Hiking

For those who like to hike, Gearhart offers easy access to several coastal and mountain hikes, with varying degrees of difficulty.

Saddle Mountain - 2 hours up and 1.5 hours hiking down. Hiking boots are recommended. Wild flowers abound. Usually open March to December. Travel to Saddle Mountain, the highest peak in the Northern Coast Range, by taking Hwy. 26 East to milepost 10. It is a 7-mile drive from Hwy. 26 to Saddle Mountain trail. Not advised for small children. A fairly difficult hike.
Ecola Park to Indian Beach trail - A nice 2-mile hike from the parking lot of Ecola Park, provides open views of the ocean, off-shore rocks, myriads of birds and occasional sea lions. Allow 45 minutes to an hour each way. Indian Beach is also the start of the Tillamook Head trail.

Tillamook Head trail - 6 miles each way, beginning at either Seaside or Indian beach. Highest point along the trail is 1,200 feet. Allow 3 hours each way. Usually open all year. The Tillamook Head trail traverses a cape jutting out into the sea between Seaside and Cannon Beach near Ecola State park. A short day-trip starts at Indian Beach and is two miles.

Short Sands Beach - From the north, this 30-minute hike begins about twenty two miles south of Gearhart. There are three parking lots. Best to take the one on the east side of Hwy. 101. It takes hikers into a rain forest along a creek that finally empties into the ocean. Hiking in is all downhill, out is up, up, up!

Cape Falcon trail - 2 miles each way. Highest point 300 feet. Allow 90 minutes each way. Usually open all year. Travel to the Cape Falcon trail by taking Hwy. 101 south to Oswald West State Park. Park at the first parking lot on the west side of the highway. A gradual hike with ocean vistas. Take a picnic lunch and enjoy a magnificent view at the top.

Arch Cape - (connecting to the Cape Falcon trail) Beginning at Arch Cape on the Old Mill Road, a swinging bridge crosses Arch Cape Creek. At this point, you enter Oswald West State Park and a 5-mile stretch to Cape Falcon treats the hiker to lush coastal rain forest.

Neah-ka-nie Mountain Trail - One mile each way (this according to information from others, also noted as being 2.5 miles). High point along the trail is 1,631 feet. Allow 90 minutes for each way. Usually open all year. Travel to Neah-ka-nie Mountain trail by Hwy. 101 south to point 2.6 miles south of the Short Sands parking area. The views are spectacular! Highly recommended.

Cape Lookout Trail - 2.5 miles one way. High point 830 feet. Allow 90 minutes each way. Open all year. Travel to Cascade Head trail by taking Hwy. 101 south to the Three Rock road just north of Salmon River in Tillamook county. Stop at the Tillamook visitors center next to the Tillamook Cheese Factory for more information and directions. Stop at the Blue Heron French Cheese Factory for Picnic goodies for your hike.