Oswald West State Park

Fast facts

• Size: about 2,480 acres (10 km²) along 4 miles (6 km) of coast
• Known for: Short Sand Beach, Cape Falcon and Neahkahnie Mountain
• Trails: 13 miles (21 km) of the Oregon Coast Trail runs the length of the park
• Camping: none; day use only since 2008
• Named: 1958, for Governor Oswald West, who kept Oregon’s beaches public
• Gateway: Manzanita and Cannon Beach
• Managed by: Oregon Parks and Recreation Department

The landscape

Oswald West is a stretch of the north Oregon coast where the mountains come down to the sea. Two headlands frame it: Cape Falcon to the north, a narrow finger of basalt above the surf, and Neahkahnie Mountain to the south, a steep, open-sided peak that drops about 1,600 feet (490 m) to the ocean. Between them lies Smugglers Cove and Short Sand Beach, a pocket of sand and cobble where two creeks meet the Pacific.

The forest is the other reason to come. Sitka spruce, western red cedar and western hemlock, some of them centuries old and more than 10 feet (3 m) through, stand over salal, salmonberry and sword fern in one of the best-preserved coastal rainforests in the state. The waters offshore are protected as the Cape Falcon Marine Reserve.

Best time to go

Summer and early fall have the driest trails and the warmest days, and the main lot fills early on weekends. Spring is green and wet, with gray whales passing from March to May. Winter brings storms and heavy surf, good for watching from the headlands and poor for walking the beach. The park is open for day use all year. Surfers use the cove in every season, in wetsuits.

Getting there and around

The park straddles US Highway 101, about two hours from Portland. Four signed parking lots sit along the highway. From the main lot a trail passes under the road and follows Short Sand Creek for half a mile (800 m) through old forest to the picnic area and the beach. The Cape Falcon trail starts from the lot just to the north, and the Neahkahnie Mountain trails start from pullouts farther south. Everything is carried to the beach by hand, surfboards included.

Things to do

Short Sand Beach is the easy trip: a level half-mile (800 m) walk to a sheltered cove with surfing, tide pools at low water and a waterfall at the north end. The Cape Falcon trail runs through big spruce to the open tip of the cape, about 5 miles (8 km) round trip, with views back to the beach and south to Neahkahnie. The climb to the summit of Neahkahnie Mountain is shorter and steeper, about 3 miles (5 km) round trip from the south trailhead, and ends on a rocky crest with a view down the coast to Manzanita and Nehalem Bay.

Hikers with more time can link the two on the Oregon Coast Trail, which crosses the whole park from Arch Cape to the edge of Manzanita in 13 miles (21 km). The marine reserve makes the tide pools and nearshore water good for watching wildlife, including seabirds, seals and, in season, whales.

Staying safe

Treat the ocean with respect. Sneaker waves run far up the beach without warning, and drift logs roll in the surf with enough force to kill; stay off them and never turn your back on the water. The sea is cold all year and rip currents form along the cove, so swimmers and new surfers should stay close in and never go out alone. Check a tide table before exploring the rocks at either end of the beach.

On Cape Falcon and Neahkahnie the trail runs beside unfenced cliffs whose edges are undercut; keep back, and keep children and dogs close. The trails are muddy and laced with roots most of the year. The old trees shed limbs and sometimes fall, which is why the campground closed in 2008, so leave the forest in high wind. Take care crossing Highway 101 and park only in the lots.

Know before you go

Dogs are welcome on a leash. There is no camping in the park; the nearest state campground is at Nehalem Bay, a few miles south. Nothing may be taken from the marine reserve: no fish, shellfish, seaweed or tide-pool animals. This page is a general overview, not a live conditions report, so check for trail closures and storm damage with Oregon State Parks before you go, and look up the day’s tides.

Coordinates

45.7716, -123.9546

Magnetic declination

14.7° E (2026)

Set this declination on your compass, then align it to the map's north lines; it is the angle between true north and magnetic north, refreshed each year.

How declination works, and how to navigate with a map and compass

Best seasons

Summer, Early fall, Spring, Winter (storm watching)

Difficulty

Easy to moderate

Access / trailheads

On US Highway 101 about 10 miles (16 km) south of Cannon Beach and 4 miles (6 km) north of Manzanita. Four parking lots along the highway serve the trails. Park only in the lots; cars on the shoulder may be cited.

Water

Flush toilets and water at the main parking lot and near Short Sand Beach. None on the headland trails.

Cell / satellite coverage

Weak along the highway and at the beach; better on the open slopes of Neahkahnie Mountain.

Nearest ranger / SAR / emergency

Emergencies: 911. Park office: 503-812-0650.

Permits & regulations

A day-use parking permit is required and can be bought on site. The park is day use only; there is no camping. No fish, shellfish or seaweed may be taken in the Cape Falcon Marine Reserve offshore.

Leave No Trace

Stay on the trail, keep back from cliff edges, leave tide-pool and marine life alone, keep dogs leashed, and pack out all trash.