Cape Falcon Trail

Cape Falcon Trail is the signature hike at Oswald West State Park, traversing some of the most magnificent old-growth Sitka spruce forest on the Oregon coast to a dramatic headland with sweeping Pacific Ocean views. The trail begins at the Short Sand Beach parking area and climbs through an ancient forest cathedral where Sitka spruce trees centuries old create a towering canopy draped with mosses and hung with curtains of club moss, producing an atmosphere of primal wilderness remarkably close to the highway. The forest floor is carpeted in dense sword fern and oxalis, with the deep shade supporting a rich understory of shade-tolerant plants. As the trail approaches Cape Falcon, the forest opens and the full drama of the headland reveals itself: the Pacific Ocean extends to the horizon in a vast blue expanse, and the coastline curves away in both directions revealing miles of wild Oregon shore. Short Sand Beach, the sheltered surfing cove below, is visible to the south, its crescent of dark sand backed by the old-growth forest. The headland itself is a narrow rocky promontory where the wind is constant and the views are spectacular in all directions. Whale spouts are frequently visible offshore during migration seasons. The combination of exceptional old-growth forest, dramatic coastal headland, and free access makes Cape Falcon one of the best value hikes on the entire Oregon coast. Parking can be competitive on summer weekends; arrive early or visit on weekdays.