Intro
Are you looking to kick off your trip to Oregon with a visit to the coast? With around 362 miles of Oregon coastline, the possibilities of having a fun beach day are endless. While most people’s first thought when visiting the coast is to go into the downtown areas, I want to suggest an alternative. While yes, you should spend some time visiting the coastal towns like Seaside and Astoria because they are beautiful and are full of wonderful things to do. But when it comes to heading towards the beach, I want to bring to your attention that there are quite a few Oregon state parks located along the coast that offer direct beach access.
By choosing to visit an Oregon state park along the coast, you’ll have a better chance of seeing the beach without as much stress with busy crowds and fighting for public parking spots. Now don’t get me wrong, state parks do get busy. Spots do fill up so you will still want to get there as early as you can. But at least you’ll have a better chance of seeing the ocean in a more natural setting while outsmarting the other tourists who didn’t think about spending their beach day in a state park instead. So below are what I consider to be some of Oregon’s top state parks that have beach access!
Table of contents
Best Oregon State Parks for Beach Access
Ecola State Park
Ecola State Park is located in Cannon Beach, Oregon which is about an hour and half from Portland. It makes up 9 miles of coastline as well as stunning views of the local fauna. If you’re lucky, you might be able to see some wildlife! Deer, elk and eagles can be seen in the park along with many other small critters. Even gray whales if you’re there during the season. And the cherry on top is having beach access at Indian Beach. My dog absolutely loves this beach and I feel comfortable letting her be off leash because the beach is smaller, meaning that she can’t go too far! This beach is also popular for surfers as well. This park easily takes the appeal of wandering around Seaside.
Fort Stevens State Park
This state park is located in Astoria, Oregon. This is a perfect spot for both beach and history lovers. Fort Stevens offers lots of beach access as well as a military museum in the visitor center and a historic shipwreck right on the beach! When the tide is high, the shipwreck is more difficult to get to, but you can still see it when it’s surrounded by water. This is a great state park for enjoying the beach and learning about the park’s purpose during the Civil War and World War II. Not to mention escaping some of the Seaside and Astoria town life.
Humbug Mountain State Park
If you’re staying in Oregon longer than you planned because you’re having so much fun, then consider exploring more of Oregon’s southern coastline. It certainly won’t disappoint.
Humbug Mountain State Park is located in a very small town called Port Orford. This park is an ideal camping location as you get direct beach access right from the campground. When I stayed here a few years ago, my dad and I got extremely lucky that we reserved a spot right by the beach access trail. It was super convenient, although just be prepared to have people walking by your site often. Humbug Mountain is a fantastic location for beach access because it’s fairly quiet despite being close to Highway 101 and secluded. This means you will be farther away from the busier coastal towns and you can really take in the ocean. All while being nestled into a little valley of coastal forest.
Carl G. Washburne Memorial State Park
This Oregon state park is located just north of Florence, Oregon in the Siuslaw National Forest. There are trails on the campground side that will lead you to the beach, or you can drive across Highway 101 to the day use area and access the beach there. What I absolutely love about this park is how small the campground is. There are only 7 tent spots in the park and the sites are so nestled into the forest that you have to use a wheelbarrow to wheel your camping stuff to your site! (The park provides the wheelbarrows, don’t worry.) And you don’t really see your neighbors which makes this park a perfect camping spot for someone who wants some privacy. Not to mention the beach being either a hike or just a short drive away.
I hope you will consider a visit to an Oregon state park when visiting the Oregon Coast in the future. The Oregon Coast is a popular tourist area. But visiting a state park could not only greatly increase your chances of getting beach access, but you also get to enjoy it without as much hustle and bustle of the other tourists. Be sure to check out my other articles about visiting the Oregon Coast for your future planning!
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