Cape Falcon Hike
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
- Start point: Cape Falcon Trailhead
- End point: Cape Falcon
- Trail Log: Trail Log
- Hike Type: Out and back
- Distance: 4.8 miles round trip
- Elevation gain: 160 feet
- Difficulty: Easy
- Seasons: Year round
- Family Friendly: Yes
- Backpackable: No
- Crowded: Yes
Contents |
Hike Description
This is a nice hike through a forest filled with huge spruce trees.
Start at the Cape Falcon Trailhead on the Cape Falcon Trail. The trail slabs along the side of a forested ridge above Short Sands creek. Soon the highway noise is replaced by the sounds of small birds and wind in the trees. You'll come to a signed trail junction at the half-mile mark. Turn right and follow the trail toward Cape Falcon.
You're now on a scenic section of the Oregon Coast Trail. The trail is often muddy in the spring as it weaves through damp areas filled with Skunk Cabbage. There's a culvert over Kerwin Creek and then more forest. Farther along there's a crossing over an unnamed creek. The trail here was relocated when a huge spruce blocked the path. Today's trail is a bit rough, but easily passable.
Soon after you begin to hear the ocean surf, you'll come to a large slide zone. A slanted cliff here marks the boundary between the area that slid into the sea. The trail drops about 60 feet to the low spot of the hike at Blumenthal Creek. Just passed this creek, there's a short side trail to a viewpoint of the upper tier of Blumenthal Falls. This tiny waterfall is very scenic as the water cascades down a basalt slope. The side trail is sketchy, but it goes to the base of the upper tier and the lip of the larger lower tier. From here the creek falls directly on to the rocky shoreline.
Back on the main trail, continue toward the end of Cape Falcon. The trail climbs through on switchback then weaves in and out of a couple of meadows completely filled with Salal. There's an obvious, if unsigned, trail junction a bit further on. Take the left path and drop down into a small saddle. The trail from here has been cut from a jungle of salal. The area would be completely impassible without this constructed trail. The trail ends at a series of viewpoints. The view to the south includes Neahkahnie Mountain and the town of Manzanita.
Return the way you came.
Maps
- Maps: Hike Finder
Regulations or restrictions, etc
- Trailhead parking lot is closed from 10PM-6AM
Trip Reports
- Search Trip Reports for Cape Falcon
Related Discussions / Q&A
- Search Trail Q&A for Cape Falcon
Guidebooks that cover this hike
- 120 Hikes on the Oregon Coast by Bonnie Henderson
- I Heart Oregon (& Washington) by Lisa D. Holmes
- The Oregon Coast Trail Guide by Jon Kenneke (eBook)
More Links
Contributors
- Stevefromdodge (creator)