10 Great Short Hikes on the North Oregon Coast
You don’t need to hike all day to see incredible scenery and wildlife on the Oregon Coast. Whether you want to stretch your legs on a road trip, are traveling with the family, or just want a laidback day, here are hiking suggestions between 0.5 - 4 miles long that will take you to beautiful places. All are within about 2 hours of driving distance from Portland and many are close enough from each other that you could tackle more than one in a day without much extra driving. From north to south, here are some unforgettable short hikes to try out on the Oregon Coast.
1. Clatsop Loop
Terrible Tilly
Distance: 3-mile loop
Elevation gain: 800 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Dog friendly: Yes, leashed dogs are welcome on the trail.
Pass required: Oregon State Park Pass. You can purchase a day pass on-site at the pay stations for $5/day.
ADA access: Not beyond the viewpoint at Indian Beach.
Restrooms: Yes
On the north end of Cannon Beach, Ecola State Park has some of the best views anywhere on the Oregon Coast. While most visitors stop at the photogenic viewpoint at Ecola Point, you can find other scenic vistas from the park’s hiking trails. The Clatsop Loop Trail begins at Ecola State Park’s Indian Beach and you’ll want to take a minute to admire its stunning rocky shore before heading into the woods.
The trailhead for the loop hike is just north of Indian Beach. The east side of the loop heads steadily uphill through a forest of giant sword ferns and moss-covered Sitka spruce trees. At the far end of the loop, you’ll pass by a camp for Oregon Coast Trail hikers and then the remains of a WWII radar station. A short spur will bring you to a viewpoint where you can see Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, better known as Terrible Tilly, on its wave-buffeted basalt sea stack. Look for sea lions on the rocks below the lighthouse if you have good binoculars. On the west side of the loop, you’ll see glimpses of the ocean from the cliffs of Tillamook Head, which are good places to look for whales. The hike is all downhill on the way back and when it ends, you’ll be back at the beach.
Read all about the Clatsop Loop Trail and Ecola State Park.
2. Crescent Beach
View from the Crescent Beach Trail
Distance: 2.3 miles out and back
Elevation gain: 500 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Dog friendly: Yes, leashed dogs are welcome on the trail.
Pass required: Oregon State Park Pass. You can purchase a day pass on-site at the pay stations for $5/day.
ADA access: Not beyond the viewpoint at Ecola Point.
Restrooms: Yes
Crescent Beach
Also in Ecola State Park, the trail to Crescent Beach begins at the Ecola Point viewpoint that overlooks Cannon Beach and its excellent sea stacks. Just beneath this viewpoint, you’ll see the sands of Crescent Beach framed by the headlands of Ecola Point and Chapman Point. Farther south, look for Cannon Beach’s famous Haystack Rock, the 235-foot basaltic monolith that is often covered with nesting seabirds.
The Crescent Beach Trail brings you from Ecola Point down to Crescent Beach, a beach that is only accessible on foot. Although a short hike, I wouldn’t necessarily call it easy because of the large tree roots, irregular stairs, and sometimes thick mud along the way. Despite these obstacles, Crescent Beach is worth the trek unless the mud is unusually intense. Once you make it to the beach, you can see the many sea stacks at the base of Ecola Point up close. Head north to see the small waterfall here. At low tide, you can explore a sea cave and some tidepools on the north end of the beach. Keep an eye out for elk in the forest while you’re on the trail.
3. Short Sand Beach
Distance: 1.2 miles out and back
Elevation gain: 100 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Dog friendly: Yes, leashed dogs are welcome on the trail.
Pass required: None
ADA access: No
Restrooms: Yes
Short Sand Beach
Short Sand Beach is a favorite among surfers and beachgoers thanks to the headlands that surround it and protect it from strong ocean winds. It is one of the few beaches on the Oregon Coast where I have even considered swimming. With plenty of driftwood logs to act as benches, it’s a great place to have a picnic on the beach. Looking north, you’ll see picturesque Blumenthal Falls and the headland of Cape Falcon. You can find tidepools near the falls if you visit at low tide. An easy, 0.6-mile hike will take you from the parking area just off Highway 101 through a Sitka spruce forest down to the beach. There are several interconnecting trails along the way and an offline map may be helpful. This hike is very popular and expect to see many of your fellow hikers carrying surfboards on the journey.
4. Devil’s Cauldron
Elk Flats Trail
Distance: 0.5 miles out and back
Elevation gain: 100 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Dog friendly: Yes, leashed dogs are welcome on the trail.
Pass required: None
ADA access: No
Restrooms: No
Devil’s Cauldron viewpoint
The easy, 0.25-mile trek to Devil’s Cauldron is one of the biggest bang-for-your-buck hikes anywhere on the Oregon Coast. The trailhead is an unassuming gravel pull-off from Highway 101 with room for a few cars. From here, you’ll follow the Elk Flats Trail through grasslands and out to a viewpoint overlooking the towering cliffs of Devil’s Cauldron. Beneath the cliffs, ocean waves enter a narrow cove where they crash and churn. To the north, you’ll see Cape Falcon behind the Cauldron. A fence at the viewpoint makes it a family-friendly destination.
Although the hike to Devil’s Cauldron is short, the Elk Flats Trail continues for another 1.3 miles through the forest to Short Sand Beach if you’re looking for more distance. There is theoretically a second viewpoint on the way, but it is pretty overgrown. The trail gets a bit rough at times past the Cauldron and the trail to Short Sand Beach described above is the shorter and easier way to get there.
5. Neahkahnie Mountain
Oregon sunshine blooms on Neahkahnie Mountain
Distance: 3 miles out and back
Elevation gain: 900 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Dog friendly: Yes, leashed dogs are welcome on the trail.
Pass required: None
ADA access: No
Restrooms: Yes
Cow parsley and coastal manroot along the trail
There are several ways to hike to the top of Neahkahnie Mountain and see the incredible views from its 1600-foot peak. The shortest and easiest is the 3-mile out-and-back hike starting from the South Neahkahnie Mountain Trailhead. To get there from Highway 101, look for the turn onto Neahkahnie Mountain Road just south of the Devil’s Cauldron and north of Manzanita. This road ends at the parking area for the trailhead. The trail begins through thick berry bushes and looks overgrown, then but then opens up once you enter the forest after about 0.1 miles. From here, you’ll have good shade as you make your way uphill. Look for wildflowers in spring like irises, cow parsley, coastal manroot, paintbrush, and false lily of the valley. There is only one trail junction and you’ll go straight to continue to the summit. A sign with a blue arrow also points the way.
While the hike is consistently pleasant and scenic, the views from the top of Neahkahnie Mountain make it spectacular. It involves a little scrambling to there and the hardest part of this hike is the last 50 feet or so. Take care at the top since there are some dropoffs and unstable rocks. Looking south, you’ll see miles of coastline, including Nehalem Bay, Cape Meares, and Cape Lookout. Pictures can’t do justice to the rhythmic cresting of the waves as they roll toward the shore. Bring a snack. You’ll want to linger before returning down the mountain.
6. Rockaway Big Tree
The Big Tree
Distance: 1.2 miles out and back
Elevation gain: Minimal
Difficulty: Easy
Dog friendly: Yes, leashed dogs are welcome on the trail.
Pass required: None
ADA access: Very good. The trail is a flat, even boardwalk from start to finish.
Restrooms: Yes, port-a-potty.
The star of the Rockaway Big Tree Trail is its namesake, the Big Tree, a colossal and ancient western red cedar. If I could name a best supporting actor, it would have to be the boardwalk trail that leads through the coastal wetland to reach the Big Tree. It’s hard not to feel impressed by the care and craftsmanship that went into making this boardwalk, which both protects the wetland environment and provides access to hikers of all abilities. At the end of the trail, the boardwalk becomes an observation deck that surrounds the Big Tree, allowing you to admire its wide gnarly trunk from all angles. As you make your way there, look for songbirds, giant nursery logs, and some of the biggest skunk cabbage you can find anywhere. A short spur around the halfway point leads to a picnic area.
Read all about the Big Tree Trail and Rockaway Beach.
7. Munson Creek Falls
Distance: 0.5 miles out and back
Elevation gain: 65 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Dog friendly: Yes, leashed dogs are welcome on the trail.
Pass required: None
ADA access: No
Restrooms: No
Munson Creek Falls is one of the hidden gems of the Oregon Coast. Unlike most Coast Range waterfalls that are tucked away on long, winding forest service roads, Munson Creek Falls is only a few miles off Highway 101 and easy to combine with excursions around Pacific City. Although the road to the parking lot is bumpy (but doable in a low-clearance vehicle), the short trail to the falls is well-maintained and easy to navigate. The trail follows Munson Creek through an old-growth forest with some lovely wispy moss hanging from the pine branches. At 319 feet high, Munson Creek Falls is the tallest waterfall in the Coast Range and its scale is easiest to appreciate in person, where you can watch water spill over several tiers down to the creek below. Look for wildflowers like violets and trillium blooming along the trail in the spring and salmon spawning in the creek in the fall.
8. Sitka Sedge
Distance: 1.5 miles out and back or 3.5-mile lollipop loop
Elevation gain: 100 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Dog friendly: Yes, leashed dogs are welcome on the trail.
Pass required: None
ADA access: The first 0.5 miles of the trail is a wide, flat, and even crushed gravel trail through the wetlands. There are several benches along the way. After 0.5 miles, the trail becomes narrow and irregular.
Restrooms: Yes
Great egret and crows
One of the more unique beach access points on the Oregon Coast, the hike through Sitka Sedge State Natural Area begins in a protected wetland, enters a dense Sitka spruce forest, and ends at a beach with views of Cape Kiwanda, Haystack Rock, and Cape Lookout. Unlike its neighboring beaches, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to escape the crowds while you’re here. In summer, bright pink western spirea blooming along the trail is an added highlight to the hike. Throughout the year, expect to see a great variety of birds in the estuary like egrets, herons, buffleheads, plovers, geese, ducks, cormorants, crows, and mergansers. You may also see bald eagles circling overhead. Regular benches along the trail encourage you to take your time as you watch the birds.
Read all about Sitka Sedge State Natural Area.
9. Cape Kiwanda
Distance: 1 mile out and back
Elevation gain: 200 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Dog friendly: Yes, leashed dogs are welcome.
Pass required: Yes, purchase a $10/day pass at the pay station next to the parking lot.
ADA access: No
Restrooms: Yes
The sandstone cliffs of Cape Kiwanda
Cape Kiwanda is a rare exception among the many headlands on the Oregon Coast. Rather than rough, dark basalt formed from volcanic activity, the cliffs here are buff-colored sandstone that waves and wind have eroded to form channels and sea caves. The cape remains today thanks to the presence of nearby Haystack Rock (not to be confused with the Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach), a basaltic sea stack about a mile offshore that helps shield Cape Kiwanda from the elements. A short trail will take you from the beach at Pacific City up onto the headland where you can explore the cliffs. Since this headland is one of the most dynamic on the coast, guardrails guide you through safe areas of the park. Once you reach the north end of the headland, you’ll see its latest feature, a new and growing sinkhole.
Read all about visiting Cape Kiwanda and its big sinkhole.
10. Drift Creek Falls
Drift Creek Falls Suspension Bridge
Distance: 3.1 miles out and back or 3.7-mile lollipop loop. Take the North Loop on the way back to add a little distance and variety.
Elevation gain: 500 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Dog friendly: Yes, leashed dogs are welcome on the trail.
Pass required: NW Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass. Purchase a $5 day pass online ahead of time if you don’t have an annual pass.
ADA access: No
Restrooms: Yes
Drift Creek Falls
Easily the most popular waterfall hike in the Coast Range, the forested trail to Drift Creek Falls leads to an impressive finale, a 240-foot suspension bridge that crosses a canyon 100 feet above Drift Creek. From the bridge, you can see 75-foot Drift Creek Falls plunging over a cliff of chunky basalt. According to the park brochure, this rock is part of Siletzia, a volcanic island that formed offshore and then collided with North America due to the movement of tectonic plates. At the base of the falls, you’ll see a large slab that separated from the cliffside during a landslide in 2010. If you continue a short distance past the falls, you can reach Drift Creek, where the cool waters are refreshing on a hot summer day.
On the way to the falls, look for trillium blooming in early spring. In summer, you can find tons of salmonberries along the trail. Expect crowds here. I was surprised by the number of people on the trail given the amount of driving on forest service roads it takes to reach the trailhead. Although narrow, these roads are no problem with a low-clearance vehicle. Look for the covered Drift Creek Bridge after turning off Highway 101 on your way to the trailhead.
In summary, the best 10 hikes on the North Oregon Coast are:
Clatsop Loop Trail
Crescent Beach
Short Sand Beach
Devil’s Cauldron
Neahkahnie Mountain
Rockaway Big Tree Trail
Munson Creek Falls
Sitka Sedge
Cape Kiwanda
Drift Creek Falls
Enjoy your hike on the Oregon Coast!
With love,
Emma
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