20 Best Oregon Coast Beaches to See Tidepools
It’s a rare science fiction show that can come with anything close to being as alien-looking as the inhabitants of an average tidepool. While marine mammals like whales and dolphins inspire feelings of familiarity and kinship, tidepools are more likely to provoke a sense of wonder and sometimes even disbelief at the strange and riotous life within them. Thank goodness the tides rise twice a day or I would no doubt still be crouched on a windy rock somewhere, hungry and needing to use the bathroom, watching waving anemone tentacles and the delicate filament arms of barnacles (called cirri for kindred spirits out there).
After countless hours of tidepool gawking, here is my subjective list of the best tide pooling beaches on the Oregon Coast, judged by a combination of beach coolness and amount of intertidal life. I also left off any places, like the rocks beneath the sea wall at Depoe Bay, that are too dangerous to make the journey worth the risk. Here is everything you need to know about tide pooling on the Oregon Coast.
Gooseneck barnacles
Tide pooling tips
Aim on reaching your destination about 1-2 hours before low tide. This way you’ll have time to explore without worrying about a rising tide right away. Keep in mind that tide tables, like this one from NOAA, are predictions and actual tide levels may be different.
Not all low tides are created equal. The lower the better for seeing tidepools. Negative numbers on a tide table are the best-case scenario.
Keep an eye out for waves and rising tide levels as you explore.
Only step on bare rocks around tidepools to avoid injuring anything living.
Wear shoes with good traction that can get wet. Rocks in intertidal areas can be very slippery.
Do not pick up, move, or take anything out of a tidepool. These environments are delicate.
It is usually okay to gently touch tidepool plants and animals like kelp, clams, mussels, sea stars, and anemones. Do not touch the center of an anemone, which is its digestive tract. If an animal is out of the water, wet your finger before touching it. When in doubt, leave it be.
All of the beaches on this list allow dogs. Use your discretion since tide pooling isn’t a particularly dog-friendly activity.
Mossy chiton and barnacles
Tidepool life
An ochre sea star, giant green anemones, black pine algae, surf grass, and coralline algae
Here are some of the most common tidepool animals to look for:
Anemones on the Oregon Coast are usually one of two types: giant green anemones and aggregating anemones. Giant green anemones look exactly like their name suggests. They can live singly in a tidepool or with many others. Aggregating anemones are smaller and almost always appear in groups. Their color varies from whitish to yellow to green and their tentacles often have pink tips.
Ochre sea stars, often called starfish, have been making a comeback on the Oregon Coast after a large die-off around 2013. They can be a variety of sizes, have five arms, and are usually orange, red, or purple. I read recently about sightings of gigantic, many-armed sunflower sea stars on the Oregon Coast and now I dream of seeing one.
Barnacles are everywhere in intertidal areas and can be one of several types. The most distinctive-looking are the gooseneck barnacles, which are long, narrow, and look like the heads of baby dragons. Acorn barnacles and thatched barnacles look more like calcified crusts and have plates that open like a door to allow the barnacle to feed.
Limpets look a lot like barnacles but are more conical and have a muscular foot that holds them in place.
The dark-colored shells that cover rocky surfaces are mussels. The largest ones are California mussels. You might also see smaller blue mussels.
Purple sea urchins are the spiny urchins you’ll find in tidepools, often in groups, always bright purple.
Crabs hang out in and around tidepools. You may see small hermit crabs carrying shells on their backs or larger shore crabs and rock crabs.
Chitons look like living fossils. They are oval-shaped with a hard shell. There are several kinds in Oregon. The ones I see most often are the mossy chitons that have a frilly ring around them.
Also look for clams, nudibranchs (sea slugs), sea cucumbers, snails, and sculpins (little bottom-dwelling fish).
Sea palms at Cape Perpetua
Tidepools also have a ton of plant life, like seaweeds, kelps, and algae. Sea palms are particularly Dr. Seussian and look like small, bendy palm trees. Surf grass is the sea grass that grows in tidepools.
1. Crescent Beach
Crescent Beach
Where to go: Park at Ecola Point in Cannon Beach’s Ecola State Park. After admiring the viewpoint, look for the trailhead near the restrooms that leads down to Crescent Beach. The hike to the beach is about 1.25 miles one way. Head to the north end of the beach to find the tidepools.
Pass required: Oregon State Park pass. You can purchase a day pass for $5 on-site.
Ecola State Park is one of the most beloved destinations on the Oregon Coast thanks to its panoramic views of the Pacific and the sea stacks of Cannon Beach. Yet despite Ecola’s popularity, most visitors don’t venture beyond the overlook at Ecola Point much less seek out tidepools here. A short, moderately difficult trail leads from the headland at Ecola Point down to stunning Crescent Beach. Although short, this trail is not easy. Expect large tree roots on the trail from start to finish and thick mud during wetter seasons.
Once you’re on the beach, head north. You’ll see a small waterfall here and tons of basaltic sea stacks. Keep going and you’ll reach a sea cave. Look for tidepool life at the northern end of the beach. For more tidepools with less walking, drive another 1.5 miles from Ecola Point to Indian Beach. There are some tidepools on the south end of the beach.
2. Cannon Beach
Silver Point
Where to go: Haystack Rock or Silver Point. To reach the sea stacks at Silver Point, park at Tolvanna Beach and walk south on the beach for about 1 mile.
Pass required: None
Sea stars, anemones, barnacles, and mussels cling to the sea stacks at Silver Point
Perhaps the best-known tide pooling spot on the Oregon Coast is Haystack Rock. This 235-foot basalt sea stack is memorable for its striking conical shape and its proximity to shore. During low tide, you can walk up to Haystack Rock and see the intertidal life surrounding it. Haystack Rock is also a favorite of other wildlife, especially seabirds. In late spring and early summer, look for tufted puffins nesting on top of it. You may also see common murres, cormorants, harlequin ducks, black oystercatchers, and gulls.
The beach around Haystack Rock can get very crowded, especially on beautiful summer days. To see Cannon Beach’s intertidal life without the crowds, head down the beach to the lovely but less famous sea stacks at Silver Point. They are directly below the Silver Point overlook off Highway 101 but cannot be accessed from the viewpoint. To reach them on the beach, walk south from Tolvanna Beach or one of the southernmost beach access points in town. The bases of the sea stacks here are so covered in intertidal critters that it is difficult to see any bare rock.
3. Hug Point
Hug Point
Where to go: Park at Hug Point State Recreation Site and walk north on the beach to find the tidepools at Hug Point.
Pass required: None
Giant green anemones at Hug Point
One of the most unusual tide pooling spots on the Oregon Coast is at Hug Point, where you can find an old road at the base of the headland. Before the construction of Highway 101, the easiest way to travel from north to south was on the beach. Hug Point was a difficult point in the journey because people could only walk or drive around the headland at a very low tide. Workers created a ledge at the base of Hug Point to allow for easier passage of carriages and, later, automobiles. You can see the old wheel tracks on the ledge that are a legacy of this traffic. At low tide (it will need to be close to zero on a tide table), you can walk to Arcadia Beach from Hug Point Beach on the old road. As you walk, look for tidepools along the ledge. Make sure to keep an eye on the tide once you reach Arcadia Beach so that the ocean does not cut off your return journey.
4. Short Sand Beach
Short Sand Beach
Where to go: Park in the lot for Oswald State Park next to Highway 101 and take the 0.6-mile trail to Short Sand Beach. Although not a long walk, there are interconnecting trails here and an offline map is helpful. Once you’re at the beach, head north to reach the tidepools. They will be near the waterfall.
Pass required: None
Lined shore crab at Short Sand Beach
Headlands to both the north and south protect Smuggler Cove and its beach, Short Sand Beach, from strong ocean winds, making it a favorite destination for surfers and beachgoers on the Oregon Coast. At the north end of the beach, water flows down small, picturesque Blumenthal Falls and into the ocean. This end of the beach is also where you can find intertidal life like sea stars, anemones, and barnacles. Although it takes some clambering over the rocks to get there, you may be rewarded by the sight of a shore crab scurrying out from a crack in the stone.
5. Oceanside
A tunnel passes under Maxwell Point at Oceanside Beach
Where to go: Park at Oceanside Beach and walk north toward Maxwell Point. Use the tunnel at the base of the headland to reach Tunnel Beach. Although doable with a cell phone flashlight, it will be easier with a real flashlight or camping lantern. Walk north on Tunnel Beach to find the tidepools.
Pass required: None
Tunnel Beach
There is something irresistible about a secret beach. Beyond the already romantic feeling that comes from being near the ocean, a secret beach conjures up a thousand imaginings from pirate treasure to stranded merfolk to sirens and sea monsters. Arguably the most unique and intriguing beach access on the Oregon Coast is the tunnel connecting Oceanside Beach to Tunnel Beach in the town of Oceanside. This tunnel is a 90-foot passage under the headland of Maxwell Point. It was built in the 1920s as part of a long-defunct resort on the coast. Today, the tunnel is full of wobbly rocks and driftwood brought in by the king tides. It is dark inside and a flashlight is invaluable during the journey. On the other side, you’ll reach lovely Tunnel Beach, which is a great place to find interesting rocks and sea glass. Head north to find the intertidal life clinging to the bases of the sea stacks. At a very low tide, you can find tidepools.
6. Cape Kiwanda
Look for tidepools at the southern base of Cape Kiwanda
Where to go: From the day-use area in Pacific City, head north to reach Cape Kiwanda. Before climbing up the hill to reach the top, explore the sandstone bench at the headland’s southern base to find the tidepools. Proceed with caution and only on calm days. Waves come up onto this rock frequently.
Pass required: $10 day-use fee
Aggregating anemones at McPhillips Beach
Although known for the fascinating contours of its sandstone cliffs, Cape Kiwanda also has a small tide pooling area at its southern base. At low tide, head out to the rocky platform here on days when the ocean is calm. Make sure to be aware of your surroundings when you are exploring. This area is one of the riskier intertidal areas on this list since waves can come up unexpectedly onto the platform. Look for signs indicating places to avoid. After seeing the tidepools, make sure to take in the views from the top of Cape Kiwanda and see its new and growing sinkhole.
For more intertidal life and some of the hands-down coolest-looking sandstone you’ll ever see, head a few minutes up the road to McPhillips Beach to explore Cape Kiwanda’s north side. Anemones, chitons, and barnacles live on the rocks here. The cape is about a mile south of the parking lot for McPhillips Beach.
7. Neskowin Ghost Forest
The Neskowin Ghost Forest
Where to go: Park in the public parking lot in Neskowin and follow the sign pointing toward the beach. You’ll follow a sandy trail past a restaurant and a hotel. The ghost forest starts just south of Proposal Rock on the beach.
Pass required: None
Giant green anemones grow on an ancient tree stump at Neskowin
Neskowin Beach is kind of an oddball suggestion for tidepools since there isn’t much rocky coast here, but it is both haunting and magical to see 2,000-year-old Sitka spruce stumps encrusted with sea creatures. At low to medium tide, the ocean recedes to reveal a beach covered with these stumps, remnants of an ancient forest that was destroyed by changing ocean levels and sand encroachment. The sands that buried the forest also preserved the stumps, which re-emerged in the late 1990s after a violent winter storm uncovered them.
Today the stumps of the Neskowin Ghost Forest are covered with intertidal life, especially barnacles. You can see the ghost forest in the waves at medium tide but go at low tide to be able to approach all the stumps. On a couple of the larger ones, small pools form and allow anemones and sea lettuce to grow within.
8. Devils Punchbowl and Otter Crest Beach
The Devils Punchbowl at a low-ish tide
Where to go: To reach Otter Crest Beach and the tidepools, park in the North Parking Lot at Devils Punchbowl State Natural Area on C Ave. Walk north on C Street until you reach the Marine Gardens Trail, then take the trail down to the beach. To enter the Devils Punchbowl, head south on the beach.
Pass required: None
Look for tidepools north of the Devils Punchbowl at Otter Crest Beach
The Devils Punchbowl is one of the most unforgettable places on the Oregon Coast. Looking down into the punchbowl from above is most impressive at high tide when powerful ocean waves fill it and churn within. Low tide reveals the bright and striated colors of the punchbowl’s sandstone walls and uncovers the boulders at its base. Low tide is also the best time to explore the tidepools of Otter Crest Beach to the north of the Devils Punchbowl. At a very low tide on a calm day, you can enter the punchbowl from below. Look for negative numbers on a tide table. The views from inside are fantastic, but the best tidepool life will be outside of it on the beach to the north.
9. Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area
Yaquina Head Lighthouse behind the tidepools of Cobble Beach
Where to go: Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area has two places with tidepools, Cobble Beach and Quarry Cove. To reach Cobble Beach, head down the staircase near the lighthouse. For Quarry Cove, look for the parking lot shortly past the entrance, then park and head down the hill to the rocks in the cove.
Pass required: $7/vehicle entrance fee or America the Beautiful pass.
Purple sea urchins at Cobble Beach
Cobble Beach at Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area has among the best, if not the best, tidepools anywhere on the Oregon Coast. Low tide reveals rough basalt covered with pools containing remarkably varied inhabitants like sea stars, urchins, anemones, mussels, hermit crabs, shore crabs, chitons, limpets, sculpins, nudibranchs, and barnacles. Besides intertidal life, expect frequent visits from seals and seabirds. The tidepools at Cobble Beach are both easy to reach and among the safer spots to explore since many of the pools are not right next to any pounding ocean waves. You can also often find park rangers here that will help you identify what you find. Other than Cobble Beach, you can find a less crowded tidepool area at Yaquina Head by walking down to Quarry Cove.
10. Seal Rock State Recreation Site
See views of Seal Rock State Recreation Site’s amazing rock formations from above before heading down to the beach
Where to go: From the parking lot, take the short (about 0.25 miles) trail down to the beach. There will be a couple of great viewpoints along the way. Look for tidepools at the base of the sea stacks on the beach.
Pass required: None
A trail leads down to Elephant Rock and tidepools on the beach
At a glance, Seal Rock State Recreation Site is unmistakable thanks to the distinctive ridge of basalt sea stacks that run parallel to the coast here. You can first admire this ridge from above at the park’s overlooks, then take the short trail down to the beach to explore it up close. Look for tidepools at the base of the sea stacks. These tidepools are among the safest to explore on the Oregon Coast since the sea stacks provide a barrier to the ocean waves. Seal Rock is also a great place to watch for birds like gulls, cormorants, pigeon guillemots, and pelicans.
11. Smelt Sands State Recreation Site
Waves cover the tidepools near Smelt Sands at high tide
Where to go: Look for the turn into Smelt Sands State Recreation Site from Highway 101 in Yachats. The parking lot is next to the 804 Trail, which runs parallel to the coast. Regular access points from this trail will bring you down to the rocks and their intertidal critters.
Pass required: None
A sea star clings to mussels at Smelt Sands
Just about anywhere you can reach the coast in Yachats, you can find tidepools. The rocky shore here is made of Yachats basalt formed from long-ago volcanic eruptions. Today, this rock makes the perfect habitat for intertidal life. Smelt Sands State Recreation Site has easy access down to the mussel-encrusted rocks along the shore as well as some pools. Look for sea stars, thatched barnacles and gooseneck barnacles, hermit crabs, and both aggregating and giant green anemones here. To see more of the coast, you can follow the 804 Trail in either direction.
12. Yachats State Recreation Area
Yachats State Recreation Area is one of the most beautiful places on the Oregon Coast to find tidepools
Where to go: From Highway 101 in Yachats, turn onto Oceanview Drive. Yachats State Recreation Area is about 0.25 miles down the road. Head down to the rocky coast to find the tidepools.
Pass required: None
Waves lap over the rocky shore at Yachats State Recreation Area
As you can tell from my photos, the beauty of twilight at Yachats State Recreation Area distracted me from the excellent tidepools in its rugged basalt shore. Waves hit this rough stone with incredible strength, then take on a deceptively fragile quality as they flow back into the ocean. There are ridges, chasms, and even a gaping hole in the basalt that creates a natural viewing window for the rushing waves below. Amid this coastal drama, tidepools are everywhere. Proceed with caution since you will be close to the water, but anemones flourish in the wave-buffeted pools here.
13. Yachats Ocean Road State Natural Area
The town of Yachats from Yachats Ocean Road State Natural Area
Where to go: From Highway 101, turn onto Yachats Ocean Road on the south end of town. You’ll find a wide shoulder along this road where you can park. Head to the rocky areas of the beach to find tidepools.
Pass required: None
Yachats Ocean Road State Natural Area is the last stop in Yachats before heading south to Cape Perpetua. This beach has the most sand of any of those you’ll find in town but still has plenty of rocks that make for great tidepools when the tide recedes. Looking north, you’ll have fantastic views of the town across Yachats Bay. This beach is one you’ll only find if you seek it out. The public access is tucked away in a residential neighborhood with minimal signage. When you find it, you’ll have a good chance of solitude.
14. Cape Perpetua
Cape Perpetua has a designated tidepool area along the Captain Cook Trail
Where to go: Take the Captain Cook Trail down to the coast at Cape Perpetua. You’ll see signs for the tidepools, which are near the north side of the loop trail.
Pass required: $5/day or annual NW Forest Pass or America the Beautiful pass.
Sea stars and giant green anemones at Cape Perpetua
Many of Cape Perpetua’s most famous features are best at high tide when you can see water bubbling up from Thor’s Well and shooting a fine mist from Spouting Horn. These geologic oddities become fairly quiet at low tide, but only then can you visit the world-class tidepools just to the north. You can find plenty of pools in Cape Perpetua’s designated tidepool area, where ocean water gets trapped in the countless nooks and crannies of the rough basalt here. Look for anemones, sea stars, limpets, barnacles, chitons, nudibranchs, purple sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and an impressive variety of intertidal plants.
15. Neptune North
This rocky chasm at Nepute State Scenic Viewpoint is covered with intertidal life
Where to go: From the parking area, take the short sandy trail to the beach and head to the rocks on the north end of the beach. Climb up on the rocks and look down into the small canyon below.
Pass required: None
Giant green anemones droop at Neptune North
Despite being only a few miles down the road from Cape Perpetua, Neptune State Scenic Viewpoint receives only a fraction of the attention. I’ll admit that the name is not promising and suggests a quick stop along the highway, but the reality is much different. Four different parks make up Neptune State Scenic Viewpoint, each of which is worth visiting. One of the best stops to see tidepools is at Neptune North, the second entrance to Neptune State Scenic Viewpoint.
From the small and non-descript parking lot, head to the beach and its many scattered basalt blobs. Step up onto the rock formation on the north end of the beach. You’ll be able to look down into a small, critter-encrusted canyon. Unlike many tide pooling areas that require tottering over slippery rocks to see anything interesting, this canyon at Neptune has so much varied life living on its walls that you will want to sit and linger while you take it all in.
16. Strawberry Hill Wayside
Beach strawberries bloom at Strawberry Hill Wayside
Where to go: From Highway 101, look for the sign for Strawberry Hill Wayside just south of Neptune North. Take the short (about 0.1 miles), steep trail down to the rocky beach and start clambering around. From here, you can find tidepools in any direction.
Pass required: None
Head in any direction to find sea stars and other intertidal life at Strawberry Hill Wayside
Although also part of Neptune State Scenic Viewpoint, Strawberry Hill Wayside looks completely different from its neighboring beach, Neptune North. At Strawberry Hill, you’ll find more rocks than sand and tidepools just about anywhere you go. Step with care, this beach is rugged and the rocks here can get very slick. Like Neptune North, Strawberry Hill gets many fewer visitors than Cape Perpetua and there are days when you can have the tidepools to yourself. Besides tidepool life, look for harbor seals lounging on the rocks. They are frequent visitors to Strawberry Hill. On your walk down to the beach, you’ll see a prominent ridge of basalt that was a feeder dike for the lavas that formed the Yachats Basalt.
17. Heceta Head
Look for tidepools at the base of Heceta Head
Where to go: The beach to the south of Heceta Head Lighthouse is called Cape Cove Beach. Head to the rocky cliffs on either side of the beach. The intertidal life will be most interesting on the north end of the beach.
Pass required: $5/day or annual Oregon State Park pass. There are pay stations by the parking lot.
Aggregating anemones at Hobbit Beach
Heceta Head Lighthouse is one of the most incredible sights on the Oregon Coast. The weathered red and white lighthouse stands picture-perfect on a basaltic headland, looking out over the Pacific from 200 feet of elevation. When you reach the parking lot next to Cape Cove Beach, it is tempting to head straight for the hiking trail that leads up to the lighthouse. The views surrounding the lighthouse are stunning and this journey is worth the effort. If you visit at low tide, you can find tidepools at Cape Cove Beach’s north and south ends. Those on the north end are the best on the beach and you can also explore a couple of small sea caves here.
If you’re looking for a longer hike, a trail continues from the lighthouse out to Hobbit Beach, a tranquil and uncrowded beach with a curious entrance that looks like a tunnel built for hobbits. Once at the beach, you can find tidepools at the base of the headland to the south and on the large, flat rock in the middle of the sand.
18. Sunset Bay State Park
When the tide recedes, find excellent tidepools on this wave-cut platform at Sunset Bay
Where to go: Head to the sandstone platform on the north end of the bay to find the tidepools.
Pass required: None
Sunset Bay is a beautiful, tucked-away pocket along the Cape Arago Scenic Highway. Headlands of tilted sandstone surround it and protect it from strong ocean winds, making it a wonderful place to spend the day and one of the few spots on the Oregon Coast with good potential for swimming. The north end of Sunset Bay also has some excellent tidepools. Unlike the ubiquitous basalt found on the northern and central coast, the tidepools at Sunset Bay are on a platform made of 40-million-year-old sandstone. Waves have eroded this platform to form pools, which are some of the most impressive and safest to explore tidepools on the coast.
19. Cape Arago State Park
The South Cove at Cape Arago State Park
Where to go: Follow the road through Cape Arago State Park until it ends in a small loop. Park at the far side of the loop and look for the trail down to South Cove to find the tidepools.
Pass required: None
Cape Arago is known for its views, and with good reason. From a panoramic overlook at the end of the cape, you can see the Pacific for miles around, as well as several sandstone headlands and the secluded coves between them. A short trail leading toward the North Cove is a great place to look for seals and sea lions that often visit the rocky haulouts around the cape. If you descend from the headland down to the beach at South Cove, you can find some excellent tidepools. You might also find fossils in the sandstone here, but be sure to leave it where you found it. Animals, plants, and rocks are protected in Cape Arago.
20. Bandon Beach
Face Rock looms behind smaller sea stacks at Bandon Beach
Where to go: The sea stacks on Bandon Beach between Coquille Point and Face Rock Viewpoint.
Pass required: None
The sea stacks on Bandon Beach are encrusted with intertidal life
Bandon Beach has dozens of sea stacks and at low tide, it is difficult to find one that isn’t covered with critters like anemones, sea stars, mussels, crabs, barnacles, and limpets. Coquille Point at the north end of Bandon Beach is a good place to start searching for them. Here you can see the elegant sea arch called the Keyhole in one of the larger sea stacks, which is also a favorite haulout for harbor seals. Heading south, you will see well-known and much-photographed sea stacks like the sharply pointed Wizard’s Hat and the upturned face of Face Rock. The rocks that form Bandon’s sea stacks are unusual for the Oregon Coast, being older and more varied than those you’ll find at most other beaches. Look for sandstone, greenstone, blueschist, and red chert while you admire the intertidal life surrounding their bases.
Giant green anemones surround a sea star at Bandon Beach
In summary, the 20 best beaches on the Oregon Coast to see tidepools are:
1. Crescent Beach
2. Cannon Beach
3. Hug Point
4. Short Sand Beach
5. Tunnel Beach
6. Cape Kiwanda
7. Neskowin Ghost Forest
8. Devils Punchbowl and Otter Crest Beach
9. Yaquina Outstanding Natural Area
10. Seal Rock State Recreation Site
11. Smelt Sands State Recreation Site
12. Yachats State Recreation Area
13. Yachats Ocean Road State Natural Area
14. Cape Perpetua
15. Neptune North
16. Strawberry Hill Wayside
17. Heceta Head
18. Sunset Bay State Park
19. Cape Arago State Park
20. Bandon Beach
Enjoy the tidepools!
With love,
Emma
More at the Oregon Coast
Find more amazing tidepools at Lincoln City’s secret beach.
Find out where to see seals, sea lions, whales, and birds on the Oregon Coast in my wildlife guide.
Learn more about the weird sea stacks of Bandon and other cool Oregon geology here.
