Sandy Wakonda Beach sits between Yachats and Waldport. It stretches six and a half miles from Yaquina John Point at Alsea Bay in the north to the edge of the rocky shoreline of Yachats in the south.

There are multiple other names for that beach, including Tillicum Beach, Beachside Beach, Big Creek Beach, and several other less common ones. However, all of those names refer to the same scenic shoreline.

There are multiple places to access the beach. The two most notable are the Governor Patterson Memorial Site and Beachside State Recreation Site.

The southern end of the beach is accessible via the Yachats Trail 804, which runs along the coastline south from Smelt Sands Recreation Area.

Governor Patterson Memorial Site is a great day-use spot with picnic tables and flush restrooms.

The extended beach is perfect for a relaxing stroll and a bunch of other activities, including beachcombing, nature viewing, hiking, fat biking, picnicking, surfing, kayaking, surf fishing, and more. There are two camping spots near the beach - Beachside State Recreation Site and Tillicum Beach Campground.

Waconda Beach - Things to Do

Beachcombing and Rockhounding

Since this is a sandy beach, there isn't much rockhounding here unless you show up after a winter storm on the low tide, when some gemstones might surface.

Beachcombing, however, is excellent. The length of the beach allows you to walk for hours and look for seashells, sea glass, driftwood, and other gifts of the ocean.

Fishing

The beach is a fantastic place for surf fishing. You can expect to catch sea perch, rockfish, greenling, and other species.

You can camp at two beachfront campgrounds.

Beachside State Recreation Site campground is open from March 15 to October 31 and offers 32 electric sites with water (2 accessible), 42 tent sites with water nearby, and two accessible yurts (1 is pet-friendly). There are hot showers, flush toilets, and firewood for sale. Reserve the site.

Tillicum Beach Campground is located one mile south of Beachside. It is open year-round and has 60 campsites, flush restrooms, and drinking water. Reservations are available through Recreation.gov.
The nearest lodging is available in Yachats and Waldport.

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