Greetings, OCT Class of 2024!

It's had some great reviews, including an excellent one from Treelinereview. The OCT is a bit complicated, not like any other trail I've hiked (in the US or Europe), not quite complete, but still very hikeable if you're flexible and especially if you do your homework. The introduction is the most valuable part of the book, especially if you're doing to use the FarOut app on the trail. The book is available in paperback (12.8 oz) and in a Kindle version on Amazon.

Get the right book for your trek. Author Connie Soper has written a wonderful book called Exploring the Oregon Coast Trail. But it is designed as a guide to hiking the trail as a series of day hikes; it does not deal with the problems of finding legal campsites and potable water, dealing with long highway shoulder stretches, and other issues for thru-hikers. If you plan to thru-hike or section-hike the OCT, I urge you to get my book and/or FarOut app.

LAST UPDATED 7-1-24

The following info updates my 2021 book Hiking the Oregon Coast Trail. It is meant to supplement (not replace) the book. Updates have also been added to the FarOut app.

BEACH CAMPING  along the OCT is allowed with the following exceptions (which are significant):

• No beach camping in snowy plover conservation zones (here and there, plus most of the beach from the Siltcoos River south to the Umpqua and parts of the beach from the Umpqua to Coos Bay).
• Adjacent to any state park, by any name (whether or not there it has a campground).
• Adjacent to any of the following towns: Seaside (and Gearhart; actually from the Necanicum River north to the Columbia River south jetty), Cannon Beach, Manzanita (and north to the base of Neahkahnie Mountain), Rockaway Beach, Lincoln City, Newport, Bandon and Gold Beach. How do you know where the city limits are? Google the city by name.

SECTION 1

ARCADIA BEACH: Vault toilets only, no water.

SOUTH OF NEHALEM BAY: Get a ride across th Nehalem from Jetty Fishery, but the marina is no longer leting hiiers walk through their little RV park to get to the rock jetty leading out to the beach. Your current options:

• Walk the highway south 0.8 mile to a little tsunami evacuation trail, which leads down the hill, across the railroad tracks, and out Riley Street to the beach. Highway shoulder ranges from very wide to nothing (walk in the bike lane).
• 
  
• Walk the railroad tracks instead of the highway. The Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad people don't want you to walk the tracks, but they don't operate regularly on this stretch, so there's really no risk.

OSWALD WEST STATE PARK:

The Necarney Creek Bridge, south of Snort Sand Beach, is gone. Walk south down to the beach, cross the creek, and take the trail up a short distance to where it rejoins the OCT. A

If you need water, use the restrooms (flush toilets, potable water) right above Short Sand Beach, just off the OCT route (a second restroom building to the south, closer to Necarney Creek, is closed). It's the last tap water before Manzanita. 

Note that the trail over Cape Falcon can be very brushy early in the season--as is true of many forested trails on the OCT.

CAMPING AT OLD MILL RV RESORT, GARIBALDI: Still a good place to camp, but the city made them eliminate their hiker-biker area. They still welcome OCT hikers to their tent camping area; walk-ins get  reduced hiker-biker rate. There is usually space for walk-ins on weekdays, less certain on weekends.  

SECTION 2

CAMPING NORTH OF TILLAMOOK: Twins Ranch, a private campground 6 miles south of Garibaldi just off US 101, offers tent camping and is very friendly to OCT hikers. There is no formal hiker-biker area, but they will always find room for hikers, and at a very friendly price. Also if you are walking to Cape Meares, there are new vault toilets (no water) at Memaloose Point, about halfway from Tillamook to the beach.

CAPE MEARES: My book says Bayshore Road is the official route to the top of Cape Meares, because the old trail to the top was no longer being maintained, but it has been worked on and seems to be the preferred route now. From Beach Access sign 30 in the community of Cape Meares, continue south on the beach 0.6 mile (and over a rock ledge, or around it at low tide) and look for a steep, rough trail heading up the last gully before the cliffs at the cape; the trail quickly improves as it leads about 1 mile to the state park entrance atop the cape. 

NETARTS BAY: Andy at Big Spruce Boat Rentals is usually too busy to ferry hikers across to Netarts Spit. You might get lucky at or just before high tide, most likely in the afternoon when they already have a boat available at the Netarts boat ramp. He doesn’t want to advertise this service! If you want to try him, use this phone number: 503-801-5434.

SAND LAKE OUTLET: Many hikers have crossed the mouth of Sand Lake at low tide, but even under the best conditions it is typically waist deep and, as such, a wet and risky crossing. The following route is preferred, but try it ONLY at low tide when the sand flats are exposed. (Otherwise walk around on Galloway Road..

From Fisherman’s Day Use Area, follow the shore inland a short distance to where a channel you can wade at low tide; this should be the deepest portion of the walk. After crossing the channel walk the sand flats in a SSE direction to Whalen Island (or follow the route on FarOut). Pick up the loop trail just above the shoreline. Follow the trail south to the parking for Clay Myers State Natural Area and walk out the access road, crossing a bridge, to reach Sandlake Road, then walk the road south 0.8 mile to Sitka Sedge SNA and follow park trails out to the beach.

CAMPING AT SAND LAKE: Book (p. 115) mentions new hiker-biker site at Fishermans Day Use Area. Walk up the access road a few steps, take little path on left toward and past amphitheater, and look for two picnic tables and fire rings on right with small upright signs that say HB1 and HB2). Toilet at the day use area; water spigot there and near HB1. No reservations; $5 cash (depost  at campground fee station; bring a pen.)

PACIFIC CITY: Nestucca Adventures is not offering boat ferries across the Nestucca. Hike the highway to Winema Road or take the #4 bus southbound (4 times daily) from Pelican Pub or Kiwanda Community Center (NWoregontransit.org).

INN-TO-INN HIKERS: Sandlake Countory Inn is permanently closed.

CASCADE HEAD: Rainforest Trail (North and South) have reopened, but both are "super sketchy," as one hiker puts it: North trail starts with landslide area that's tricky to get around, and south trail may be very brushy due to difficulty of access (Forest Road 1861 is closed due to landslides and may never reopen. Note that the bottom of the North Rainforest Trail is now a lot easier to spot as you hike up the highway south of Neskowin; they’ve carved out a small parking area. 

RE "back route" over Cascade Head: Not recommended at this time. Because the access road to Harts Cove (Forest Road 1861) has been closed to vehicles due to massive landslides for a few years, there has been no trail maintenance: VERY brushy, downed trees, etc. Some folks have made it but it's in very poor shape. (I have also had my first report of a hiker being told that they weren't welcome in the private neighborhood you use to get there.)

SALMON RIVER TO ROAD'S END: Don't attempt to hike up N. Clancy Road; landowners insist it's private and aren't very nice. Remain on US 101 shoulder to NW 40th St. and use it to access the beach. 

SECTION 3

FISHING ROCK-FOGARTY CREEK: Get out your Sharpie! I had missed a route change at Fogarty Creek that keeps hikers west of the highway (so no highway crossings), still gives you restroom access, and adds no distance to the hike. Cross off the instructions on pp. 141-142 and do this instead: After leaving the beach at Fishing Rock, turn right on Fogarty Avenue and follow it south to US 101. Then walk the highway shoulder just 0.1 mile and veer right into a wide gravel path down to the beach. Wade the creek if you want, otherwise go left on the paved path along the creek a short distance to a footbridge (at the park restrooms), cross the bridge, and take another paved path on the south bank east to stone stairs leading up the hill to where the OCT continues south.

SEAL ROCK BEACH ACCESS: Trail from beach just north of Seal Rock now has gate across the top. Instead, leave the beach 0.7 mile north of there at Beach Access 63 (Curtis Street) and walk 0.8 miles on highway to Seal Rock State Recreation Site.

WALDPORT: At low tide you may be able to return to the beach right at the end of Waldport Bridge. IF it's dry at the seawall, you'll be able to round Yaquina John Point just ahead. If not, here's a shortcut back to the beach. Rather than walk the highway for 1.2 miles south to Governor Patterson SRS, leave the highway in just 0.5 mile at Waziyata Avenue and follow it (bearing right) out to a beach access trail.

CAPE PERPETUA: Is there a (less expensive, drop-in) hiker-biker site at the campground? It varies from year to year. It's worth inquiring.

LODGING IN FLORENCE: Especially if you are hoping for a zero day in Florence, but in any case, I urge you to arrange camping or lodging in advance. As I note in the book, there is tent camping at the Port of Siuslaw in Florence, but no longer hiker-biker. Cost is about $40 for a tent site with up to 2 tents, plus another $10 if you reserve ahead. USUALLY they have room for drop-ins but not always, and it's getting tighter, with smoke and fires chasing campers to the coast. Another option: Florence 101 Hostel. Owner Marianne Brisbane had to convert it from dorms to private rooms due to covid, so it's more expensive, but not bad: $35-$55/night + fees. Her Facebook pages looks inactive but lists email, phone, and link to AirBnB listings (which is how she books). Could be a nice splurge to celebrate the halfway point on the OCT.

About Honeyman State Park hiker-biker: It's not on the OCT! Non-hikers (like the friendly staff at the Port of Siuslaw campground in Florence) don't undertand that Honeyman is on 101 but it's not on the OCT, and there are no trails from to the beach (and bushwacking 2 miles west is rough, across open dunes but also dense coastal forest and westlands). You would have to hike an extra 1.8 miles south from South Jetty Road to get to Honeyman. Then either backtrack to South Jetty Road and then west, or go south another 4.4 highway miles to Siltcoos Beach Road, then west. It's worth a few bucks to line up Florence lodging/camping in advance.

SECTION 4 

CROSSING THE UMPQUA RIVER: It seems that Winchester Bay Charters has gotten overwhelmed with boat ferry requests and is not always answering the phone or returning calls. So try him but don't count on him. Alternatives: 1) Try flagging down a passing boater from the south jetty beach (not a sure thing), 2) hike out Sparrow Park Road and down US 101 to Winchester Bay, or 3) hike out Sparrow Park Road and from there get a ride to Winchester Bay from trail angel Mike Morrow, 503-882-4258; he asks for two days' notice, and he only gives rides in the morning.

CROSSING COOS BAY: No one offerng this at this time, that I know of.  If you find an outfitter who will ferry you, please let me know!)

ALTERNATIVE ROUTE OVER 7 DEVILS: I've heard that a ranger is warning hikers off using this route, due to it being private property. I've also heard that hikers have used it with no problem and that it is regularly used by locals.

BOAT FERRY AT COQUILLE RIVER/BANDON. From Bullards Beach State Park the trail follows US 101 south over a narrow highway bridge with no sidewalk (one of the most dangerous spots on the OCT). South Coast Tours is now offering weekday boat ferries between the Bullards Beach boat ramp and Old Town Bandon from 7:30 am to 4 pm, northbound and southbound. $25/person. Eliminates three miles of road walking. Call by 6 pm the night before to arrange/reserve: 541-373-0487.

INN-TO-INN AT FLORAS LAKE: Floras Lake Inn has reopened as a B&B.

CAMPING AT BOICE COPE COUNTY PARK? Hiker-biker camping (no reservation, drop-in) is no longer allowed, but you can go online and reserve a tent site with charging station and picnic table for $18.43 ($1.50 more for shower). Or consider stopping at the bivouac site 4 miles to the north (bring water), which can be crowded on weekends (or not). No camping is allowed on Blacklock Point just to the south (but people do it, just saying; top off water bottles at Floras Lake. There's also a hiker-biker camp just a few miles away at Cape Blanco.

PORT ORFORD DETAILS: Hiker notes that toilets and showers at Port of Port Orford are only open during business hours. Apparently it's not clear in the book that there are flush toilets and water at Battle Rock Wayside, where you return to the beach SOBO.

SECTION 5

SOUTH OF HUMBUG: More details about a public transport alternative to a long highway shoulder walk: Curry Public Transit bus will pick you up at the entrance to Humbug Mountain State Park campground and drop you off at Nesika or Otter Point for just $4. Call dispatch (541-412-8806) when they open at 8 am and they‘ll tell the driver to look for you. Three southbound buses a day make this trip.

MORE SOUTH OF HUMBUG: There is no water at Humbug Picnic area. There IS potable water at Arizona Beach, ahead some miles.

MORE SOUTH OF HUMBUG: In the book (p.220) I suggest that, just south of Sisters Rocks, you consider walking up a short abandoned and overgown portion of Coy Creek Road to get to an off-highway route. A thru-hiker has reported that he found the route impassable due to blackberry thickets, etc. We might have to wait and hope that this route eventually gets claimed and maintained as an official part of the OCT, but for now it appears you need to stick to the highway all the way to Ophir. 

OPHIR: Honey Bear by the Sea RV park has expanded the number of tent sites around its beautiful meadow. They're not cheap ($58 or more for max of 2 tents and 8 occupants), but they have also established a small area catering to hikers and bikers. Not a true hiker-biker, because they're not strictly drop-in, but at least this year reservations haven't been necessary. Cost is about $30, fits one tent.

BOARDMAN STATE SCENIC CORRIDOR updates:

Route at north end: You can actually leave the highway and get on the OCT just past the Boardman State Scenic Corridor sign and take it to Arch Rock Picnic Area. A little difficult to follow but better than highway. I didn't mention in book because there had just been big landslide, but either it wasn't impacted or it was repaired. North of that point there used to be a trail (over Whiskey Creek), but between blackberries, poison oak and landslides it really really no longer exists.

Better route south from Whaleshead Beach: At the top of the road down to Whaleshead Beach, look for nearly-hidden OCT sign and follow very brushy trail (gets better) down to park toilets, then cross footbridge and follow it to beach. Walk beach just 0.1 mile or so and take very steep but short (0.2 mile, 200 feet elevation) scramble trail to Whaleshead Beach Viewpoint. From there follow marked OCT trail south (intersects with aforementioned trail) through the woods 1.3 miles to House Rock Viewpoint. Hate to miss that pretty beach, but it's not like you haven't hiked any beaches on the OCT.