Tillamook Head Trail to Hikers' Camp (Oregon Coast Trail)

Ecola State Park and Elmer Feldenheimer State Natural Area (between Seaside and Cannon Beach)

Tillamook Head is a forested headland between Seaside and Cannon Beach, and the Oregon Coast Trail crosses it on the Tillamook Head Trail. Near the top, Hikers’ Camp offers three small shelters for backpackers.

Oregon State Parks says camping along the coast is prohibited in most major city limits and within or next to state parks. Trailkeepers of Oregon lists the Tillamook Head camp as one of only a few dispersed options on the trail.

The hike

The north trailhead is at the end of Sunset Boulevard on the south side of Seaside, in the Elmer Feldenheimer State Natural Area, according to Modern Hiker. Oregon Hikers says a trail sign near the start puts Hikers’ Camp at 4 miles and Ecola Point at 7.

Modern Hiker describes switchbacks through dense coastal rainforest, climbing toward Clark’s Mountain, the route’s high point, just before the 2-mile mark. Oregon Hikers describes repeated climbs and descents, frequent mud, and boardwalk sections, and says the area near camp can become overgrown. Outdoor Project calls the stretch between Hikers’ Camp and Seaside “narrow, boggy and frequently log-jammed.”

Hikers’ Camp has three small log shelters, an outhouse, and a large sheltered picnic table. A short walk west passes old military bunkers, which Oregon Hikers says date to World War II and are now gated, and leads to views of Tillamook Rock Light, the lighthouse 1.2 miles offshore that Outdoor Project says was nicknamed “Terrible Tilly.” Outdoor Project also notes that William Clark, Sacagawea, and other members of the Corps of Discovery walked this route toward Cannon Beach hoping to buy whale blubber.

South of camp, Outdoor Project says a 1.5-mile gravel road descends to Indian Beach in Ecola State Park. Oregon Hikers mentions Clark’s Viewpoint and a bench overlooking Indian Beach. Because overnight parking is prohibited inside Ecola, either hike back to Seaside or arrange a pickup at Indian Beach. Oregon Hikers notes that the 1.5-mile section of the Oregon Coast Trail between Indian Beach and the Ecola Point area washed out in 2017; an Oregon Hikers forum poster reported a muddier reroute open by 2020.

For a longer coastal backpack elsewhere on the site, see California’s Lost Coast Trail.

Tips

Carry all your water; the camp has none, per the state brochure.
Park at the Seaside trailhead; no overnight parking inside Ecola.
Expect mud and logs on the trail.
Don’t gather firewood; it’s sold at camp.
Bring a tent as backup in case the shelters are full.

Camping

Hikers’ Camp has three Adirondack-style shelters, each with four wooden bunks, first come, first served, plus a vault toilet. Sources disagree on who may stay: Oregon Hikers’ listing says Oregon Coast Trail through-hikers only, while the state brochure says backpackers on the Oregon Coast Trail. Ask Oregon State Parks before you go.

A central fire ring has a grate for cooking. Collecting firewood is prohibited; bundles are sold at the camp. The state’s Oregon Coast Trail page says extra fire restrictions may apply during fire season.

Inside Intel: No camper accounts recommending a particular shelter or spot at Hikers’ Camp were found.

Trail facts

Distance: About 8 miles round trip from Seaside to Hikers’ Camp; about 6 miles one way from Seaside to Indian Beach
Route type: Out-and-back, or one way with a pickup
Difficulty: Moderate
Campsites: Hikers’ Camp, three shelters with four bunks each, about 4 miles from Seaside
Water: None at camp; carry it
Permits: None found; first come, first served
Fires: Fire ring at camp; firewood sold on site; no collecting
Trailheads: Seaside (end of Sunset Boulevard) and Indian Beach in Ecola State Park (no overnight parking)
Last verified: October 12, 2026

The Lowdown

Boggy miles to Hikers' Camp:

The trail climbs through dense coastal rainforest, and Outdoor Project calls the stretch to Seaside boggy and log-jammed. Testers rank the Arc'teryx Beta SL highly, but is it worth it?

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Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.