Your Guide to Beach-Combing and Tide-Pooling on Oregon's Adventure Coast

There is much to love about visiting Oregon’s Adventure Coast, but the miles and miles of beautiful, undeveloped beaches may be one of our greatest natural assets. The beaches on Oregon’s South Coast are ideal for anyone searching for a quiet, undisturbed spot to watch the tide roll in and out. They are also perfect for those looking for a place to surf, swim, walk the dogs or search for hidden beach treasures.

If beach-combing, tide-pooling, picnicking, whale watching, surfing and clamming or other popular pastimes are on your Oregon Coast wish list, look no further than our very own beaches and be sure to follow these tips to stay safe & protect our natural habitat. Visitors going to the beach should be aware of coastal safety hazards with the potential danger of undertows, sneaker waves and rolling logs. Click here for Beach Safety Tips .

Beach-Combing & Tide-Pooling Tips

Consider these tips below to stay safe and make the most of your coastline expeditions.

1.  Check the Tides Charts

When beach-combing and tide-pooling it’s crucial to make sure the tide is out during the time you’ll be on the beach. Visit [www.tides4fishing.com](https://tides4fishing.com/us/oregon/coos-bay and/) and/or www.tideschart.com for an easy-to-use tide chart for the Coos Bay area.

2.  Wear Shoes/Boots with Grip

Just because it’s the beach does not mean there will be any shortage of sharp surfaces and potentially harmful objects. Bring shoes with grip to ensure you’ll keep your footing as you make your way down paths to the beach and to keep your feet safe.

3.  Watch Where You Step

This tip goes hand in hand with the previous one. When the tide goes out it’s likely to leave behind slick, slick seaweed. Stepping on it can result in a vicious fall and potential serious injury. Tread heavy and carefully.

4.  Do Not Remove Attached Animals

Though the temptation may be to grab a critter you see, keep in mind that doing so can bring damage to the organism and even ecosystem as a whole.

5.  Don’t Leave Rocks Overturned

Similarly, rocks provide a crucial part of the ecosystem of many of the organisms you’ll see when tide-pooling. By leaving rocks overturned you can negatively influence the ecosystem and disrupt different species.

6. Leave it Better Than You Found it

This one is a good rule in general but goes double when you are visiting the beaches. Bring a bag with you to pick up after your own trash and if you’re so inclined to pick up any stray pieces of garbage you come across. Not only are you doing your part to help the environment but you’re also beautifying the area for other visitors.

7. Bring a Camera

You’ll be seeing some beautiful sights along these beach spots, we strongly recommend taking some pictures as you do so.

Best Places for Beach-combing and Tide-pooling

Below are some of our favorite spots for beach-combing, picnicking, and tide-pooling.

Bastendorff Beach- A favorite among surfers, kite flyers, beachcombers, locals and tourists alike. You’ll find uninterrupted beach and ocean views can be enjoyed here. Bastendorff Beach is defined by Yoakam Head and the south jetty at the entrance of the bay. Located ¼ mile off the Cape Arago Highway. Never crowded and always beautiful, Bastendorff Beach is a must see for beach enthusiasts. Click here for more info. Address: 63379 Bastendorff Beach Road Charleston, OR 97420

Sunset Bay State Park- A favorite among locals and tourists, Sunset Bay State Park is protected by towering sea cliffs and features beautiful sandy beaches, amazing tide pools, picnic facilities, restrooms, and campgrounds. Beach goers will find easy access for beach combing, bird watching, swimming, and boating. Learn more. 89814 Cape Arago Highway Charleston, OR 97420

Cape Arago State Park- Tucked away below the cliffs, a short walk along the steep trails will take you to a secluded cove where tide-pools and fossils can be found on Cape Arago Beach. Visitors can also enjoy whale watching, fishing, and scuba diving. Two trails can be found here for excellent hiking opportunities; the south trails leads to poolsides full of a variety of sea life, and the north trail lets visitors view offshore colonies of seals and sea lions. The north trails is closed from March - June to protect the seal pups during birthing season. Picnic benches and restrooms are available. Click here to learn more. Cape Arago Hwy Loop Charleston, OR 97420

Lighthouse Beach- Located between Yoakam Point State Natural Site to the south and Cape Arago Lighthouse to the north. The beach is popular with surfers, kayakers, and birdwatchers and offers slight protection from cross currents and wind due to the rocky headlands framing the beach. Since the beach does not have a parking lot, most visitors park along the Cape Arago Highway, near the intersection of Lighthouse Way, and walk down a path to the beach. The beach can also be accessed via kayak, launching from Sunset Bay State Park or Bastendorff Beach County Park. Click here for more info. Cape Arago Loop, Charleston

Horsfall Beach- Beautiful secluded beach located within the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. Great place for beach-combing and has plenty of parking, lots of uninterrupted beach, great for pets and kids and many other natural amenities. Learn more Horsefall Beach Rd, North Bend, OR 97459

Simpson Beach- situated directly below Shore Acres State Park. A winding path takes you to a secluded ocean cove where you’ll find crashing waves, migrating whales, and views of hundreds of seals and sea lions and other wildlife. Please do not bother the seal pups you may find on the beach. They are not lost, only waiting for mom to return. Learn more . 89814 Cape Arago Hwy Charleston, OR 97420