Accessible Trails in Lincoln County Oregon

Quarry Cove at Yaquina Head

Directions:

Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area is located on a narrow point of land jutting due west into the Pacific Ocean at the north end of Newport, Oregon. From Hwy 101 turn on Lighthouse Drive. Stop at the Yaquina Head Interpretive Center for access to the lower Quarry Cove parking lot. A ranger must open the locked gate.

Features:

Billed as a handicapped accessible tide pool area. From the lower parking lot, there is wheelchair access on paved paths to the intertidal area. Consult a tide table to plan your visit during low tide, as the whole area is submerged at high tide.

Other:

Quarry Cove is an abandoned commercial rock quarry where, in 1994, the BLM constructed the first ever handicapped accessible tide pool area, putting in place what was thought to be needed to encourage development of tide pools. Instead of teeming with sea life, Quarry Cove became little more than a sand repository, underused by the public. With a great road and trail system leading down to it, complete with restrooms and interpretive signage, there are discussions in place to reinvent this site with art sculptures.

While in this area take in the views of Yaquina Head Lighthouse from a paved, accessible trail. This historic lighthouse dates back to 1873, and has been called one of the most beautiful lighthouses in America. A boardwalk and ocean viewing platform are behind the lighthouse providing visitors with one of the most accessible wildlife and ocean viewing locations on the Pacific Coast.

South Beach State Park Trails

Directions:

Hwy 101 2 miles south of Newport.

Features:

A 1/4 mile ADA Interpretive Boardwark accesses oceanfront dunes and sweeping views that includes lighthouses, jetties and the Yaquina Bay Bridge. This trail intersects with the South Jetty trail, a 1 mile, paved accessible trail along the beach.

Photo and trip report by Cal Crandall.

Other:

The campground has accessible camping spots and Yurts. See the South Beach State Park brochure for additional information.

Yachats 804 Trail

Directions:

This trail begins at Smelt Sands State Wayside at the north end of Yachats on Hwy 101, about 25 miles north of Florence. To reach the trailhead, turn on Lemwick Lane and follow the state signs.

Features:

This wonderful ocean-front trail is in the charming coastal town of Yachats. The paved, 3/4-mile, accessible trail offers views of Sitka Spruce and Shore Pine forest, ocean front meadows, riparian and wetland areas, and a small pebble beach. There are resting benches and picnic tables and a viewpoint for watching waves crash against the basalt slabs. This is a perfect place for whale watching, photography, or watching breathtaking sunsets. Able-bodied companions can access the beach for tidepooling.

The trail begins at the wayside and winds north where it meets a 7-mile stretch of sandy beach.

The trail extends one mile southward along the village coastline to the Yachats River. Designated as the Sea and Spruce Trail, this section can also be accessed at the State Park at the end of Second Street in Yachats. The trail also goes to the Yachats Commons wetlands with ocean views of surf and tide pools. Boardwalks cross the wetlands and ponds. There are restrooms at the State Park and in the Commons.

Other:

The Smelt Sands State Wayside has accessible parking, ADA restrooms, benches, and picnic tables. There is an information station about the geology and history of the spot, so named because it was used in pioneer days for dip netting of smelt.

South of Yachats, the road makes a one-mile loop, exposing one of the most scenic viewpoints on the coast: the Yachats Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Park along the loop and enjoy access to the beach, tidepools, blowholes, summer sunsets and whale watching. There is parking at the State Park along Yachats Ocean Way. A walking trail at Shell Street connects Ocean Way with Hwy 101. If you start in town, for safety stay within the marked pedestrian lane on the west side of the road. A portable toilet is located at the north end of Ocean Way (accessibility unknown). Most of the trails south of the Yachats River bridge follow existing roads. See trails brochure map.

While in the area, take a 9-mile scenic drive up the Yachats River Road along the North Fork of the Yachats. The road crosses the historic Yachat Covered Bridge built in 1938. Alongside the river, in the early morning or evening, you may spot elk grazing in the pastures.

For additional information about the area or trail, visit the Yachats and Oregon State Parks Web sites.