cape Falcon jutting out into the ocean.
Neahkahnie cliffs and Cape Falcon
The cliffs to the south of the viewpoint are just as interesting as those to the north. Even on calm days, waves swirl and churn beneath them. Gulls and cormorants perch on the cliffs’ pointed spires and the sea stacks just offshore. If you’ve been waiting for a chance to try out the good binoculars, this is it. Far in the distance, you’ll see the Nehalem Bay Spit, Cape Meares, Three Arch Rocks, and even a faint Cape Lookout on a clear day.
Looking south from the viewpoint
After admiring the cliffs of Neahkahnie Mountain, head back the way you came to return to the parking lot or to make the short hike to the Devils Cauldron.
Devils Cauldron
Distance: 0.5 miles out and back
Elevation gain: 200 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Elk Flats Trail
The hike to the Devils Cauldron follows the Elk Flats Trail to another stunning and underrated Oregon Coast viewpoint. From the Elk Flats Trailhead, continue to the fork in the trail and follow it to the right (if you’re returning from the Neahkahnie cliff overlook, turn left at the fork). Like the previous hike, the trail winds through a coastal meadow thick with salal, ferns, salmonberries, coastal manroot, and wildflowers. Tiger lilies were the unexpected highlight of my July hike.
Tiger lilies bloom next to the trail in July
Continue along the trail for about 0.2 miles until you reach a sign pointing toward the Devils Cauldron Overlook. Take a left to head towards it.
Sign points to way to Devils Cauldron
The overlook is just ahead, only a couple hundred feet past the sign. You’ll see the tops of the cliffs starting at the beginning of the trail. Their full scale becomes obvious once you reach the grove of trees at the end of the hike.
Approaching the viewpoint
The hike ends at a viewpoint overlooking Devils Cauldron, a narrow cove flanked by towering cliffs where waves enter and crash. Just offshore is the aptly named Cube Rock with its unexpectedly geometric proportions. In the distance is the long skinny headland of Cape Falcon.
Devils Cauldron
Unlike the previous hike, the viewpoint overlooking Devils Cauldron has a fence along the cliff and signs warning visitors to stay back from the edge. This fence will prevent you from reaching the angle you want for photography but resist the urge to cross it. A nearby memorial adds a poignant reminder that safety is more important than composition. Despite the fence, the views are extraordinary. The bench at the viewpoint is a tempting place to linger while you admire the cliffs and watch for birds.
Devils Cauldron Viewpoint
After seeing the Devils Cauldron, head back the way you came for a 0.5-mile out-and-back hike (about 1 mile including the previous hike) or continue on the Elk Flats Trail to Short Sand Beach.
Short Sand Beach
Distance: 3 miles out and back
Elevation gain: 600 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Old-growth forest in Oswald West State Park
The shortest and easiest way to get to Short Sand Beach is to start at the Short Sand Beach Trailhead about a mile to the north of Elk Flats Trail in Oswald West State Park. If you’re up for more distance and don’t want to re-park the car, you can continue on the Elk Flats Trail past Devils Cauldron for one mile to find the beach. All Trails will tell you there is another viewpoint on the way, which I would contest. It’s pretty overgrown. The trail is a lovely, forested trek, though, with hints of the ocean beyond the trees.
Short Sand Beach
Once at Short Sand Beach, look for surfers on the water and lots of driftwood logs on the shore that are perfect makeshift benches. The cliffs of Cape Falcon protect the beach from strong winds off the ocean, making it one of the pleasanter beaches on the Oregon Coast to stop for a snack. At its north end, look for Blumenthal Falls and, at low tide, a cool intertidal area.
Shore crab at Short Sand Beach
Neahkahnie Mountain
Distance: 4 miles out and back (from the Neahkahnie North Trailhead)
Elevation gain: 1,200 feet
Difficulty: Hard
Views from the summit of Neahkahnie Mountain
The Neahkahnie Mountain North Trailhead is just across Highway 101 from the Elk Flats Trailhead. There is no overlap between the trails. I mention it because they have a shared parking lot and are easy to combine for a more challenging day with another big payoff. From the parking lot, look for a dirt path running parallel to Highway 101. Follow it for about 100 feet and then cross the highway to start the hike up Neahkahnie Mountain. The summit has incredible views of the Oregon Coast to the south from 1,600 feet of elevation.
Note that a shorter and easier hike starts from Neahkahnie Mountain South Trailhead and leads to the same destination. To find it, drive 1.3 miles south on Highway 101 from the Elk Flats Trailhead and turn left onto Neahkahnie Trailhead Rd. The trailhead will be 0.4 miles up the road.
Getting there
It’s easiest to reach the Elk Flats Trailhead when coming from the north. This direction avoids a dangerous left turn on Highway 101. As you drive south, look for a small, non-descript gravel lot on the right side of the highway with room for about ten cars. It’s a mile south of the large parking lot for the Short Sand Beach Trailhead in Oswald West State Park.
The Elk Flats Trailhead is 5 minutes north of Manzanita and 15 minutes south of Cannon Beach. The drive from Portland takes 1 hour 45 mins.
Explore nearby
Try all the best short hikes on the north Oregon Coast.
Find the best things to do in Cannon Beach, OR.
Hike around Hug Point at low tide.
Visit Cove Beach, a secret beach near the Elk Flats Trail.
