• Pacific Coast trail
  
• trail to the top of Neahkahnie mountain
  
• trails through Oswald West State Park to Short Sands beach
  
• continuing along the coastline to Falcon Cove (Cape Falcon Trail)
  
• along miles of beach through Nehalem State Park and to the beach village of Manzanita
  
• trails at Nehalem Point
  

For photos taken on Neahkahnie Mountain and a map of the Pacific Coast Trail, as well as guidelines for responsible hiking, see http://www.oregonstateparks.org/images/pdf/coast_trail_guide.pdf.

Another favorite: take the Cape Falcon Trail from Short Sands Beach (inside Oswald West State Park) to 750 foot Cape Falcon. The 1.8-mile trail picnic area. As you near the tip of the cape, take the left spur where the trail divides. This goes out onto a vegetated knoll where you can wander among paths through very thick bushes to overlook points on the scenic coast. Smuggler's Cove is below, with Point Illga to the south. The right spur on the trail is the continuation of the Oregon Coast Trail and goes another 5.6 miles through dense woods, over Arch Cape, crossing the highway and descending through ancient forest via an old mail route to the town of Arch Cape. Don't cancel your hike if you encounter misty rain - the trees form a shelter to let you feel the pulse of what nourishes this rain forest.

Take a horseback ride from Nehalem Bay State Park to the jetty or along the beach at sunset. Ride through the dunes onto the beach and catch the seals basking in the sun in the midst of herons and egrets standing on one leg.

Beach horse rides can be arranged at the park in the day use area or from several private purveyors of beach rides. Bring your own horse - the park features horse camping and has a large corral - rent one here or take a guided ride.

Beach & Trail Rides, Stables & Horse Hotels
Northwest Equine Operators Open Memorial-Labor Day & 3 weeks Spring Break, 7 days/wk - call for reservations off season. Nehakem Bay State Park Day Use Area Nehalem, OR 97131 503.801-RIDE ride@occybercafe.com	Pearl Creek Stables & Guesthouse 17150 Camp Four Road Nehalem, OR 97131 503.368.5267

Kayaking

The Nehalem River is calm and serene and a great place to kayak. Kayak from above or below Nehalem into town and go shopping or have lunch - or go further up river and leave civilization behind.

Kayak Nehalem Bay, putting in at Waterfront Park in Wheeler. Explore the exotic and ever-changing estuary with grazing elk, soaring eagles, and a wide variety of birds, plants and water life. Ask at a local kayak shop for help planning your trip with the tides and weather for a safe, enjoyable outting.

Sea kayaking and surf kayaking are other options. Bring your own sea kayak, rent one here or take a class or guided tour.

Kayak Rentals
The Nehalem River Inn 34910 Highway 53 Nehalem, OR 97131 503.368.7708 800.368.6499 info@river-inn.com	Wheeler on the Bay Lodge Highway 101, 580 Marine Wheeler, OR 97147 503-368-5858
Wheeler Marina 278 Marine Drive Wheeler, OR 97147 503.368.5780

Kite Flying

Go fly a kite!  The winds on Manzanita Beach make it one of the best kite flying beaches on the West Coast.

If you don't want to fly one yourself, pull up a piece of driftwood and watch some of the kite flying experts maneuver fancy box kites. Head for the beach or rent an beachfront vacation rental or motel room and enjoy the show!

Kite Shops

Treasure Cave 594 Laneda Avenue Manzanita, OR 97130 503.368.7909

Skateboarding

There is a small, unsupervised skateboard park in Nehalem behind the swimming pool at the North County Recreation District at 36155 Ninth Street. The facility has a masonite surface and has a skill range of medium to difficult.

Helmets are required. Bikes are not allowed. The hours are 9 AM until 9 PM, but there are no night lights. The park is covered and clean.

Softball/Baseball

There is a ball field on the north side of Highway 101 between Manzanita and Nehalem which is available for public use, except during scheduled league games.

The field belongs to and is maintained by the North County Recreation District. There are night lights if arrangements have been made to get the key to the switch box.

There are opportunities to join softball teams for both youth and adults. Softball is very popular in the area, and it is not unusual to see a group of local 50-somethings playing hard on the field.

Surfing

Short Sands Beach inside Oswald West State Park offers reliable, safe surfing with small summer waves, a sand bottom and predictable rips. To reach the beach, park in the west lot on Highway 101 and walk in to the beach (about 1/4 mile).

You can tell it's a good day for surfing if you see lots of vehicles with surfboard racks in the parking lots. Water on the North Oregon Coast is cold (colder in summer than in winter), and it is recommended that you wear a 3/2 mil wetsuit in winter and a 3/4 or 4/5 mil wet suite in summer - plus gloves, booties and hoods.

Wave quality is rated "fun," and this is a good spot for beginners. The waves are beach-break type with a right and left direction and are relatively powerless. Swell size is from 1.0m-1.5m/3-5 feet up to 2.5m+/8 feet+ with a northwest, west and southwest direction.

PLEASE be careful and watch for logs that can be present in the surf -- especially after storms.

Windsurfing

The Nehalem Bay area offers windsurfing to satisfy beginners and challenge experts.

In the bay: Park your rig near the boat ramp in Nehalem Bay State Park to sail east and south into the bay. You can stand in the water for several hundred feet from shore, so it's easy to learn water starts. Keep an eye on the outgoing tide which produces strong currents.

Manzanita Beach, located just under two hours from Portland on the North Oregon Coast, is a site well known as a reliable, Northwest summer wind spot. Winds here typically range from 18-24 mph during the months of June through September and offer world-class rides.

There is a wind sensor located on the roof of the Sunset Surf Motel, which sits directly in front of the main Manzanita Beach launch area on Ocean Road. To get updated wind information for Manzanita Beach, see www.iwindsurf.com - they recommend Neahkahnie Net to windsurfers as a source of information on where to stay, dine, camp or shop in the Manzanita area.