• Are permits required to hike the OCT?
• Where can I get a map of the trail?
• What kind of clothing is recommended on the OCT?
• What kind of footwear is recommended?
• Is luggage transfer available for inn-to-inn hiking?
• Who owns the OCT?
• Is the OCT well signed?
• Is dispersed camping allowed, on beaches or elsewhere?
• Can you build fires on the beach?
• Are dogs allowed on the OCT?
• What is the western snowy plover?
• Are mosquitoes or ticks a problem on the OCT?
• Can you swim in the ocean along the OCT?
• Do cell phones work on the OCT?
• How can I help maintain the OCT?

If you’ve perused these pages and still have questions, we’d be happy to try to answer them. Reach out to info.oct@trailkeepersoforegon.org.

Hiking Help

Are permits required to hike the OCT?

Permits are NOT required to hike the OCT. Permits ARE required for parking overnight almost anywhere on the coast. Visit PERMITS & PARKING for details.

Where can I get a map of the trail?

Oregon State Parks has posted OCT maps online, but they aren’t entirely reliable or up to date. The best wayfinding resources are the FarOut navigational app, Hiking the Oregon Coast Trail guidebook (for backpackers) and Exploring the Oregon Coast Trail guidebook (for day hikers).

What kind of clothing is recommended on the OCT?

Hiking season can be hot but is usually moderate in temperature; have enough layers to keep you warm when the temperature drops at night. Carry rain gear (jacket and pants) year-round.

What kind of footwear is recommended?

Trail runners or lightweight boots work well. Waterproof boots allow you to walk through shallow streams and keep your feet dry. Ultralight gaiters can help keep sand out of your shoes. Some hikers prefer hiking sandals at least part of the time.

Is luggage transfer available for inn-to-inn hiking?

As of this writing, there is no luggage transfer service available to inn-to-inn hikers on the OCT.

Trail Trivia

Who owns the OCT?

The people do! The entire OCT is on public land (other than one or two small easements). Most of the trail is either on the beach (which is publicly owned to the vegetation line and is managed by Oregon State Parks), on trails within Oregon State Parks and Siuslaw National Forest, or along road shoulders.

Is the OCT well signed?

Most of the trail sections are adequately signed with official blue, black and white rectangular signs. But transitions between beach, trail and road portions are not always obvious; it’s easy by bypass a beach exit, for example, and have to backtrack. You will want to use the most updated guidebooks or navitational apps to stay on the current route.

Is dispersed camping allowed, on beaches or elsewhere?

Camping is allowed on some but not all beaches, especially between March 15 and Sept. 15. Dispersed camping is allowed in limited areas. Hikers on the OCT typically camp at a variety of sites including developed campgrounds. See details under OVERNIGHT.

Can you build fires on the beach?

Yes, on open sand west of the vegetation line. Do not build fires in driftwood that will continue burning after you leave.

Are dogs allowed on the OCT?

Dogs are allowed on almost all trail portions (on leash), and dogs are allowed on the beach (under voice control or on leash) EXCEPT in western snowy plover protection zones between March 15 and Sept. 15. That effectively rules out thru-hiking the OCT with a dog during the main hiking season. Dogs may not be allowed on some boat ferries.

What is the western snowy plover?

It’s a small shorebird, listed as a threatened species, that nests on sandy beaches. Thanks to vigorous conservation efforts, its population is bouncing back. Those efforts include entirely banning camping and dogs on the beach on certain parts of the Oregon Coast during nesting season, March 15 to Sept. 15. Hikers are allowed to walk through on the wet sand. Look for orange fencing or check online maps with seasonal beach restrictions. The FarOut OCT navigational app indicates plover protection zones. 

Are mosquitoes or ticks a problem on the OCT?

Mosquitoes are not usually a problem but can be annoying in moist areas; carry repellant. You may encounter ticks in dry dune grass, though ticks are not often a problem on the OCT.

Can you swim in the ocean along the OCT?

The Pacific Ocean off Oregon ranges from about 47 to 52 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. It isn’t safe to swim here, even in summer, without a wetsuit. It is also plagued with rip currents. There are some swimmable freshwater lakes along the trail.

Do cell phones work on the OCT?

There is cell phone service along most of the trail, though service varies among carriers. There is no service on a few parts of the trail. If you need to make arrangements for a boat ferry at a remote spot, call ahead.

How can I help maintain the OCT?

Trailkeepers of Oregon schedules volunteer trail parties year-round on the Oregon Coast Trails and other coastal trails. Check the schedule — most trail parties require no prior experience.