Combine the best of both worlds by hiking through the coastal forest of Oregon before arriving at your very own private beach!
About The Hike
Secret Beach is located in the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor as one of the pullover spots on the Oregon Coastal Highway.
The trailhead will have a sign that says Thunder Rock Cove Viewpoint and the trail will be to the right in the woods. The trail uses the very scenic 382-mile long Oregon Coast Trail to access the beach.
From the trailhead you'll see roughly marked signs at all the trail intersections that will say things like 'Secret Beach 30 minutes' and point with an arrow in the direction to go.
The trail is an out & back that is roughly 3 miles in total through a well travelled path in dense coastal forest. Beautiful ferns and tree limbs covered in moss line the trail.
On the way to the beach you'll be met with viewpoints along the cliffs that look directly down to the Secret Beach.
The final stretch pops out of the forest and follows a short path through tall grass and wildflowers before landing you at the entrance to the beach.
There are four separated beaches in total to explore and this beach stays mostly under the radar because of the hike in making it the perfect secluded spot to enjoy the coast of Oregon.
You can't miss the waterfall flowing onto the beach and a great tip is to bring a water filter like a Sawyer Squeeze so that you can enjoy the fresh spring water that is flowing onto the beach. This was one of my highlights from the beach!
Getting There and Important Information
Secret Beach is located on the southern Oregon coast in the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor. To find the parking area you can search 'Thunder Rock Cove' or 'Secret Beach' in Google Maps.
The best time to visit is during the warmer months but the best time to visit is during low tide which you can look up here.
No overnight parking nor camping are allowed here.
This area of the scenic corridor has no facilities and is a carry in, carry out area.
The hike is over a mile to the beach but nothing along the hike is technical. You could totally get away with hiking in flip flops if desired.
Swimming on the Oregon coast can be hazardous. I've never been to Australia but after reading the Bill Bryson travel book, In a Sunburned Country, I imagine these Oregon coastal beaches to be quite similar.
Be alert for strong currents, riptides, falling rocks, and changing tides. One heck of a warning sign you don't get at other beaches, that's for sure.
Combine this hike with the Natural Bridges Hike!
Natural Bridges is an amazing hike located directly next to Secret Beach and can be hiked to using the Oregon Coast Trail (OCT) without having to move your car.
Simply take a right on the OCT at the Natural Bridges parking area when facing the ocean and you'll be on your way to Secret Beach in little to no extra time that it would take to move your car.
Secret Beach as mentioned comes up on Google Maps and you can use that to understand directions on the trail easily. It's a cake walk for first timers, believe me!
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Photography exclusively by Dan Oliver unless otherwise stated and cited. Embedded maps are provided by Embed Google Map (embedgooglemap.net) and map images shown are provided as stated and cited.
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This website is provided for entertainment purposes only, and is not meant to serve as an instructional guide, or present itself as an authority for any of the locations written about. The locations mentioned, written, and photographed herein are nothing more than my personal adventure archive. If you are interested in visiting any locations you should not depend on the information in this website to plan any excursions. You should research a wide variety of informational sources, websites, hiking guide books and maps found elsewhere. Many locations are dangerous and potentially illegal to access which can lead to fines, injury or death even when prepared. I do not encourage anyone to trespass or put themselves or others in way of harm. This website, and therefore its’ owner/author, cannot assume any responsibility for anything you may incur while hiking or exploring any of these locations or anywhere on planet earth. Thank you for viewing!