Connecting Trails

 

The Oregon Coast Trail is the central hiking artery for exploring the Oregon Coast. Stemming off and connecting with the OCT are numerous other trails worthy of mentioning, listed out below. These trails range from traversing the length of a narrow cape that juts over two miles out into ocean to exploring the city parks and cultural legacy of coastal towns.

 
 
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North Coast Connecting trails

Astoria area

  • Fort to Sea Trail - 6.5-mile trail that traverses the areas forest, fields and dunes. The trail connects historic Fort Clatsop to Sunset Beach in Lewis and Clark National Historic Park.

Tillamook Area

  • Tillamook Bay Heritage Trail - A historic cultural/heritage route circumnavigating Tillamook Bay. The trail connects over 30 sites of historic significance, ranging from museums to a lighthouse to recreation opportunities.

  • Salmonberry Trail - A rail trail project currently under development that converts a historic rail line to a multi-use trail. Connects Tillamook and the Oregon Coast with the Willamette Valley. Currently only the first half-mile of the trail starting in Tillmook is open.

  • Netarts Spit - This trail is a beach walk following Netarts Spit over 5 miles to its terminus on the north end of Cape Lookout State Park.

  • Cape Lookout Hiking Trail - This scenic trail follows the narrow Cape Lookout headland along its two-mile reach into the ocean. Good for whale watching when gray whales are migrating in fall and spring. Located in Cape lookout State Park.

 
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Central Coast Connecting Trails

Lincoln City area

  • Cascade Head Preserve Trails

    • Lower Nature Conservancy Trail - Open year round, this two-mile trail (four-miles round trip) climbs roughly 1200 feet to lower viewpoint emerging onto scenic meadows on Cascade Head. The lower Nature Conservancy trailhead is located near Savage Park Boat Ramp/Savage Road off of Three Rocks Road.

    • Upper Nature Conservancy Trail - One-mile trail (two-miles round trip) to upper viewpoint. The upper Nature Conservancy trailhead starts at a Forest Service trailhead off Forest Service Road 1861 and is open roughly half the year, July 16-December 31, to protect the endangered Silver Spotted Butterfly. The trails can be connected when the upper Nature Conservancy Trail is open for a six-mile out-and-back

    • Harts Cove - 5.4 mile trail (round trip) dropping 900 feet and passing through a picturesque meadow before reaching a viewpoint overlooking hidden Harts Cove. Harts Cove Trailhead is one of two Forest Service trailheads located on Cascade Head off Forest Service Road 1861 that are open July 16-December 31 to protect wildlife.

  • God’s Thumb via The Knoll Loop - 4.8 mile loop exploring a “little sister” headland to Cascade Head on National Forest land north of Lincoln City. Spectacular views of Cascade Head and the area’s dramatic coastline.

  • Drift Creek Falls - Three mile trail (round trip) located east of Lincoln City. Trail drops 500 feet and crosses a lengthy 240-foot suspension bridge to view the 75 foot waterfall.

  • Spring Lake Trail - 2.5 mile trail exploring the 25-acre open space surrounding Spring Lake in Lincoln City.

  • Friends of the Wildwoods Trail - One mile trail canopied by tall trees through woodlands and streams that explores the 33-acre Friends of the Wildwoods Open Space in Lincoln city.

  • Regatta Park Nature Trail - Half-mile trail exploring old growth forest and 400-year-old grandfather Sitka Spruce stretching more than 200 feet tall. The Trailhead is found at the north end of Regatta Park in Lincoln City.

  • Agnes Creek Trail - Two miles of wooded trails exploring the Agnes Creek Open Space in Lincoln City. Trailheads are accessed at the end of SW Dune Ave or the end of SW 19th Street.

  • Cutler City Wetlands Loop - Easy one-mile hike through a wooded wetland open sapace area in Cutler City, located on Siletz Bay. Trailhead is located on 63rd street.

  • Alder Island Nature Trail - Flat and easy 0.85 mile loop wandering through Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge and the along the Siletz River. The trailhead is located five miles south of Lincoln City on the east side of Highway 101 after the Siletz River Bridge.

Newport/South Beach area

  • Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area Trails - Home to the Yaquina Head Lighthouse and a number of short and relatively easy hiking trails that traverse the entire headland. Start at the Yaquina Head Interpretive Center Trailhead.

  • Yaquina Bay Estuary Trail - A one mile trail following the shores of Yaquina Estuary, south of the Yaquina Bay Bridge. Northern trailhead is located at far end of a parking lot adjacent to Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center; the southern trailhead is found near 25th Street north of the Oregon Coast Aquairum.

  • Mike Miller County Park Trails - Located in Newport’s South Beach area, the park has a one-mile loop trail that traverses through a variety of habitats, including an old spruce and fir forest and freshwater wetlands. The loop trail connects to other trails in the park. Trailhead is accessed off of SE 50th St.

  • South Beach State Park Trails

    • Cooper Ridge Nature Trail

    • South Jetty Trail

  • Beaver Creek State Natural Area Trails

Waldport area

  • Lint Slough Trail 

  • Woodland Trail

Yachats/Cape Perpetua area

  • 804 Trail??

  • Yachats Community Park and Wetland Trails

  • Amanda's Trail?? 

  • Ya’Xaik Trail

  • Giant Spruce Trail

  • Cooks Ridge Trail

  • Gwynn Creek Trail 

  • Cummins Creek Trail/Cummins Creek Loop

  • Cummins Ridge Trail

Florence area

  • Hobbit Trail and China Creek Trail Loop

  • Siltcoos Lake Trail

  • Tahkenitch Creek Trail

  • Darlingtonia State Natural Site Trails

  • Taylor Dune/ Carter lake Trail

  • Oregon Dunes/Beach Loop (4.5 miles)

 
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south coast connecting Trails

Reedsport area

  • Bolon Island Wayside Trail

  • Lake Marie Trail (Umpqua Lighthouse State Park)

  • Eel Lake Trail (William M Tugman State Park

  • John Dellenback Dunes Trail

North Bend/Coos Bay area

  • Cape Arago State Park Trails

  • Sunset Bay State Park Trails

  • Shore Acres State Park Trails

Bandon area

  • Whiskey Run Mountain Biking and Trail Running Trails

  • New River Nature Center + Trails (BLM)

  • Floras Lake State Natural Area/Blacklock Point Trails

Port Orford area

  • Cape Blanco State Park Trails

  • Port Orford Head State Park Trails

  • Humbug Mountain State Park Trail

  • Sisters Rocks State Park Trails

Gold Beach area

  • Otter Point State Recreation Site Trails

  • Buffington Park Trail

  • Rogue River Trails

    • Rogue River Walk

    • Lower Rogue Trail (Lobster Creek to Agness/Illahee

    • Upper Rogue Trail Illahee to Grave Creek

Brookings area

  • Chetco Point Trail

  • Crissey Field Trail