Hiking the Cape Falcon Trail on the Oregon Coast
Distance: 4.5 miles / 7.2 km
The Cape Falcon Trail in Oswald West State Park on the northern Oregon Coast is a beautiful and relatively easy out-and-back adventure to a dramatic seaside overlook above Cape Falcon to the north and Smuggler Cove to the south.
That said, the Cape Falcon Trail, at roughly 2.2 miles (3.5 km) each way, is one of the best places to watch the sunset on the northern Oregon Coast—if you happen to get lucky with clear weather.
I say "lucky" because the northern Oregon Coast is notorious for being much cloudier than the southern Oregon Coast, but if you happen to be visiting when the weather is nice, I highly recommend hiking Cape Falcon for sunset—so long as you come prepared with a good headlamp for the hike back.
Cape Falcon Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Cape Falcon Trail is located in a large paved parking lot just off Highway 101 or in the Short Sand Beach parking lot just down the road if the Cape Falcon lot is full.
Google Maps Directions: Cape Falcon Trailhead / Short Sand Beach Trailhead
Hiking Checklist - Oregon Coast
Black bears can be found up and down the Oregon Coast, but hiking with or without bear spray is truly up to your own discretion and comfort level when adventuring in black bear territory.
Furthermore, here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike on the Oregon Coast.
Hiking the Cape Falcon Trail
The Cape Falcon Trail is one of the easier hikes along the Oregon Coast because the elevation changes over the course of the trail are hardly noticeable.
That being said, the Cape Falcon Trail can be muddy, but even still, I believe it’s one of the better hikes on the Oregon Coast for kids.
Cape Falcon-Short Sand Beach Junction
After 0.5 miles (0.8 km), the Cape Falcon Trail meets with a short connecting trail that leads down to Short Sand Beach.
Go right to stay on the trail out to Cape Falcon.
After the Short Sand Beach Junction, the Cape Falcon Trail follows a fairly straightforward path until reaching the Arch Cape Trail just prior to Cape Falcon.
Cape Falcon-Arch Cape Junction
The trail heading straight (right) in the photo below the Arch Cape Trail that begins on the very north side of Oswald West State Park.
Go left to reach Cape Falcon located only a short distance ahead.
This photo below is the viewpoint that most hikers turn around at, but if you keep hiking a little further from the split shown in the photo just after, you can reach a much better viewpoint of Cape Falcon and the ocean below.
Cape Falcon
Warning
The views along the edge of Cape Falcon are stunning, but the exposure along the cliffs is nothing to take lightly.
Every year, it seems that locals and visitors alike die from falls off cliffs along the Oregon Coast.
Short Sand Beach Trail
If you’re interested in seeing more about the trail down to Short Sand Beach, check out my separate post below.
It’s written from the official trailhead that begins just down the road from the start of the Cape Falcon Trail.
Read My Separate Post: Short Sand Beach Trail
