Mile 19 to 32.5: Seaside to Cannon Beach

References such as “Hike 7” refer to hikes in my book Day Hiking: Oregon Coast.

Cumulative mileage figures are for the section described here.

 

 

Many times I have day hiked to the top of Tillamook Head and admired, but not stayed in, the sweet little shelters there for backpackers. Nor did I spend the night there on my through-hike of the OCT (timing didn’t work out; I was too eager to make miles). It almost seems worthwhile, if you’re starting in Seaside, to plan a scant 8-mile day just to spend a night in those shelters.

 

Picking up the trail in Seaside at 12^th Avenue and N. Holladay, cross the river (restrooms and water in city park here) and go west a few blocks to hit the beach at the north end of Seaside’s Promenade.  Walk this busy beach (not so busy in this photo by M.O. Stevens; it's busier further south, near the lifeguard towers) south toward Tillamook Head. Approaching the Lanai Motel, at the spot known among surfers as The Cove (where the beach starts to run out), climb up through the cobbles to Sunset Boulevard and follow it south (passing restrooms at little Seltzer Park, on the east side of the road across from a roadside parking area) for a mile or so until the road ends (3.5 miles) at the trailhead for Tillamook Head (Hike 7). The trail switchbacks, steeply at times, for the first 1.5 miles but then becomes a gentler ascent, eventually rolling gently up and down to a primitive campsite (7.9 miles) with vault toilets, a covered shelter with picnic table, and three three-sided sleeping shelters. (You will want to hang your food here, not from bears but from rodents; since this is a well-established campsite, I understand the critters here have a well-established habit of raiding backpacks.) 

 

 

(Tillamook Rock Lighthouse from Tillamook Head, by Randall Henderson.)

 

When you’re ready to continue—whether it’s that same day or the next morning—continue south on the Tillamook Head trail just 0.2 mile to a junction. The lefthand route (“Clatsop Loop”) follows an old road and thus has a gentler grade (and is 0.1 mile shorter) than the righthand footpath. Both trails end at the parking lot above Indian Beach (9.4 miles). Cross the parking lot and pick up Hike 8 to Ecola Point (10.9), then cross the top of that parking lot to pick up Hike 9 near the restrooms. After 1 mile the trail splits. If the tide is quite low and you don't mind getting a little wet, you could continue down to Crescent Beach (Hike 9) and squeeze between the end of the headland and the nearest offshore rock separating Crescent Beach and Chapman Beach north of Ecola Creek. (Even if the tide is out, deep "crab holes" form here and might require some pretty deep wading.) Otherwise, rather than going right to Crescent Beach, go left 0.1 mile to where the trail meets Ecola Park Road (12 miles). Walk down the road just 0.25 mile to Ash Street (at 8^th Avenue), follow Ash south (becomes a steep pedestrian path) to 7^th Avenue,  and take 7^th Avenue 0.5 mile west to the beach.  Continue down the beach 0.75 mile to the mouth of Ecola Creek (13.5 miles), which you can wade in late summer/fall.  (If you prefer to keep your feet dry, stay on Ecola Park Road to Elm Street, follow it over Ecola Creek, then follow the main road to the beach access at the end of Third Street.)

Don’t think about camping on the beach here—the Cannon Beach Police patrol the beach nightly and will roust you out—but there is plenty of lodging in town, and you could pitch your tent legally, for a fee, at someplace like Sea Ranch (searanchrv.com), just east of the bridge over Ecola Creek.

 

Mile 0 to Seaside: Get this party started!

 

 

The OCT starts at Parking Area C in Fort Stevens State Park, where Clatsop Spit juts into the mouth of the Columbia River. There’s a tall viewing platform here, great for watching ships crossing the Columbia River bar. But you may be more interested in gazing south, where your first 16 miles of unbroken beach beckon. (If you don’t have a friend who can drop you at the start of the trail, you can take a Greyhound bus from Portland to Astoria, and then hire a cab to get to the trailhead at Fort Stevens. There are two cab companies in Astoria at this writing; one just quoted me $25-$30 for that ride.)

The beach is super wide here, courtesy of the Columbia River transporting sediments from the interior for thousands of years. Tide isn’t really an issue, at least in summer; there is always plenty of beach to walk on. Cars are an issue, however. At Mile 3.75 you’ll pass a rusting iron hulk of a sailing ship—the Peter Iredale, which ran aground here in 1906. (I love this photo I found online of the Peter Iredale, by Matt Conwell). South of the shipwreck, cars are allowed to drive on the beach clear to Gearhart. (North of the Peter Iredale, cars must be off the beach from noon to midnight May 1 to Sept. 15.) Rest assured that this is the last major stretch of Oregon beach where cars are allowed.

 

 

It's about 16 miles total to Gearhart. Approaching Gearhart, look for the vehicle beach access road just past a five-story condominium complex. Rather than leave the beach here, walk another 0.5 mile and follow the footsteps in the sand up a path  leading to the end of Pacific Way. My preferred route through Gearhart is to take Pacific Way a few blocks east to the center of town (and Pacific Way Bakery) at Cottage Avenue. Walk south on Cottage Avenue to F Street; jog left, then right, then left onto G Street and follow it east to U.S. Highway 101 (Mile 17.25).

Follow the busy highway shoulder 0.6 mile south. Immediately after crossing Neawanna Creek, veer right onto 24^th Avenue. Follow it west and south (becomes N. Holladay Drive) about. 0.8 mile to 12^th Avenue. A right turn on 12^th Avenue leads past public restrooms (and water) and out to the beach (Mile 19).

If a nearly 20-mile first day is too much, consider starting your hike at Sunset Beach or Del Ray Beach state recreation sites. Beach camping is allowed between Sunset Beach access and the 10th Avenue beach access in Gearhart, south of which cars are not allowed. And the Gearhart McMenamins hotel is a short walk off the beach at 10th Avenue. There is also a cute old motor court at Cottage Avenue and Pacific Way and lots of lodging in Seaside.

One fine option is Seaside International Hostel, on the river at N. Holladay and 10^th Avenue (just two blocks south of 12^th Ave.). Proprietor Trung caters to backpackers from around the world with inexpensive accommodations (in bunk or private rooms) on the river. She is an avid kayaker and has canoes and kayaks available for rent; try the Vietnamese coffee at the espresso bar.