The Oregon Coast's Former Airfield Is Now A Gorgeous Park With A 'Runway' To The Beach

Where a stretch of coastline on Oregon's southern edge used to launch aircraft, beachgoers now come to slow down and reconnect with nature. The airport-turned-park called the Crissey Field State Recreation Site is one of the more unique beach destinations you can get in the state. While Oregon's Cobble Beach offers views of a lighthouse and harbor seals, the Crissey Field park features a former airport runway that's been repurposed as a walkable stretch leading to the shore. Views of driftwood-lined shores surround fruitful rockhounding expanses, with a river delta fringed by forest.

As the Jefferson Public Radio reported, before becoming Crissey Field, the park was the Crissey State Line Airport, getting its name from the fact that its access road was actually across the state line in California. The airstrip was operational as a public airport in the 1950s but was short-lived, left abandoned after a decade. Today, the park has a welcome center with some exhibits about the coastal environment of the park and some easy hiking trails criss-crossing the length of the old airstrip and its surroundings.

With its skeletal tangles of driftwood and rugged, forested shores, the Crissey Field State Recreation Site has views that one Google reviewer described as "almost jurassic feeling." You can see all the way to California's Point St. George when looking southward across the expansive beach. Though the beach is visually arresting, it's not so ideal for swimming. Activities here are geared towards staying on land. One thing visitors often enjoy is wandering the trails that lead to the beach and through the wetlands and old-growth spruce forest.

The trails within the site itself are short — under a mile each. One, the Ocean Beach Trail, hugs the oceanfront, while the Winchuk River Trail takes you to the river bank. According to the East Cascades Bird Alliance, the river mouth is a popular habitat for shorebirds, so you may want to pack some binoculars. If you'd like to extend your hike beyond Crissey Field, it's possible to cross the river heading north and hike up along the coast to McVay Rock State Recreation Site.

Aside from its hikes, the other notable activity that draws people to Crissey Field is rockhounding. According to Northwest Rockhounding, you can find rocks like agate, jasper, quartz, and jade by combing along the shoreline and the riverbanks. One Google reviewer even insisted, "Agate is everywhere!"

There's a welcome center at Crissey Field State Recreation Site that past visitors have found to be a helpful reprieve. The center is open seasonally, but its restrooms are available year-round. You can also stop by anytime to pick up a pamphlet with some information about what to see and do in the area. One Google reviewer shared a memorable experience from when it was staffed: "We walked in and were greeted warmly by two friendly and knowledgeable staff. They prepared us a fresh pot of coffee, answered our questions, and gave suggestions based on our interests." The park itself is open all year.

Being close to the state border, Crissey Field is easy to reach from Northern California towns like Crescent City, one of the largest on California's redwoods coast, which is under 30 minutes away by car. There's also a small regional airport there, the Del Norte County Regional Airport, if you're flying in from other hubs around the Pacific Northwest and California. Reviewers have noted that there's plentiful free parking at the Crissey Field Welcome Center. If you're driving northward after rockhounding at the former runway, consider making another stop just 10 to 15 minutes away at Harris Beach, which is highly regarded for its rugged beauty.