1.4 hr
Overview
This traverse hike, a designated National Recreation Trail and also part of the Oregon Coast Trail, can be shuttled by beginning at either the Indian Beach Trailhead in Ecola State Park, just north of Cannon Beach, or the Tillamook Head Trailhead, although the latter is a better choice if you're doing this as a 12.6 mile out and back trip because you don't have to pay the state parks day use fee. The Tillamook Head Trailhead is just south of Seaside. The hike takes you up over a thousand feet above the ocean in old-growth Sitka spruce/hemlock forest, the high point being near the tree-cloaked summit of Clark's Mountain. There are only occasional ocean views, including from near Hikers Camp, which has a viewpoint of the Tillamook Rock Light. In this area, you'll also find the site of a World War II radar station. The end point is at Indian Beach, where Captain Clark of the Lewis & Clark Expedition noted that there had once been an Indian settlement. From the Tillamook Head Trailhead, the trail begins opposite a gated development next to signs extolling Elmer Feldenheimer, whose widow donated the property just west of the trail that is now the undeveloped Elmer Feldenheimer State Natural Area. Cross a small creek, head up, and switchback. A sign proclaims Ecola Point is seven miles and Hikers Camp is four miles. This is lush Sitka spruce, hemlock, and alder forest, with deer fern, sword fern, and salal forming the understory. The trail veers right above a gully and levels. You'll pass a giant spruce and a gap in the trees giving a view out on the ocean. Soon, circumvent an area of spruce/hemlock blowdown and traverse up, switchback, and pass another huge Sitka spruce. There are 15 more switchbacks before you make a level traverse across an alder slope and head up. Pass a spur leading through a salmonberry thicket to the left. The spur reaches a road track: heading right on this would take you near the unprepossessing summit of Clark's Mountain. (Captain William Clark, Sacagawea, and a few other members of the ex
Trail Stats
0.0 km
411 m
355 m
0 m
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Photos
400px-TillamookHeadMap
400px-TillamookHeadMap
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160px-Giant_spruce%2C_Tillamook_Head
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250px-Indian_Point%2C_Ecola_State_Park
250px-Tillamook_Head_Bunker
250px-Tillamook_Head_Bunker
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250px-TillamookHead3
400px-Tillyview
400px-Tillyview
TKO put tools to trail here.png
TKO put tools to trail here.png