Oregon’s Expansive Southern Coast Beach: A Hidden Gem for Hikers

Highway 101 through Oregon is one of the most delightful American road trips for a romantic getaway, and the many rugged, moody, secluded beaches along this drive are part of what gives it its charm. Both Cannon Beach, marked by the monolithic Haystack Rock, and the Oregon Dunes, which stretch from the ocean 500 feet above sea level, draw a steady stream of visitors throughout the year. But there’s also plenty of untouched pieces of coastline for those seeking off-the-radar travel. For example, at the southern end of the Oregon Coast Highway, nearly 320 miles south of Portland, lies a unicorn beach with that rare mix of solitude and sweeping shoreline.

China Beach remains largely unknown, despite presenting striking enough views to be handpicked for an Apple macOS screensaver. Unlike better-known beaches to the north, it’s not just a simple stop on the side of the road — in fact, it’s a bit of a hike to get to. But parking is free, and it’s one of the only sandy stretches in the area. For those who like experiences that are breathtaking in more ways than one, the stunning cliffs and protruding sea stacks on China Beach’s half-mile waterfront are well worth some light exertion.

China Beach is one of the many secret beaches along the Oregon Coast’s most breathtaking drive, the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor. Named for the state’s first parks department head, this pristine landscape has been protected since the 1950s, consisting of a mix of scenic outlooks accessible from the highway and more than 18 miles of hiking trails. 

The walk to China Beach is just a roughly 1.5-mile trek, with a 330-foot descent from the road to the shoreline. It’s a relatively short hike but is considered moderately challenging and can be difficult to navigate, starting with finding the trailhead — another likely reason the beach seems relatively deserted. About 10 miles north of Brookings (a rugged and charming beach city hidden on Oregon’s southern coast), the walk starts at the North Island Trail Viewpoint; the sign hides past the guard rails of a parking pullout shaded by Sitka spruce on the west side of the road. Beyond the sign, the trail forks almost immediately, with the smaller right fork leading to the beach while the wider left route leads to the North Island Viewpoint (a short cutaway that’s worth an extra 15-minute hike).

A short descent along switchbacks covered in sword ferns, knobby tree roots, and poison oak presents a second unmarked fork with the option of turning west to the cliffs or north along a relatively flat decline. When the trees finally break to reveal glimpses of the Pacific Ocean below, there’s a narrow climb down the bluffs before you arrive at China Beach, which consists of a broad stretch of sand covered in driftwood and shells even at high tide.