Weekend away: A guide to a Cannon Beach camping trip

At my first real job after college, a co-worker who’d spent a multidecade career at that agency casually offered a piece of wisdom I’ve never forgotten: “You blink, and thirty years go by.” 

Lately, I’ve been thinking about that while planning outdoor trips, less interested in perfect logistics and more focused on simply using the time I have. If a free weekend opens up, I want to be outside breathing fresh air, moving my body, and soaking in something beautiful. So when a recent work trip took me to Portland, I seized the chance to pair it with a quick weekend trip focused on ocean air, coastal hikes, and a bird-nerd bucket list goal: seeing tufted puffins at Cannon Beach.

With Florence so close to Eugene-Springfield, I rarely think to go farther up the coast, but the northern stretch of Highway 101 is only about a three-hour drive from town and well worth the detour. For impromptu trips like this, though, overnight stays can be challenging, as Cannon Beach (like much of the Oregon coast) tends to book up quickly in the summer. But if you’re flexible and up for pitching a tent, a spontaneous, affordable escape is within reach.

Camping in Cannon Beach

Tent camping options in Cannon Beach are relatively limited, but you’ll find a couple of spots within walking distance of town, and more if you’re willing to head a bit farther south.

The Retreat at Cannon Beach

This outdoorsy, low-key site is where I ultimately landed for the night, and it’s easily the most convenient option in the area. The Retreat at Cannon Beach offers RV and tent sites, plus a few cabins, tucked in a grassy, lightly forested area beside Ecola Creek. From here, it’s a five-minute walk to the fish tacos at Public Coast Brewing Co. (ideal for those of us campers who’d really prefer not to cook), and just a bit farther to beach access. Ocean waves will lull you to sleep, and in the morning, a chorus of chestnut-backed chickadees, song sparrows, and red-winged blackbirds will be your alarm clock.

The campsites are fairly close together, so don’t expect a romantic, secluded getaway, but the small, friendly community of campers stands in sweet contrast to the surrounding vacation homes. I set up at site 17 on a lawn dotted with buttercups and daisies aside a moss-covered tree and a blackberry-flanked tributary. Sites 17 and 18 offer a smidgen more privacy and sit farther from the main road through town, while still being conveniently close to the bathrooms and campground store.

• Location: 415 Fir St., Cannon Beach, OR, 97110
• Operating season: Open year-round
• Rates: $50-$75 per night for tent sites
• Onsite amenities: Laundry, restrooms, showers, campfire rings, picnic tables, convenience store, sauna, and more
• More info & reservations: theretreatatcannonbeach.com 

Wright’s for Camping

This was my original pick, but at the time I was booking, it had a two-night minimum and I was looking for a quicker trip. Wright’s for Camping is a tent-focused campground in a coastal forest often visited by local elk herds. It has a delightful family-owned history dating back to the 1930s. The campground offers 23 pet-friendly sites on the east side of Highway 101, about a six-minute walk into town, though the route isn’t as pedestrian-friendly. Some sites can accommodate RVs, but there are no hookups available.

• Location: 334 Reservoir Road, Cannon Beach, OR, 97110
• Operating season: Closed September through May
• Rates: $60-$76 per night, depending on the number of people
• Onsite amenities: Laundry, restrooms, showers, campfire rings, picnic tables, firewood, and more
• More info & reservations: wrightsforcamping.com 

Nehalem Bay State Park Campground

About a 20-minute drive south of Cannon Beach, you’ll find Nehalem Bay State Park. Its campground was closed for renovations during my trip, but reopened July 1, 2025, with a new restroom and shower building, upgraded utilities, improved accessible campsites, and a repaved park entrance road. The campground boasts 265 electrical sites with water, 18 yurts (half of which are pet-friendly), a horse camp with 17 primitive sites, and a hiker-biker camp. It’s set between the ocean and the bay on a 4-mile sand spit among shore pines.

• Location: 34600 Garey St, Nehalem, OR 97131
• Operating season: Open year-round (following renovation)
• Rates: $27-$74 per night, depending on site type
• Onsite amenities: Restrooms, showers, playgrounds, and RV dump site
• More info & reservations: Park website

Barview Jetty County Campground

About 45 minutes south of Cannon Beach, you’ll find Barview Jetty County Campground with views of Tillamook Bay and the Pacific Ocean. It offers RV and tent sites, hiker-biker camping, and a few reservable cabins with easy access to the beach. Past guests have noted the area’s ample driftwood and sea life, and they recommend bringing a jacket as this site can get windy.

• Location: 8000 Cedar St, Rockaway Beach, OR 97136
• Operating season: Open year-round
• Rates: $9-$61 per night, depending on site type
• Onsite amenities: Restrooms, showers, picnic tables, playground, and more
• More info & reservations: tillamookcounty.gov/parks/page/barview-jetty-county-campground

Searching for puffins at Haystack Rock

From April through August, one of Oregon’s largest tufted puffin breeding colonies returns from life at sea to nest on the grassy north face of Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach. These distinctive seabirds have been vanishing at an alarming rate—dropping from nearly 5,000 birds statewide in 1998 to just 553 by 2021. At Cannon Beach alone, the tufted puffin population declined from 312 to 106 in that same period. Warming ocean temperatures, pollution, and habitat degradation are among the factors believed to have contributed to their decline. 

With its soft soil for burrowing, steep slopes, and access to a steady offshore food supply, Haystack Rock offers the conditions tufted puffins need to raise their young, and plays a vital role in the work to protect this beloved species.

In true Oregon vacation fashion, it was raining and socked in with fog when I first arrived at Haystack Rock. Still, I spotted a flock of birds high on the rock — dark backs, white bellies — and the thrill of thinking I might be seeing tufted puffins pushed me to embrace the elements. Fortunately, during breeding season, interpreters from the Haystack Rock Awareness Program roam the tidepools area to help visitors identify seabirds and respect the protected nesting zones. In my case, they gently pointed out that I was admiring a large colony of common murres and offered tips on how to spot the more elusive tufted puffins.

For some reason, many of the town’s artistic renderings of puffins, including a large painted statue near the main beach access to Haystack Rock, depict Atlantic puffins. This species has a white belly, but it does not live here. Don’t let the art fool you. You are looking for squat, black-bodied birds with white faces, orange bills and feet, and unmistakable yellow tufts flaring back from their heads. Once I found an umbrella to keep the rain off my binocular lenses and focused on spotting birds with black bellies, I finally saw one soar from the rock, headed out to gather another mouthful of fish. Tufted puffins look like part pirate, part penguin, part parrot, and it’s hard not to fall immediately in love with their odd, endearing charm.

Know before you go

• Parking: Free public parking for Haystack Rock is available at 1172 S Hemlock St., Cannon Beach, OR 97110.
• Timing: Plan your visit for the morning’s low tide when the puffins are most active, often heading out on fishing runs.
• Binoculars: Puffins can be tricky to spot at first. Binoculars make a big difference, so bring your own if you have them.
• Interpretive support: During nesting season, Haystack Rock Awareness Program interpreters are onsite with some binoculars to borrow and guidance on what you’re seeing.
• Tidepool etiquette: Step carefully around tidepools, respect posted closures, and avoid disturbing wildlife.

Day hiking at Ecola State Park

After spending the morning with the tufted puffins, I made my way a tad north to Ecola State Park for an afternoon hike. Stretching 9 miles between Cannon Beach and Seaside, the park is a lush, dramatic slice of the Oregon coast, where dense Sitka spruce forests meet sweeping ocean views and rugged cliffs. It also includes an 8-mile section of the roughly 425-mile Oregon Coast Trail.

One of the best ways to explore this area is on the 2.6-mile Clatsop Loop Trail, which overlaps with both the Oregon Coast Trail and the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. The Clatsop and Tillamook tribes established the route that was later walked by members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in January 1806 during their search for a beached whale.

Hiking the loop counter-clockwise, you’ll start by gaining about 800 feet in elevation up a gravel roadbed through quintessential Pacific Northwest forest: lichen-draped trees, vibrant green lady ferns, and wildflower sightings like coastal monkeyflowers and western lily of the valley.

At the top of the 1.1-mile climb, you’ll find the Hiker’s Camp. Three rustic log cabins sit among towering trees and verdant undergrowth. Moss, ferns, and candy flowers grow right from their roofs. While the shelters are reserved for Oregon Coast Trail through-hikers, the area also includes a covered picnic shelter and a pit toilet available to day hikers.

From here, a short spur trail (about an eighth of a mile) leads to a viewpoint overlooking Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, perched on a wave-battered basalt stack offshore. Nicknamed “Terrible Tilly,” the lighthouse was built in 1878 and quickly earned a reputation because of the punishing storms that plagued both its construction crews and keepers. Though it was decommissioned in 1957, the structure still stands like a wind-worn ghost on the horizon. Bring binoculars for a closer look at both Tilly and the crowds of sea lions often sprawled across its rocky base.

The final 1.3 miles wind back toward Indian Beach through dense forest, narrow salal tunnels, and grassy slopes speckled with Oregon irises. Along the western face of Tillamook Head, sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean unfold, making for a stunning close to this coastal loop.

Know before you go

• Length: 2.6-mile loop
• Difficulty: Easy to moderate, depending on your experience and comfort level. Some sections are steep and can be slippery when wet.
• Parking: The trailhead is located near the parking lot at the Indian Beach Day-Use Area in Ecola State Park.
• Fees: A day-use parking permit is required ($10 per vehicle). You can pay at the automated machine onsite or purchase an Oregon State Parks pass in advance ($30 for 12 months or $50 for 24 months).
• Restrooms: Two pit toilets are available in the parking area, and one is located near the Hiker’s Camp. There are no facilities along the trail, so be prepared to follow leave no trace practices and pack out any toilet paper.
• Interpretation: Informational signs near the parking lot share the area’s cultural and ecological history, along with fun facts about movies filmed in the park.
• Pets: Dogs are allowed on trails but must be on a leash of no longer than 6 feet.

Pit stops for the journey home

Since Cannon Beach is a bit more of a trek back to Eugene-Springfield than other coastal spots, it’s worth planning a few breaks along the way. On the advice of a local, I skipped the overpriced lunch options in town and headed south to Nehalem for Riverside Fish n’ Chips. This tasty, reasonably priced food truck is tucked behind the main street with outdoor seating right on the river. It made for a peaceful and satisfying stop on the way home.

I was surprised by how refreshing a simple overnight trip to the coast could be. A quick camping getaway doesn’t need to be elaborate or take up an entire weekend. The key is just getting out there and finding a little wonder where you can.