Nehalem Jetty Trail

Nehalem Bay State Park is a wonderful park on the Oregon coast that offers over 5 miles of beach, access to Nehalem Bay, one of the largest campgrounds in Oregon and many options for the hiker or bike rider. One tempting option is the trail out to the end of Nehalem spit to the river and the jetties that guard its mouth. This trail is level and wide and leads to some great views at the river and access to wide stretches of isolated and beautiful beach. The trail starts just past the horse camp area at the end of the park road and follows the narrow peninsula between Nehalem Bay and the beach for about 2 miles. The trail is likely a remnant of the construction of the jetties and was not designed for its scenic value. In fact, there are no views of the ocean or the bay for the entire stretch, and the sound of the breaking waves is a tantalizing presence during the hike. Once at the end of the spit, hikers can either backtrack on the trail or round the spit to the beach and hike back north to the trail that connects to the parking area near the trailhead. This stretch of beach is wonderfully empty and beautiful. Dogs are allowed off-leash on the entire beach as long as they are under voice control.