Adventures Around Central Oregon Coast's Cummins Creek Hike Include Cave, Hidden Arch

Published 12/26/24 at 5:45 a.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Yachats, Oregon) – Between Yachats and Florence, where Highway 101 gets a tad winding yet somewhat explosive in views, there's quite a few adventures off the sides of this rustic byway. This part of the central Oregon coast gets quite rugged.

And a bit full of intrigue. There's a demanding but stunning trail and a beach divided into two parts – as well as a couple of weird, hidden caves.

Neptune Scenic State Scenic Viewpoint is here, puzzlingly split in two, and yet they're really marked that way. Just a short walk from one of them is Cummins Creek Trail, a wild attraction on its own.

With this hiking wonder, there's two main trailheads. The primary one is found at the southern (more clearly marked) entrance to Neptune State Scenic Viewpoint and what is known as Neptune Beach. Look for MP 168 just north of that entrance and turn east, almost kitty-corner to the park entrance. The lower trailhead begins some two miles down a twisty gravel road.

From there, you wander along streams, through towering and dense Douglas Fir and past all kinds of south central coast wilderness until you reach the summit. Salamanders, deer and yes – even bear – sometimes cross your paths. At the top, you'll stand in awe at the views below, which include seeing Neptune Beach from an almost aerial perspective.

At the top is another parking lot, which you can reach via a forest service road. That road begins some two miles south of the road leading to the lower trailhead. It is almost kitty-corner to the Strawberry Hill entrance, and takes you some ten miles up steep and winding roads. This isn't everyone's favorite Oregon coast route: it's on the rough side for vehicles. Even so, many experts advise taking this one and arranging a car to wait for you at the lower trailhead because it's much easier to descend.

There's a load of surprises along these trails and beaches.

Among them are Neptune Beach itself.

It's a truly pretty place, tucked into the middle of forestland and rather easy to drive past if you’re not looking carefully – especially the southern entrance. Ironically, the northern section – which isn't marked well from the road – is a bit easier to spot.

At the southern part, you'll find picnic tables, restrooms, a small patch of forest to wander in and access to a small, cobblestone beach. At extreme low tides, you can continue walking south, stoop in wonder over tidepools and maybe discover something a tad spooky, such as what is sometimes known as Preacher's Cave. These tides are rare, however.

There is a decent little cave at the creek cutting through this access. It's not really accessible – but it's got some trippy colors. Cave at Neptune Beach, Geology

The northern section, immediately next to MP 168, is an access with a load of treasures and interesting finds. A parking lot gives way to two routes to this varied and rather amazing beach. Neptune State Scenic Viewpoint Access 2

Walk the winding, twisting path over the bluff to hop onto large basalt structures filled with cracks that give glimpses of churning waves beneath you. They’ll sometimes squirt water up at you. Wander here to find tide pools and watch the sea knock logs around. Neptune Cove

Or walk down a lengthy but smooth and paved trail from the parking lot to the sandy part of this beach, which makes for a cozy little cove, bordered by the cliffs of Neptune Beach South. Either way, depending on sand levels, you'll find the cool rather hidden arch of the central Oregon coast.

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Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast.

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