A beautiful coastal forest, Ecola State Park offers breathtaking views of the ocean, rocky shorelines, and the abandoned "Terrible Tilly" Lighthouse, along with classic Pacific Northwest flora and fauna. The park stretches 9 miles between Cannon Beach and Seaside and provides access to both Indian Beach and Crescent Beach.

It’s a great destination to enjoy scenic nature and practice your favorite activities, including picnicking, surfing, wildlife and tidepool watching, hiking, and even some light rockhounding.

Trails wind through dense Sitka spruce forest and lead to multiple viewpoints. You can even take an extended hike all the way to Cannon Beach or Seaside.

Ecola State Park requires a standard Oregon State Parks day-use fee. It is a day-use area only unless you are hiking the Oregon Coast Trail. Keep in mind that some trails and roads may be closed due to landslide danger or repair work. Pets are allowed but must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet.

Tillamook Rock Lighthouse (Terrible Tilly)

Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, also known as Terrible Tilly Lighthouse, is a unique piece of Oregon history located on the rock about a mile offshore from the Tillamook Head. Both the rock itself and the lighthouse construction claimed dozens of lives. It also happened to be the most expensive lighthouse ever constructed on the West Coast with the final price sitting around $3.51 million in today's dollars.

While you can't get to Terrible Tilly, you can see it from the Tillamook Head Viewpoint. There are multiple ways to get there, including a moderate-difficulty 1.2-mile one-way hike from the Indian Beach Day-Use Area State or a 2.9-mile one-way hike from the Tillamook Head Trailhead in Seaside.

Tillamook Rock Lighthouse - Enigmatic Terrible Tilly

Ecola State Park – Things to Do

Hiking

The park has miles of scenic trails across its 853 acres, including an 8-mile section of the famous Oregon Coast Trail. Hikes range from easy, family-friendly walks to more challenging routes.

One of the best ways to explore the forest is the Clatsop Loop Trail, a moderate, family-friendly 3-mile loop with some uphill stretches. From the Clatsop Loop junction, the easy 0.6-mile Tillamook Rock Lighthouse Loop leads you to the viewpoint overlooking Terrible Tilly.

The Tillamook Head Trail is a longer 12.6-mile out-and-back route that travels all the way to Seaside.

The park also provides access to nearby beaches. The hike to Indian Beach from the trailhead is easy and family-friendly. The 1.5-mile trail to Crescent Beach from Ecola Point is more challenging, with steep and muddy sections.

Wildlife Watching

The park provides opportunities to see both coastal and forest wildlife. Birdwatchers can spot bald eagles, gulls, brown pelicans, harlequin ducks, surf scoters, pelagic cormorants, and many other species. Seals and sea lions are frequent visitors as well, often seen playing, hunting, or resting near Terrible Tilly or on nearby rocks.

During whale migration seasons, you may also spot gray whales passing by offshore. Within the park’s forest, Roosevelt elk are occasionally seen—especially around sunrise and sunset.