Even if devoting three days to the effort—as yours truly did in July 2024—travelling the entire Oregon Coast south to north is a risky endeavor: for much of the time, my travel partner and I were caught in a mix of mist, rain, and fog that obscured the ocean views and made hiking a less-than-desirable activity. But we caught a bit of a break on the third day in Oregon—fourth of the cross-country trip from California to Washington, DC—with the sun shining for an afternoon. And so we got out of the car for a leg-stretcher at Oswald West State Park in northwest Oregon.

Part of the 425-mile Oregon Coast Trail, the 4.5-mile Cape Falcon Trail in Oswald West State Park is one of the most popular short hikes in northwest Oregon and culminates at an exposed headland high above the beaches of Smuggler Cove. The journey is as enjoyable as the destination, as the trail traverses fern-crested ridges and splendid Sitka spruce forests before ending at a view of the vast Pacific and lofty Neahkahnie Mountain (1,578’).

The hike

Due to its proximity to the Portland-Salem area, Oswald West State Park is a very popular summer weekend destination, although far more flock to the sandy beaches here than to the park’s trail network. Still, the Cape Falcon Trail is still a local favorite, and the parking lot (see here) on the west side of Highway 101 (Oregon Coast Highway), which runs through the park. (Note: If the lot is full, try about ¼ mile further south on the east side, where there is a restroom and larger day lot, mainly used by beach goers.)

Make your way to the well-marked trail start. Here the wide path skirts a moist and aromatic slope, distancing itself from the banks of Short Sand Creek below. With the sounds of the highway dissipating, the partly-graveled track soon narrows; at one point, a wire railing offers some hikers comfort as the fern-studded shelf thins to a few feet wide.

Trekkers get their first ocean views after cresting a ridge at around 4/10 mile, although the sea remains partly obscured by the thick Western hemlock, Douglas fir, and Sitka spruce. Come to a junction at ½ mile. The Kramer Memorial Trail heads left, connecting with the buzzing Short Sand Beach and Smuggler Cove. Stay right on the Cape Falcon Trail.

Curiously, the onward route actually briefly doubles back eastward. This is necessary to clear Kerwin Creek, a muddy drainage reached after a downhill with two short boardwalk sections. Cross the stream at about ¾ mile, then make up the elevation you had just lost by ascending the south-facing slope. From here the trail rounds another hillside and crosses another perennial streamway, finally heading westward again toward the ocean.

Come soon to a beach view, where the hemlocks are thick, tall, and dark. Continue downhill briefly, crossing Blumenthal Creek, where signs warn hikers from going off-trail to peer over the flimsy cliff (curbing the temptation to drop to Blumenthal Falls). Then eventually come to a pair of uphill switchbacks, ascending toward the scrubby headland.

The final stretch is eroded and laced with exposed tree roots that require careful footing to maneuver. Rising along a passage between head-high salah bushes, the trail comes to a junction and a beautiful perch under a clutch of spruces. This is the premier viewing point at Cape Falcon, with the dramatic cove—in the shadow of Neahkahnie Mountain—unfolding below.

There is more to the trail thereafter, although the panoply of social trails makes navigation a tad confusing. It is possible, if staying to the left, to make one’s way out to the western tip of the cape (although it is wooded and requires a steep descent to reach). Find a good spot to stop for a snack, then prepare to return the way you came.

The return journey is relatively mild as well, capping off a 4.6-mile out-and-back. The Cape Falcon Trail makes for a good half-day walk combined with a trip to nearby Cannon Beach or Astoria.