The Oregon Coast Trail is a roughly 400-mile continuous walking route on and alongside Oregon’s beaches, all of which are publicly owned. The scenery varies from remote shoreline to popular tourist towns to forested headlands out of sight —but within earshot— of the Pacific Ocean.
It’s also still evolving. Enough of the trail was completed by 1988 for Oregon State Parks to declare it “hikeable.” But where bay mouths, steep seaside cliffs, or private uplands have created gaps in the trail, the route follows secondary roads or the shoulder of US 101 (or you can catch a bus, or sometimes a boat ferry). Campsites —or lodging— can be few and far between. Much of the trail is near civilization, but parts of it are quite remote and require you to scramble over boulders and wade rivers at low tide. OCT backpackers need to be well-prepared, self-reliant, and flexible.
We are experienced Oregon Coast Trail hikers eager to help you have a successful OCT trek, whether it’s a border-to-border thru-hike or a single day hike.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
BEST DIRECTION TO TRAVEL
A southbound hike puts summer’s prevailing north winds at your back.
WHEN TO GO
June through September are typically the driest, warmest months. April, May, and October often bring rain and strong winds from the south. November through March are the stormiest, wettest months on the Oregon Coast, and falling trees from high winter winds can make forest hiking hazardous. The main limiting factor is river levels. The southern half of the OCT (south of Florence) has many rivers that can be safely waded only between about mid-June and late October, when coastal rivers historically are at their lowest level (and even then, they may be wadeable only at low tide). Rivers too high to wade on the north coast can be crossed on bridges.
WHERE TO CAMP
Beach camping is allowed in limited areas. Most OCT hikers overnight at a combination of developed campsites, rough ”dispersed” camping, and occasional beach camping. See details under OVERNIGHT.
WAYFINDING
Oregon State parks has posted the route with blue-black-white OCT signs, though they aren’t always where you need them. The entire Oregon Coast is posted at intervals with numbered neon-yellow Emergency Beach Access signs installed to help people tell emergency responders their location in case of emergency; they also function as wayfinding aids. Maps in Hiking the Oregon Coast Trail and the FarOut OCT navigational app are marked with the route and with the emergency beach signage.
RESOURCES
Digital
Oregon Coast Trail navigational app from FarOut Guides. Official companion app to Hiking the Oregon Coast Trail. Works offline, trusted trail data, detailed waypoints, built for community. Includes online tide tables. Continuously updated by fellow hikers throughout the hiking season.
Hiking the Oregon Coast Trail, by Bonnie Henderson. A guide for backpackers, whether hiking the OCT for a week or weekend or thru-hiking the entire trail. Helpful for planning.
Exploring the Oregon Coast Trail, by Connie Soper. Designed for hikers taking on the OCT one day hike at a time, with directions and maps accompanied by a wealth of Oregon coastal history. Connie’s book is no longer in print, but you may be able to find a new or used copy online. Hike details should be double-checked as some are out of date, but the book has valuable background info you won’t find in other guidebooks.
GIVE BACK
Trailkeepers of Oregon is a nonprofit that leads volunteer trail parties on the Oregon Coast year-round, organized by three full-time coastal stewards. Most trail parties require no experience. Check the TKO events calendar.
The OCT is free — no permits required! But the trail requires constant maintenance. Pay it forward: donate to Trailkeepers of Oregon to ensure that the trail stays in good shape and continues to grow.
