Oswald West State Park

The park carries the name of Oswald West, who served as Oregon's governor in the early 1910s and pushed to have the state's beaches declared public highways, a legal stroke that kept nearly 400 miles of shoreline open to everyone rather than fenced off for private owners. It is thanks to that vision that Oregonians and visitors can walk any beach in the state, and this park stands as a fitting memorial to it.

The land itself was assembled starting in 1929 by Samuel Boardman, Oregon's first state parks director, who spent a decade acquiring some 2,500 acres of forest and shore here. It was first known simply as Short Sand Beach State Park before being renamed for West in the late 1950s, and in the early 1940s the Civilian Conservation Corps cut the trails that still carry hikers down to the sand and out to the capes.

The heart of the park is Short Sand Beach, reached only on foot by a walk of about a third of a mile down a forest trail from the highway pullouts. The path winds beneath big old-growth trees and moss-draped limbs, crosses a footbridge over a clear creek, and delivers you to a crescent of sand cradled in a rocky cove sometimes called Smugglers Cove. Waterfalls slip down the surrounding cliffs after rain.

Because the cove is tucked behind Cape Falcon and sheltered from the strong northwest winds, it holds a reliable, more manageable surf break, and on many days you will find surfers in the water and driftwood shelters built along the beach. The lack of a road to the sand keeps it feeling wild and a little hidden, a beach you have to walk into and therefore one that never feels overrun.

North of Short Sand Beach, a trail climbs and threads through coastal forest out onto Cape Falcon, a headland that pushes almost a mile into the ocean. Early mariners called it False Tillamook Head because it warned them of danger as they neared the Columbia River bar, and its bulk shelters the cove below. The reward at the end is a wide, open view up and down the coast, with the surf breaking far below.

Longer trails also link into the Oregon Coast Trail and climb toward Neahkahnie Mountain to the south, whose flanks tower over Manzanita and carry some of the most storied ocean overlooks on the north coast. Whether you settle for the easy walk to the beach or push on to a headland or summit, the park offers a full menu of coastal hiking from one small stretch of highway.

The park lies along Highway 101 roughly between Cannon Beach to the north and Manzanita to the south, with several signed pullouts serving the trailheads down to Short Sand Beach and out to Cape Falcon. There is no beachfront parking and the park is day-use only now, so plan on the short walk in and a stay in one of the nearby towns.

Wear shoes with grip, since the forest trails can be muddy and the roots slick, especially in the wetter months, and carry a rain layer even on a clear morning because coastal weather here turns quickly. Give yourself at least a couple of hours for the beach, or a half day if you want to hike a headland too. It is the kind of place that shows you the Oregon coast at its best, wild, green, and free to all.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

There is no road right to it, which is part of its charm. From the parking areas along the highway, an easy walk of about half a mile leads down through mossy old-growth rainforest, under the highway, and along a creek to the sheltered cove. The trail has some roots and uneven footing, so wear closed-toe shoes, but most visitors of all ages manage it comfortably.

Yes, Short Sand Beach is one of the most beloved surf spots on the northern Oregon coast. Tucked in a cove that is protected from the wind by headlands on both sides, it holds a consistent, relatively gentle break that draws surfers and bodyboarders year-round, even in winter. If you are not surfing yourself, watching the surfers from the beach is part of the fun.

Besides the short walk to the beach, two standouts climb the headlands. The Cape Falcon trail runs a few miles out to a dramatic point with sweeping views of cliffs, coves, and, in season, passing whales. More ambitious hikers tackle the steep climb up Neahkahnie Mountain for one of the grandest coastal panoramas in Oregon. Both wind through lush coastal forest and reward the effort.

There are several lots along the highway, but they fill on sunny summer weekends, so arriving early in the morning or in the early afternoon gives you the best shot at a space. A state park day-use parking permit is required, so come prepared to pay or have an annual pass. From the lots it is just a short walk to the beach trail.

The park is beautiful year-round, but summer and early fall bring the driest weather and warmest beach days, while the surf and moody rainforest are wonderful in the off-season too. Low tide opens up more of the beach and its tide pools, so check a tide table. Bring layers and rain protection, closed-toe shoes for the rooty trail, and keep an eye on the surf and sneaker waves along this exposed coast.