Hidden On Oregon's Coast Is An Unsung Site With Beach Access, Scenic Sea Caves, And Tidal Pools

Oregon's long, spacious beach that runs along its southern coast is filled with picturesque views reminiscent of your favorite fantasy stories. Misty shoreline forests recall the Twilight films, and along the central coast there's an enchanting Hobbit Trail through a mossy fairyland. If you dare yourself to get a little lost along the Oregon coast, you'll come across a seaside wonderland of vibrant lifeforms and rock formations.

Venture farther north along the coastline and you'll hit Hug Point State Recreation Site, a 42-acre park. It's a 90-minute drive west from Portland, but we highly suggest staying in nearby Manzanita just 15 minutes south, a town that's part of Oregon's North Coast Food Trail brimming with seafood markets. A dedicated trip to the area would also give you time to stay overnight in Cannon Beach, a stunning destination that won't break the bank, just seven minutes drive north from Hug Point. Beyond the waterfall most people come here to see, Hug Point State Recreation Site also has picnic areas surrounded by trees, a public bathroom, and easy trails that lead you between the parking lot and the shoreline.

Springtime invites increased rainfall and milder weather to this area. This might seem like a damper time to visit, but the extra water will make Hug Point's biggest natural wonder — its beachfront waterfall — a dramatic sight to behold. A Tripadvisor reviewer called Hug Point's beach "a photographer's dream." When you arrive, you'll quickly learn why. The dark blue Pacific ocean laps against rugged rock formations jutting out into, and up from, the water. You might spot a rare blue rock thrush perched on the ferns and spruce trees. Beachgoers run along a shore imprinted by the wheels of old stagecoaches. These tracks are what's left from when this coast was the best means of traveling north and south, long before Highway 101 was built. Hug Point gets its name because travelers literally had to hug the rocks to avoid getting swept away by the sea.

Crashing into the sandy beach off the sandstone rocks is Hug Point Falls. It's quite small, falling around 15 feet from its apex, but during the springtime, the rainfall dramatizes the landscape. Waves churn against the falls, making for a great photo opportunity. The waterfall also teaches one a lesson in patience; reaching the falls at high tide is nigh impossible. It is during low tide that the falls — as well as the surrounding sea caves and tidal pools — become accessible.

It is highly recommended you check out the local tide tables for Hug Point. It's well known that folks can get stuck somewhere along the coast once the high tide rolls in. But once the tide recedes, you'll be in awe of the vibrant anemones, the crabs, and the shellfish that call the tidal pools home. A bit north from Hug Points Falls is one of many sea caves that lend even more opportunities for cool pictures. Some of the caves are shallow and are good spots to safely check out the insides of the sandstone landscapes, and most can be walked through. But again, when exploring, be mindful of high tide! Sunsets are beautiful here — the sepia-toned sky offers picturesque backgrounds for this otherworldly location.

Be sure to snap pictures of the kaleidoscopic sea life in the tidal pools. You might even spot sea lions hanging out on the rocks. When you're finished, take the Hug Point Trail back out to the parking lot, and head to nearby Manzanita or Cannon Beach to check out the seafood restaurants in these quaint and picturesque towns close by.