Oregon coast backpacking trip sugestions?

[Buck206]

I've been doing research on this site and need some help from you guys. I'm looking to do a 2 night backpacking trip on the coast in the next two weeks. We're all from Washington and I don't know much about the Oregon coast. I'd love to find a trail (or loop) around 10 miles where we could spend at least one night camping on the beach. We like being secluded so I'd prefer to stay away from camp grounds or busy areas.

Has anybody done any of the following?

Ecola State Park to Arch Cape

Bayocean Spit

Tillamook Head

Those all looked on the shorter side for a 2 night trip so I was hoping to get more ideas! Any information would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[romann]

Ecola SP has a gorgeous trail between parking at Ecola Point and Indian Beach. Maybe 3 miles out & back, but upon coming back you can hike a spur trail in opposite direction, down to secluded Crescent Beach (a mile each way?). Really neat rocks there, and a small waterfall. Ecola Point overlook is really gorgeous too.

But as for camping, the only place they allow to camp there are 3-wall wooden shelters a couple of miles N from Indian Beach (I think it's $5 for a day to visit state park now, two day passes needed to park in Ecola for a night, but I never spent a night there). The shelters are in the middle of the forest, no view or privacy.

So after a hike there, I'd suggest to drive south to Oregon Dunes for the camp (lots of nice places to stop along the way). Second day may be spent exploring the Dunes; be sure to research which parts are closed to ATV's. Some good info here: http://www.oregonlive.com/travel/index. ... reati.html

On the drive out, really neat hike is Saddle Moutain, great views from there and lots of wildflowers. Very crowded - be sure to hit it on a weekday.

[mjuliana]

I did Tillamook Head as an overnighter a couple of years ago. Here's the TR. I started in Seaside and spent the night at Hiker's Camp where the 3-walled shelters are. I slept in one of the shelters but if I were to do it again, I would bring a tent and sleep in it. Lots of mice in the shelters... After spending the night there, I took a day hike down to Indian Beach. All told it was about 11 miles...

If you haven't already, you can poke around the Oregon Coat Trail website for other options.

[miah66]

Just FYI, there is no place you can legally leave your car at either end of the Tillamook Head trail. They no longer allow overnight parking in Ecola State Park, and the large parking lot on the other end of the trail in the town of Seaside has signs warning of tow for parking overnight. It's extremely exasperating to not have a way to backpack this trail easily, but I took my chances and left the car on shoulder of the road, about a 1/8 mile from the parking lot.

[retired jerry]

Floras Lake

Park at the Cape Blanco airport

walk North on beach

Sullivan's book describes it

South central oregon coast

I've gone to trailhead but no further. Some day...

There's a stream a mile or two from trailhead, otherwise you have to carry water

Not a lot of wild Oregon coast

Olympic Peninsula in Washington is much better