Beware Internet Rumors: Yes, N. Oregon Coast's Hug Point is Shut Down and Unsafe

Published 01/15/26 at 6:55 a.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Cannon Beach, Oregon) – You gotta love the internet rumor mill. And when it comes to Hug Point on the north Oregon coast, it's been working overtime. No matter how clearly reporters or officials state that the Cannon Beach-area fave is closed – truly closed and unsafe – there's always a host of social media voices that try to convince you otherwise.

Yes, Virginia: Hug Point is closed. At least for now. Shut down. Unsafe. Not good. Dangerous. A hazard. A broken-limb or two waiting to happen. Not to mention you could wind up a True Crime story of sorts.

Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) spokesman Mike Baden admitted the place is causing confusion. To those who still insist “Yes you can get down there” - No, you can't. The parking lot is literally closed off.

Oregon Coast Beach Connection had to go full Washington Post-mode on this one, nagging Baden for a load of annoyingly pedantic details, all because of that rumor mill.

Baden gracefully clarified.

“The entire park is closed right now: the parking lot, trails, and beach access are all off-limits,” Baden said. “Physical barricades are in place at the top of the parking lot along U.S. Highway 101, and closure signs are posted both there and facing the beach near the damaged access point. It’s very hard to miss the closure messaging.”

If you're online and telling people it's fine to go down there, it seems you haven't been there yourself. There are signs. The parking lot is closed. Really? What more of a signal do you need?

Heavy rains and king tides took out the only real access there and the park closed in November. Half that stairway is gone. And when it's going to get fixed is quite a bit down the road. Storm season has to end first and all kinds of drainage issues need to be addressed.

To borrow from Monty Python and John Cleese: “This access is no more. It has ceased to be. It is an ex-beach access.”

With some claiming there are alternative accesses, OPRD says nope. If there are, they're even more dangerous than the snaggle-toothed stairway that now awaits its first split femur.

Southern Cannon Beach / Silver Point

“The beach access is unsafe for everyone, regardless of physical ability,” Baden said. “There is only one official beach access at Hug Point. Any other 'way down' people claim to be using is unsanctioned, unsafe, and causes further damage to an already fragile landscape.”

Yet there is one silver lining if you're the adventurous type that's really set on creating your own rickety, slippery path down: you could become part of public record and the rest of us could enjoy it in local court legal notices.

Photo Steven Bash: Hug Point filled to the brim with storm waves

It turns out, it's illegal. Losing your rig and your way home from the coast is also a possibility.

“Because the park is fully closed, citations are one enforcement tool, and we may also tow illegally parked vehicles if needed,” Baden said.

Arcadia Beach - Oregon Coast Beach Connection

Just a couple of miles down the road is Arcadia Beach (Arcadia Beach Tour ) access, and the northern portion of Arch Cape is not far from the southern end of Hug Point. OPRD is suggesting Arcadia or even Short Sand State Park just down the road, closer to Manzanita.

Oregon Coast Beach Connection suggests the extreme, untouched southern part of Cannon Beach as well - where you may see bedrock and what's beneath the sands here. See Silver Point, near Cannon Beach, Oregon Coast: Complete Guide

As to when Hug Point might get fixed, that's still a mixed bag of news.

“We’re currently working through design and permitting for the rebuild,” Baden said. “A major factor in the failure was improper parking lot drainage, and that must be corrected before we can safely reconstruct the access. Our hope is to reopen the park before Oregon’s Spring Break, but that depends on the progress of engineering and permitting.”

Hotels in Cannon Beach - Where to eat - Cannon Beach Maps and Virtual Tours

 

 

Dreamy Port Orford's Hotels, Rentals, Inns - Unique Rooms of the South Oregon...
Variety of hotels, vacation rentals and BnB's that stand out. Hotel reviews

Yachats' Adobe Resort: Legacy Oregon Coast Biz, Once a Motel, Shifts Again wi...
Started in the 1950s, now a big name gets bigger. Yachats lodging reviews

Exquisite Spring Break Hangouts on Oregon Coast with New Discoveries
The wows of Lincoln City and Cannon Beach, including the beginning of a ghost forest. Lincoln City hotel reviews, Cannon Beach hotel reviews, specials, Seaside hotel reviews

winter 2026: Giving the Oregon Coast Online
New ways to give the gift of a night at the beach or fun gear. Rockaway Beach hotel reviews, Lincoln City hotel reviews, Manzanita hotel reviews, Cannon Beach hotel reviews, Pacific City hotel specials, Pacific City hotel reviews, Newport lodging deals, Newport hotel reviews

 

More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....

Washington Coast / Oregon Coast Articles (stories are random: hit reload to see different articles)

Beware Internet Rumors: Yes, N. Oregon Coast's Hug Point is Shut Down and Unsafe
To borrow from Monty Python: It has ceased to be. It is an ex-beach access. Safety, Cannon Beach, Manzanita

Aurora Borealis Updates: Oregon, Coast, Washington: Latest on Storm
Space weather, sciences: strongest has passed but still good chances dusk through AM. Astronomy

Helicopter Crash on Central Oregon Coast's East Lincoln County Injures One
Pilot is okay, transferred to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Safety, Lincoln City, Depoe Bay, Newport

S. Oregon Coast's Paradise Point Back Open After Salvage Effort of Grounded Ship
State park at Port Orford was closed for more than a week

Rather Large Magnitude 6.0 Quake Off South Oregon Coast, No Tsunami Threat
Happaning about 7:30 p.m. almost 200 miles from Bandon. Marine sciences

Two Videos Show Different Angles on Near-Deadly Oregon Coast Wave
The incident from 2021 just surfaced, showing a wave knocking people around Cape Kiwanda. Weather. Safety

S. Oregon Coast Fire Captain Describes Harrowing Rescue at Stranded Ship Near Port Orford
Incoming tides, high waves and a ship that was rocking violently. Safety, weather

Confirmed Funnel Cloud on Oregon Coast Wednesday, Photographed Over Cannon Beach
The briefly-formed twister apparently never touched down. Weather

Back to Oregon Coast

Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection
All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright © Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted