The Oregon Coast Trail (OCT) extends from the mouth of the Columbia River down to the California border south of Brookings. Most of the trail is along the beach, although some goes through state parks or on roads. One of the many benefits of hiking along the OCT is the experience of hiking through many of the state parks and landmarks along the coastline. The trail development began in 1971 by Oregon State Parks and is scheduled to be completed in 2021.

View from the OCT in Samuel H. Boardman State Park

Although it is officially incomplete, the OCT offers some of the best experiences of hiking in Oregon and can potentially be used as a thru-hike of the Oregon Coast. Planning a thru-hike offers the unique challenge of timing based on tides and planning ferry rides in certain areas, as well as finding ways to be shuttled to trailheads. Since the trail is still being developed, there hasn’t been a lot published or documented of how to thru-hike it. In addition, information for how to backpack or plan multi-day trips is still needed for the Oregon Coast.

Shore Acres State Park viewpoint