10 Stunning Secret Beaches on the Oregon Coast
As the Oregon Coast gets more popular, finding solitude on beautiful summer weekends can seem hopeless. Few things ruin a trip to the coast for me, but traffic jams and overflowing parking lots come close. Take heart, you can still find hidden and peaceful beaches if you know where to look. Here are the most scenic and wonderful secret beaches I’ve visited on the Oregon Coast, so far. To give you a sense of their popularity, I included the number of people (who didn’t arrive with me) on the beach when I visited. I made no effort to avoid peak times, so think of these numbers as being the Saturday afternoon rush. All the beaches on the list allow dogs. Enjoy!
1. Cove Beach
Hike in: No
Difficulty of access: Easy
Pass required: None
Amenities: None
Other people on the beach: 2
Nearest town: Manzanita
The closer you are to Portland, the harder it is to find secret beaches on the Oregon Coast. Cove Beach is a rare, overlooked gem between Cannon Beach and Manzanita. On the north side of Cape Falcon, it has scenery similar to Short Sand Beach with a tiny fraction of the visitors. Even on beautiful weekend days, Cove Beach stays empty because it’s hidden away in a residential neighborhood. To find it, head to the intersection of Richmond St and Tide Rd in Arch Cape. A staircase makes it easy to get down to the sand. Look for the cliffs of Cape Falcon to the south. Cobbles worn smooth by the ocean line the beach, giving it its other name, Magic Rocks Beach. Visit at high tide to hear them clack and tumble with the waves.
2. Short Beach
Hike in: 0.2 miles out and back
Difficulty of access: Easy
Pass required: None
Amenities: None
Other people on the beach: 5-10
Nearest town: Oceanside
Like Cove Beach, Short Beach owes its secrecy to a low-profile access trail. Oceanside tends to stay relatively peaceful compared to other coastal towns nearby, and the majority of the visitors there go to Oceanside Beach or Cape Meares. Between those bigger attractions, it’s easy to overlook the ho-hum entrance to Short Beach. Watch for a beach safety sign in front of some trees on Bayshore Dr. A short but stair-heavy access trail begins next to the sign. After you emerge from the tunnel-like path through the woods, you’ll see a manmade waterfall plunging onto a tranquil beach. A blobby sea stack with a single tree growing from it adds character to the secluded coastline. At low tide, walk north to find a second waterfall. At any time, look for agates and jaspers on shore. Although obscure in general, Short Beach has a reputation for rockhounding.
Bonus secret beaches near Oceanside:
Hike to Cape Meares Beach, the forgotten attraction in Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint. I bet you a beer you’ll be the only one there.
Take the underground tunnel from Oceanside Beach to Tunnel Beach. This one looks more secret than it is, but it’s a fun adventure getting there.
3. Sitka Sedge State Natural Area
Hike in: 1.5 miles out and back
Difficulty of access: Easy
Pass required: None
Amenities: Restrooms and picnic tables
Other people on the beach: 0
Nearest town: Pacific City
About:
Unlike many of the Oregon Coast’s secret beaches, Sitka Sedge State Natural Area has clear signage from the road and a proper parking lot with all the usual amenities. It’s along the popular Three Capes Scenic Loop and an easy day trip from Portland, but few visitors stop here. I suspect people pass by it because the entrance looks boring compared to other parks nearby. Rather than being right on the ocean, you need to walk a little over a half mile to get there. This walk is almost as much of a draw as the beach, taking you past a tidal estuary that’s a birdwatcher’s paradise. The beach at the end is gorgeous and, on both my visits, completely deserted. Look for Pacific City’s Cape Kiwanda and Haystack Rock to the south. Cape Lookout is to the north.
4. McPhillips Beach
Hike in: No
Difficulty of access: Easy
Pass required: None
Amenities: None
Other people on the beach: 3
Nearest town: Pacific City
About:
When you first step onto McPhillips Beach, you’ll find a beautiful, if typical, stretch of the Oregon Coast. Once you begin walking south, you’ll see what makes this beach special. McPhillips Beach ends at the unusual cliffs of Cape Kiwanda, where rust-red streaks decorate the cream and gray of the sandstone. Hiking on the cape is one of the most popular attractions on the Oregon Coast, yet few explore this secret north side. Cape Kiwanda’s cliffs are eroding rapidly, at least in terms of geologic time. You’ll see piles of fallen boulders beneath the cape that form a kind of natural dam, allowing you to approach it below sea level. McPhillips Beach is best at low tide when you can explore close to the cliffs safely. Look for barnacles and anemones on the rocks as you do.
5. Road’s End Beach (north end)
Hike in: 2-mile out-and-back beach walk
Difficulty of access: Moderate. Time visit around low tide.
Pass required: None
Amenities: Restrooms and picnic tables
Other people on the beach: 10-20
Nearest town: Lincoln City
I’d been to Road’s End Beach about a half dozen times before I learned about the tucked-away cove at its north end. The tide blocks access to it for most of the day. Only at low tide can you walk around a small headland called Road’s End Point and find the bonus beach on the other side. When your timing is right, walk a mile north from the parking lot on Road’s End Beach to arrive at the secret part, also the most scenic. You’ll be beneath the cliffs of Lincoln City’s most dramatic headland, the Thumb. Dozens of barnacle-encrusted sea stacks line the shore. You’ll see intertidal animals like sea stars, anemones, and chitons anywhere you look. Just be sure to return around Road’s End Point before the tide comes in.
6. Starfish Cove
Hike in: 2 miles (the easy way) or 0.2 miles (the hard way) out and back
Difficulty of access: Easy or hard, depending on the access point. Avoid during very high tides.
Pass required: None
Amenities: None
Other people on the beach: 3
Nearest town: Newport
About:
Little-known Starfish Cove is next to Newport’s famous Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area. You’ll see the long peninsula stretching out into the ocean to the south, topped with Yaquina Head Lighthouse. While Newport’s other beaches attract many visitors, Starfish Cove is largely forgotten. Its secret and indirect access means that no one just stumbles upon it. There are two ways to reach Starfish Cove. The first is a short but tricky scramble from the NW 55th St Viewpoint down to the beach. The second is an easy and scenic 1-mile walk from the beach access at the end of NW 68th St. Note that Starfish Cove is inaccessible during very high tides.
7. Hobbit Beach
Hike in: 1 mile out and back from the Highway 101 trailhead. 5 miles out and back from the Heceta Head Lighthouse parking lot.
Difficulty of access: Moderate
Pass required: None (Highway 101 trailhead) or Oregon State Park Pass (Heceta Head).
Amenities: None at the Highway 101 trailhead. Restrooms and picnic tables at Heceta Head.
Other people on the beach: 5
Nearest town: Yachats
About:
Despite being just north of the iconic Heceta Head Lighthouse, Hobbit Beach flies under the radar. The beach’s name comes from its entry point, a hobbit tunnel formed by coastal bluff and forest. You can reach it one of two ways. The most direct is from a trailhead next to Highway 101. From here, a steep, 0.5-mile trail leads down to the beach. The longer way is to start at the parking lot for Heceta Head Lighthouse. You’ll hike to the lighthouse and then continue to Hobbit Beach, about 5 miles roundtrip. Once you’re on the beach, look for the dramatic cliffs of Heceta Head rising to the south. At low tide, you can see some lovely and delicate anemones on the rocks.
Learn more about Heceta Head Lighthouse and Hobbit Beach.
8. Otter Point State Recreation Site
Hike in: 1 mile out and back to Bailey Beach or 0.2 miles out and back to Agate Beach.
Difficulty of access: Easy (Bailey Beach) or moderate (Agate Beach)
Pass required: None
Amenities: None
Other people on the beach: 3 on Agate Beach, 0 on Bailey Beach
Nearest town: Gold Beach
About:
Unless you know it’s there, you’re just about guaranteed to drive past Otter Point State Recreation Site without realizing it. No signs point the way from Highway 101 and views from the road do nothing to hint at the wonderland hidden behind the trees. The park’s most impressive feature is Otter Point, a tall sandstone peninsula with gasp-worthy views. You can see nearly 100 miles of coastline on a clear day, plus craggy cliffs and sea stacks made of rock from the Jurassic Age. On either side of Otter Point are peaceful and deserted beaches. To the north, Agate Beach is a small cove beautified by the cliffs of Otter Point. To the south, Bailey Beach stretches two miles from Otter Point to the Rogue River Jetty in Gold Beach. On a crowded day, expect a handful of people on the peninsula and few to none on the beaches.
9. Secret Beach
Hike in: 1 mile out and back
Difficulty of access: Moderate. Visit at low to medium tide.
Pass required: None
Amenities: None
Other people on the beach: 10-20
Nearest town: Brookings
To be totally honest, I’m including Secret Beach on the list because of its name rather than any secrecy. Its remote location keeps it from being crowded, but this tucked-away cove has been internet-famous for years now. Despite the attention, Secret Beach is still a breathtaking place to visit. Strange mound-like islands just offshore give it an enchanted look, especially on foggy days. Look for a small waterfall on the beach and seals bobbing in the water. Visit at a low to medium tide to access the beach. Very low tides allow access to a few even more secluded coves, complete with some tidepool animals.
10. China Beach
Hike in: 1.2 miles out and back
Difficulty of access: Moderate intensity, challenging navigation.
Pass required: None
Amenities: None
Other people on the beach: 0
Nearest town: Brookings
About:
In the spirit of secret beaches, I’ve buried the most obscure destination at the bottom of the list. Only a few minutes south of Secret Beach in the Samuel Boardman Corridor, China Beach is the least visited and hardest to find of my suggestions. No signs will direct you to it. A small network of informal trails at the beginning of the hike makes it easy to lose your way. Worse still, the right trail looks less promising than several wrong ones. If you persevere, China Beach is worth the trouble of finding it. The forested bluffs and plentiful sea stacks embody what is unique about the southern Oregon Coast. Feel confident that you’ll have the beach to yourself. Any other potential visitors will be walking in circles trying to find it while you explore.
Packing list
Camera
Plan to be self-sufficient when looking for secret beaches. Most don’t have amenities. An insulated cooler backpack will step up your beach picnic game.
Have a physical or electronic tide table with you.
The weather changes quickly on the Oregon Coast. Bring layers. An insulated rain jacket like this one for women or men will be great for most weather conditions.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission by linking to Amazon. I am very grateful for these orders, which help fund the blog at no extra cost to you.
Oregon’s best secret beaches, the short version:
Cove Beach
Short Beach
Sitka Sedge State Natural Area
McPhillips Beach
Road’s End Beach (north end)
Starfish Cove
Hobbit Beach
Otter Point beaches
Secret Beach
China Beach
Enjoy the secret beaches of the Oregon Coast!
With love,
Emma
Explore nearby
Find more beautiful and empty Oregon Coast beaches at Sisters Rock State Park.
See more suggestions for things to do on the Oregon Coast.
