Oswald West

Stay Safe, Hike Happy • Trails are for walking or hiking only. Please help prevent erosion and damage to native vegetation by staying on developed trails. Oswald West State Park • Anytime your pet is not confined to a vehicle, you must hold on to it physically, whether by the collar or on a six foot leash. Waste must be properly removed; pet waste removal bags are placed throughout the park. Trail Guide • Bring plenty of water and wear sturdy hiking boots or shoes. Oswald West State Park Hwy 101, 2 miles north of Manzanita Information: 800-551-6949 oregonstateparks.org Printed on Recycled Paper All information or fees subject to change without notice. This brochure is available in alternative formats upon request. Call 1-800-551-6949. Oregon Relay for the hearing impaired: dial 711. 63400-8902 (3/18) S tretching along 4 miles of coastline in dense, old growth forest between Arch Cape and Neah-Kah-Nie Mountain, 2,484 acre Oswald West State Park has a beautifully secluded sandy beach and miles of trails leading to breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. This sprawling, scenic treasure is without a doubt one of the most spectacular parks in Oregon, and arguably, in the United States. Short Sand, Big Fun Popular with surfers and boogie boarders, Short Sand Beach is always alive. Think surfing, picnicking, tide pooling. Cape Falcon to the north and Neah-Kah-Nie Mountain to the south flank this short beautiful beach. What’s Close By To the north: Hug Point, Arcadia Beach and Tolovana Beach. All gorgeous! Continue north and take in the beauty of Ecola State Park. To the south, you can enjoy the beaches and camping at Nehalem Bay State Park. Visit www.oregonstateparks.org for more. Oregon’s Visionaries The park, nicknamed “Shorty’s” by the locals, is here in no small measure because of two men: Sam Boardman, Oregon’s first State Park Superintendent, and Governor Oswald West, for whom the park was eventually named. In 1931, 118 acres were donated to the State of Oregon under the name of Short Sand Beach State Park. A patchwork of donations and purchases followed, thanks largely to the dogged pursuit of land acquisition by Sam Boardman, who believed that coastal lands in particular should be set aside for public ownership and care. The park was renamed in 1958, in honor of Governor Oswald West. This remarkable one-term Governor (1911-1915) opened nearly 400 miles of Oregon shoreline for public access by declaring the beaches a public highway. Baby Harbor Seal Trillium Necarney Creek Explore the Trails! Neah-Kah-Nie Mountain P ark in one of four parking lots along Highway 101 and follow the trails into one of the best preserved coastal rainforests in Oregon. Low-growing ferns, salal, and salmonberry are shaded by massive western red cedar, western hemlock, and Sitka spruce trees that form the basis of the temperate coastal rainforest ecosystem that exists only in the Northwest. Oswald West does not offer camping. South Neah-Kah-Nie Trail: Located just outside of the park’s southern boundary off Highway 101. Follow the hiker sign up a gravel road ¼ mile until you reach a small parking lot. Begin at either the northern or southern trailheads. Hike up through beautiful old growth forests until you emerge at the summit for a breathtaking view south all the way to Cape Lookout. In the spring, watch for wildflowers, such as Oregon iris, harsh paintbrush and nodding onion. Other Trails North Neah-Kah-Nie Trail: Located where the OCT crosses Highway 101 at a gravel pullout. Look for the OCT hiker sign. Hike north from Cape Falcon on a beautiful 6½ mile section of the OCT up to Arch Cape. Or, take the short walk out to the Devil’s Cauldron overlook from Hwy 101. Short Sand Beach Trail Ar This short, ½ mile walk leads through the woods to the beach. From the main parking lot, walk under Highway 101 and down the trail, following the contours of Short Sand Creek. Cross the creek on a railroad-style bridge and you’ll find yourself at a beautiful picnic area overlooking the beach. Trails and Distances c h Cape C r eek 1 South Neah-Kah-Nie Mountain Trail - 1.3 miles 2 North Neah-Kah-Nie Mountain Trail - 2 miles 3 Devil’s Cauldron Overlook Trail - 0.1 miles 4 Elk Flats Trail - 1.3 miles 400 60 0 5 Necarney Creek Trail - 0.3 miles 500 6 South Beach Access Trail - 0.1 miles 14 7 Cedar Crossing Trail - 0.1 miles 0 50 400 8 Sitka Spruce Trail - 0.2 miles 0 70 9 Old Growth Forest Trail - 0.2 miles 14 10 Short Sand Beach Trail - 0.5 miles 1000 900 101 12 Upper Short Sand Creek Trail - 0.1 miles 500 0 30 11 Kramer Memorial Trail - 0.2 miles 600 Old Growth Forest Trail 13 Cape Falcon Trail - 2.3 miles The Old Growth Forest Trail and its several offshoots are located between Necarney and Short Sand Beach Trails. This trail system is easily accessible. 14 Arch Cape to Cape Falcon Trail - 6.5 miles Key 400 14 500 Moderate to Difficult Hiking Trails 0 70 0 60 Restroom Approximate Park Boundary Restroom - ADA Roads & Parking Parking Water Picnic Area 400 A 13-mile stretch of the Oregon Coast Trail (OCT) bobs and weaves its way through the entire park, starting at the community of Arch Cape and extending south to the town of Manzanita. Two prominent headlands, Cape Falcon and Neah-Kah-Nie Mountain, are included in the trail system and offer great hikes. 600 800 0 70 100 0 14 900 700 800 70 0 800 900 0 0 80 90 500 50 0 600 600 900 600 500 500 al C 14 nd o rt S ee Cr k a Sh 600 in 0 40 Ke rw Cape Falcon Trail Blu me Cr ee k nth 600 500 400 ree k 700 50 0 0 40 13 The 2½ mile Cape Falcon Trail begins at the northwest parking lot along Highway 101. A quick ½ mile hike to the Kramer Memorial gives way to a brilliant overlook of Short Sand Beach. Continue the rest of the way out to Cape Falcon, through the high-growing salal, where on a clear day you can see north all the way to Tillamook Head and south to Cape Lookout. 400 300 200 300 0 40 C re in w r Ke 13 ek C nd 11 0 60 20 10 400 7 6 Ne 5 car n 800 1300 0 30 2 0 15 0 140 0 130 0 0 10 0 40 500 1600 1300 1 1300 ka 600 ah 0.9 Miles 700 Ne hn n ie M o u eek ie Cr 0.6 800 kahn 1500 1400 1100 0.3 800 300 Feet Neah 1400 400 1100 1200 1000 900 0.15 300 0 1600 0 101 ek 1000 1100 1200 101 5 ey C re 200 3 4 5 t a i n o ad R 1000 7 400 400 600 300 Short Sand Beach 0 9 8 500 4 12 10 a rt S o 10 Sh 0 30 k ree 200 13