How to Find Short Beach on the Oregon Coast

Short Beach is one of the coolest hidden gems on the Oregon Coast. The makeshift stairs leading to the beach look like the way to a secret pirate hideout. At the bottom, the dense coastal forest opens up to a narrow beach of cobbles that tumble with the waves. Look for a memorable blob island, two waterfalls - one natural and one manmade, and the cliffs of Cape Meares to the north. It’s also a great rockhounding spot. Here is everything you need to know about visiting Short Beach near Oceanside, Oregon.

Know before you go

It’s free to visit Short Beach. You don’t need a pass or permit.
Parking at Short Beach is very limited. A few cars can park on either side of the road on the shoulders. This beach is becoming more popular, if still pretty obscure. I’ve never had trouble finding a spot, but consider arriving early on summer weekends.
Dogs are welcome on the beach.
A short (0.2-mile) trail leads from the road to the beach. The trailhead does not have restrooms or other amenities. Stop in Oceanside or at Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint on your way.
The trail to the beach has stairs. They are irregular and can be slick when they’re wet.

Short Beach Oregon waterfall — *Short Beach’s manmade waterfall*

The trail to Short Beach

Distance: 0.4 miles out and back (1.4 miles if you include the beach walk)

Elevation gain: 100 feet

Difficulty: Easy

Pass required: None

ADA access: No

The details:

A sign at the trailhead warns of danger ahead. Don’t worry too much about it. The extent of the danger is some muddy and uneven stairs.

Short Beach Trailhead Oregon — *Start here*

The trail to Short Beach is long and strange enough to feel like an adventure but still too short to call it a hike. A series of makeshift stairways lead from the road down to the beach. The trail's origin is somewhat mysterious, involving a community effort rather than an official project by the park service. While at times haphazard, the stairs made a big improvement to what was once a different scramble trail.

Trail to Short Beach Oregon — *Trail to Short Beach*

The trees along the trail are dense and block out most of the light, even on sunny days. The undergrowth is mostly ferns and salal, but you’ll see evidence of gardening at the beginning of the trail in the form of a hydrangea bush.

*An unusual find in Oregon’s coastal forest*

After the first flight of stairs is a glimpse of the ocean. A concrete trough juts out of the bluff, forming a manmade waterfall out of Short Creek and creating a gap in the trees.

Then, of course, more stairs. The tree cover surrounding the trail is thick enough to make it feel like you’re passing through a tunnel.

Short Beach Trail Oregon — *The trees form a natural tunnel along the trail*

About halfway down, a short spur trail to the right leads to the top of the manmade waterfall and ocean views beyond it. Have a look, then return to the fork and follow the path to the right.

Short Beach Oregon — *Short Creek flows over a concrete spillway*

The next part of the trail is, you guessed it, more stairs.

Stairs to Short Beach Oregon — *More stairs*

Toward the end of the trail is a viewpoint overlooking Short Beach’s distinctive dome-shaped stack. The beach access is just ahead.

Short Beach

The trail ends along a ridge of stacked driftwood. Walk over or around it, and you’ll be on Short Beach. Although not the longest of beaches, you have about a half mile of coastline to explore. The beach access is at the south end of Short Beach. You’ll see the manmade waterfall tumbling onto the beach from the concrete spillway.

Just offshore is the blob island you saw from the trail viewpoint. Grass and stunted trees cover it, a world in miniature. You may spot seabirds perched there. The stack is easy to approach at low tide, but don’t climb on it. It’s part of the protected Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge.

Just south of the beach access, a tall headland frames the end of the beach. A tiny stream trickles down the bluff beside it. At low tide, look for a little tidepool area at the base of the cliffs.

*A stream trickles down onto Short Beach*

Lava flows shaped Short Beach’s most dramatic features. Far-traveled molten basalt from Idaho and eastern Oregon covered this area millions of years ago when the Coastal Mountains were much smaller. Basalt is hard, allowing the headlands and offshore rock formations around Short Beach to persist after the sedimentary rock crumbled away.

You can walk north on the beach until you reach the cliffs of Cape Meares, about a half mile. The journey is a slow one. The shoreline at Short Beach is all rocky cobbles that roll as you step. You’ll hear their rhythmic clattering as the waves roll over them. Short Beach is a popular rock-hounding spot. Expect the few other visitors to be bent over in search of stones like agates and jasper. Winter and spring are the best times to look, especially when the tide is receding.

At the north end of Short Beach is Larson Creek Falls, the natural waterfall. It tumbles about 90 feet in a narrow stream over two tiers before flowing out into the ocean.

Larson Creek Falls Short Beach Oregon — *Larson Creek Falls*

The waterfall is a good place to turn around. The beach continues only slightly farther before ending at the cliffs of Cape Meares.

Getting there

Address: 2700 Cape Meares Loop, Tillamook, OR 97141

Navigate to the Short Beach Trailhead in Google Maps. If you search for Short Beach, the navigation will bring you too far north.

From Oceanside, drive a mile north on the Cape Meares Loop. The trailhead will be on your left, immediately south of Radar Rd. Look for a low-profile sign for Short Beach in the trees. Park on the shoulder near the trailhead.

The drive from Portland to Short Beach is about 1 hour 45 minutes.

Packing list

Sunscreen
Water bottle
Layers, including a waterproof jacket, like these for women or men
Camera
Shoes that can get muddy

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