Our four-day camping trip at Washburne State Park included scenic hikes, tide pooling, and beachcombing. From exploring Heceta Head to searching for jaspers, each day offered something new along the Oregon Coast.

Trip Planning Resources

• Washburne State Park campground
• Heceta Head & Hobbit Beach loop hike
• Siuslaw National Forest: Cape Perpetua Scenic Area

Day 1

We arrived at the campground in the afternoon and set up camp before heading out for a sunset walk. We followed the China Creek Trail to the beach, walking south to the Washburne Day Use Area before looping back to our campsite.

The ocean breeze and golden sunset set the tone for a relaxing trip.

Day 2

We started the day with an 8-mile loop hike that combined the Heceta Head Lighthouse and Hobbit Beach trails.

From our campsite, we took the Valley Trail to the Heceta Lighthouse Trail, which led us up and over Heceta Head. The ascent provided stunning views to the north, overlooking the beach we had explored the previous evening.

At the top of Heceta Head, we passed through an incredible grove of old-growth trees before descending toward the lighthouse.

As we approached, the lighthouse’s Fresnel lens became visible in great detail.

We took a short tour of the base of the lighthouse and peered up the spiral staircase, which remains closed to the public. Near the lighthouse, we found a scenic spot to take a break and enjoy the view.

Continuing the hike, we returned to the Hobbit Trailhead and ventured through a dense coastal forest to Hobbit Beach. The final stretch of the trail has transformed into an evolving public art display, where visitors arrange shells along the path.

We contributed a few shells of our own before reaching the sandy shore.

At Hobbit Beach, we spent some time exploring at the base of Heceta Head before continuing up the beach for almost two miles. We completed our hike by taking the China Creek Trail back to camp, wrapping up a rewarding day of coastal hiking.

Day 3

We dedicated the next day to exploring the surrounding area, heading south on Highway 101 to the Darlingtonia Wayside, where we observed native insect-eating plants in their unique habitat. On the way, we stopped at a viewpoint on Highway 101 looking south towards the Oregon Dunes.

From there, we drove to Cape Perpetua and Strawberry Hill to explore the rocky coastline and tide pools. We made a quick stop at the Cape Perpetua Visitors Center to check out interpretive displays about the history and ecology of the area.

From the visitor’s center, we took the trails to the rocky shoreline, where I was able to get much closer to Thor’s Well than I had been before. This was in between high tide and low tide, so it was safer to stand here than in previous visits at this spot. We spent an hour walking on the rocks here, checking out waves crashing against the shore.

Hoping to see tide pools at low tide, we headed south to Strawberry Hill. We spent another hour here walking along the rocky shoreline, although we never did see any marine life in the tide pools. When I was here in 2015, it was a minus tide and there was a lot more to see. However, every time I’ve stopped here, there are seals resting on the rocks.

On our way back to camp, we stopped at the beach to search for jaspers and were excited to find two beautiful specimens and an interesting basalt rock with red lines running through it.

Day 4

Our trip concluded with a scenic drive home, following Highway 101 north to Newport before turning inland to connect with I-5. I love this part of the Oregon Coast and plan to return soon for more camping adventures.