A road trip down the Oregon coast is a favorite among US road trips. It’s rugged, dramatic, and expansively beautiful. Plus, from north to south, the coastline can vary quite a bit. My absolute favorite spot along the coast for natural beauty was the Samuel H. Boardman Scenic Corridor just north of Brookings, Oregon. It is a MUST.
Extending 12 miles along Highway 101, the Samuel H. Boardman Scenic Corridor has stunning hidden coves, dramatic rock arches, and epic sunsets views.
What to See in Samuel H. Boardman Scenic Corridor
With only 12 miles of coastline, it might seem like there wouldn’t be much to see or do in this scenic area. But I could have easily spent about 2 days enjoying this region. We had almost an entire day and then stayed the night in our car, leaving the following morning. But one more day would’ve been ideal.
Secret Beach
Secret Beach is a stunning beach with blue green water. When the tide is low, the beach is quite large and you can swim and sunbathe. If you are coming from the north, look for mile marker 345 and it is 1/3 mile south of that. You may notice it by a little gravel parking area off to the right side of the road with a few cars parked there.
From the parking lot, you’ll see a larger trail to the left and a narrower trail to the right. The left trail goes to a view point, Thunder Rock Cove, whereas the right trail goes directly to Secret Beach. We read to be cautious of poison oak, so do your best to avoid touching the plants along the path. The trail takes you down fairly steeply for about 3/4 of a mile to emerge above a stunning cove and dramatic rock formations. There’s even a waterfall running onto the beach. It really is stunning.
There are also little spur trails to get different viewpoints above the beach . Secret beach is definitely one you don’t want to miss if you’re traveling down the Oregon Coast.
Natural Bridges
The Natural Bridges, shown in the first photo, were probably one of the most epic spots we stopped along the Oregon Coast. Use Google maps to direct yourself to the parking lot with room for a handful of cars. It is only about 1/2 mile past the pullout for Secret Beach. Here, you can walk a short path to the lookout platform above the arches. It only takes a minute to get there.
However, you can actually go down and walk across the arched rock bridge if you’re brave enough. There are two ways down, each coming out on different sides of the arch.
The first option is found by continuing a short distance past the viewing platform and taking an overgrown trail to the right marked by a graffiti covered small sign. This brings you out on the left side of the arch (if looking out at the ocean). I found this way to be a little too sketchy when it came to climbing up and over a part of the arch. Just too much risk for me.
The other option is to follow a trail that begins at the far right side of the parking lot and through the forest. It comes out on the right side of the arch bridge. The way down is also a little sketchy: think steep and very dirty. But it felt safer in terms of walking out onto the arch bridge in the middle for me.
This place is an absolute must for sunset. Bring a headlamp for climbing back up in the dark and be careful!
Beaches
Whaleshead beach is well marked along the highway and can be found by following a somewhat sketchy downhill gravel road to a large parking area. There are pit toilets and a handful of picnic tables. It is a very large beach with plenty of room to spread out. We enjoyed having lunch here.
There are other nice beaches to visit as well, such as China beach and Lone Ranch Beach, which is where we parked our car and slept one night…not totally sure if that’s legal or not, but it was magical.
Closer to the town of Brookings, Oregon is Harris Beach State Park which closes at night. There is a campground, bathrooms, and even a water spout for washing your feet after some of those dirty hikes.
Where to Stay in Samuel H. Boardman Scenic Corridor
If you plan to get a hotel, the nearest town is Brookings, Oregon. It’s a super cute town too. Check out these hotels/vacation rentals:
The closest campground is Harris Beach State Park Campground.
Sleeping in your car in Oregon is tricky, especially in popular tourist spots. There are signs all along the coast at pullouts and view points that say “No Overnight Camping” or “Day Use Only.” These are clear indications you shouldn’t car camp there. But Oregon does have a 12 hour boondocking policy that allows you to stay in a place for up to 12 hours unless otherwise posted. So if there were no signs, we took that as a sign, haha. Admittedly, stealth car camping is much easier in our SUV than when you have a camper or motorhome. But it’s pretty magical falling asleep to the sound of waves and waking up by the beach.
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