Oregon Coast Ideas?

[MrWilsonWJ]

Early May I will be over on the Oregon coast (Seaside) with my wife's family for 4-5 days, was wondering if anybody knows of any good drives or easy trails up in the coastal mountains? Been up and down the coast a few times and have hit most of the key attractions along the highways so looking to head off into the woods a bit. Mainly interested in FS roads or easy trails, wife's sister has a stock JKU and depending on what I find would either be driving my WJ, Ram 3500, F250 or wife's Acadia. We have a house rented so not looking for any overnight trips, but something to do during the day after clamming in the morning.... I can only take so many days of sitting around the house. I've been looking on Gaia with public track and the MVUM layers on and not coming up with a whole lot, hoping some of you folks more local to the area might have some ideas or tracks you'd share with me. I still have to convince everyone that heading to the woods is better than going to town to the same shops we walk through year after year, but if they aren't on board I might have to bring the jeep and go solo. From looking at Gaia with the MVUM layer it appears there is more open roads down near Tillamook, does anyone know anything about that area? Road conditions? Things to see? I'd like to get away from the usual tourist stuff so I'm not opposed to driving a little ways to get there, anything in the general area that is off the beaten path and worth checking out is what i'm interested in. The trip is still a few months away, but was hoping if I got this up now it would give more people time to throw some ideas my way. Thanks in advance for any help on getting me out of the house!!

 

[Boort]

Early May I will be over on the Oregon coast (Seaside) with my wife's family for 4-5 days, was wondering if anybody knows of any good drives or easy trails up in the coastal mountains? ... The trip is still a few months away, but was hoping if I got this up now it would give more people time to throw some ideas my way. Thanks in advance for any help on getting me out of the house!!

@MrWilsonWJ

Thinking about a couple of similar trips this year. Possibly one in late spring and another in late fall. So replying to see where this thread leads.

Was out there a few years ago driving the coastal hwy as well. I remember taking a trip east from Cape Perpetua/Thors well. started out paved then gravel then rutted road. Turned back there as we were in a rental and not properly equipped. I seam to remember it being a few hours in to the forest then took a left and popped back out in Yachats. Ride took about 2 hours but the group kept stopping to take pictures. Wish I could give better dirs but was stuck in the back seat due to circumstances...

Boort

 

[Luinil Explorations]

Lots of trails, easy to hard to run in the Tillamook State Forest. OHV motorized vehicle page.

 

[Munga Brown]

@MrWilsonWJ

Thinking about a couple of similar trips this year. Possibly one in late spring and another in late fall. So replying to see where this thread leads.

Was out there a few years ago driving the coastal hwy as well. I remember taking a trip east from Cape Perpetua/Thors well. started out paved then gravel then rutted road. Turned back there as we were in a rental and not properly equipped. I seam to remember it being a few hours in to the forest then took a left and popped back out in Yachats. Ride took about 2 hours but the group kept stopping to take pictures. Wish I could give better dirs but was stuck in the back seat due to circumstances...

Boort

This zone is about 3 miles south of me. There are a lot of roads here like the one(s) you describe, but I know the road you spoke of well. It's a nice drive. The problem (for me) with these roads are, it's easy to get lost back in there, and many of the roads are so overgrown, they're barely even hikeable. But, there are some easy FS roads that take you into & through the forests.

And like Luinil mentioned above, the Tillimook has a bunch of trails ranging from easy to difficult,. I haven't run any of them yet, as they're a ways away, and I have no one to run them with. And, in looking at some maps, they're inland a bit from the coastal highway (101). There are FB groups (Brown's Ravine, I think it is) that you can check out...

As your trip plans progress, and if you find yourself around the Yachats area, let me know!

 

[Bilbo]

You can drive on the beach for several miles from Gearhart to Warrenton. But for forest trails, check out Three Capes Scenic Loop out of Tillamook.

Also, I have not yet done the Nestucca River National Back Country Byway but it looks beautiful. Check out photos and info here. From the same website:

Interested in taking the slow road from the Willamette Valley to the Oregon Coast (or vice versa)? Consider the Nestucca River National Back Country Byway! On the coast, the mostly paved two-lane road starts at the town of Beaver in Tillamook County and ends near Carlton in Yamhill County.

The byway is about 35 miles long, passes through lush coastal range forests and waterfalls, and also offers a terrific scenic panorama of the Cascade Mountains at Sheridan Peak.

Several first-come, first-serve campgrounds are available during certain seasons along the road, as well as other recreational opportunities, like off-road vehicle riding.

 

[Munga Brown]

Don't forget to check out Ft. Clatsop. It was the coolest thing I've seen in a while (thankfully it wasn't during tourist season)

 

[MrWilsonWJ]

You can drive on the beach for several miles from Gearhart to Warrenton. But for forest trails, check out Three Capes Scenic Loop out of Tillamook.

Also, I have not yet done the Nestucca River National Back Country Byway but it looks beautiful. Check out photos and info here. From the same website:

Interested in taking the slow road from the Willamette Valley to the Oregon Coast (or vice versa)? Consider the Nestucca River National Back Country Byway! On the coast, the mostly paved two-lane road starts at the town of Beaver in Tillamook County and ends near Carlton in Yamhill County.

The byway is about 35 miles long, passes through lush coastal range forests and waterfalls, and also offers a terrific scenic panorama of the Cascade Mountains at Sheridan Peak.

Several first-come, first-serve campgrounds are available during certain seasons along the road, as well as other recreational opportunities, like off-road vehicle riding.

Thanks for the info, I'll check them out.