Nehalem Bay State Park takes up the whole sand spit between the Pacific and Nehalem Bay, starting about a mile south of downtown Manzanita. It is one of those parks that does not look like much from the entrance road and turns out to have everything: calm water for kayaks, a paved loop for bikes, a bay full of Dungeness crab, and an ocean beach that runs four miles to the jetty with almost nobody on it. Here is how we use it.
Getting in
From Laneda Avenue in Manzanita, head south on Carmel Avenue, which becomes Nehalem Bay State Park Road, or follow the signs from Highway 101 at Garey Street in Nehalem. Day-use parking requires a fee; an Oregon State Parks day pass or annual permit covers it. The park has a large campground with yurts, a horse camp, a small airstrip, and a boat ramp on the bay side. From Puffin Lane you can bike there in ten minutes without touching the highway.
Kayaking the bay
The bay side of the spit is protected, shallow, and mostly calm, which makes it the best beginner paddle on the north coast. Launch at the park boat ramp. The rule that matters: paddle with the tide, not against it. Nehalem Bay drains hard on an outgoing tide and the current near the mouth is strong enough to be a real problem. Plan to go out on the last of the incoming tide, poke around during slack, and ride the outgoing back toward the ramp. Check a tide table for Nehalem Bay before you go.
Harbor seals haul out on the sandbars near the south end of the spit. Stay well back; they will slide into the water if you press them, and that is bad for them and no fun for you. Great blue herons and bald eagles work the shallows. Rentals are available in Nehalem and Wheeler if you did not bring a boat.
The bike loop
A paved path of roughly two miles runs through the park from the entrance area to the campground and back along the spit, flat the whole way, with sandy side trails to the beach. It is perfect for kids and for anyone who wants to ride without cars. Connect it to Manzanita's quiet streets for a longer loop. Fat-tire bikes are also allowed on the beach itself, and riding the hard-packed sand at low tide toward the jetty is one of the great easy adventures on this coast.
Crabbing
Nehalem Bay is a real crabbing bay. You need an Oregon shellfish license, sold at the marinas and online. The easiest setup for visitors: rent a skiff and crab rings from Kelly's Brighton Marina or Jetty Fishery on the east side of the bay off Highway 101. They will show you how to bait, where to drop, and how to measure. Dungeness must be male and at least 5.75 inches across the back; red rock crab have different rules. The marinas will cook your catch for a small fee, which is worth every penny.
From shore, the docks in Nehalem and Wheeler work with a ring and a chicken back, though catches are smaller. Crabbing is generally best in late summer and fall when the bay is saltier; spring runoff pushes the crab out toward the ocean.
The ocean beach
Cross the dunes on any of the marked trails and the beach runs unbroken from Manzanita to the Nehalem jetty, four miles south. Even on a July weekend, walk 15 minutes from the access and you are alone. Dogs are welcome on the beach and can be off leash if they respond to voice; they must be leashed inside the park proper, including the campground and trails. Watch for snowy plover nesting closures at the south end from March to September, marked with signs and rope.
A full day
- Morning: bike from Manzanita into the park, loop the path, walk the beach.
- Late morning: paddle the bay on the incoming tide, watch seals from a respectful distance.
- Afternoon: crab from a rental skiff out of Brighton, have them cook the catch.
- Evening: eat crab on the deck. If someone in your group wants to try the waves instead, our guide to surf lessons near Manzanita covers Short Sand Beach just north.
Notes
Wind picks up most afternoons in summer; do water stuff in the morning. Mosquitoes can be thick in the campground in July; the beach is fine. The park is open year-round and winter storm-watching from the dunes is spectacular. For the rest of the area, see our Manzanita things-to-do page.
Nehalem Bay State Park is where we send guests who ask what to do on the second day, after they have walked the town beach and found the bakery. It fills the rest of the week.