Arcadia Beach
State Recreation Site

Near Seaside, Oregon, United States

A shady grove just off the highway and a few feet from the sandy ocean beach below, Arcadia State Recreation Site is located a mile south of Cannon Beach.   Take a lunch break on your way north or south, or plan for a day at the beach.  Bring your blanket, kick off your shoes and feel the waves lapping at your ankles.  Explore the beach and its tidepool areas to the north and south.  Or watch for surfers just off shore.  Please remember to keep an eye on the ocean, know if the tide is coming in or going out and explore tidepool areas gently and safely. 

Arcadia’s beach stretches for more than a mile between two headlands.  Just a short distance to the north is Humbug Point, with Lion Rock just off the point.  To the south is Hug Point.  Both headlands can only be passed at low tide.  Humbug Point was named by pioneers because it was often confused with Hug Point, the next headland south and the most difficult headland to round when traveling south along this stretch of coast.  If you have the luck to explore during low tide, .6 mile further north, past an off shore rock called Jockey Cap, is Silver Point, so named for the color of the weathered spruce trees on the bluff. 

Notice the sandstone bluffs to the east and in cut-away places off the bluffs.  These sandstone areas were once underwater and only recently uplifted.  The pressures exerted on them from the uplift can be observed in the tilted and twisted patterns of layered rock.  In addition, wind, sea and rain have eroded the landscape and continue to do so today.

 

mdi-alert-outline General Advisory
mdi-white-balance-sunny Open for day use year round mdi-cellphone Call for info: 800-551-6949
Call park: 503-812-0650
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Amenities & Features

Questions

mdi-help-circle-outline What's Allowed

Are drones allowed?

Drones are not allowed to protect nesting shorebirds. 

mdi-help-circle-outline Animals

Must I leash my dog on the ocean shore?

The short answer is no, but the handler of any domestic animal on the ocean shore does have responsibilities. Please refer to an excerpt from our ocean shore rules, below:

(2) The handler of any domestic animal must be responsible for the animal's behavior and must exercise direct control over the animal while in the ocean shore state recreation area.

(a) “Direct control” means that the animal is within the unobstructed sight of the handler and responds to voice commands or other methods of control.

(b) Domestic animal handlers must carry a leash or restraining device at all times while in the ocean shore state recreation area.

(c) Domestic animal handlers must promptly leash animals at the request or order of a park employee.

(d) Handlers must prevent their animals from harassing people, wildlife and other domestic animals.

(e) Animals may not be hitched or confined in a manner that may cause damage to any natural resources on the ocean shore.

(f) Handlers are responsible for the removal of the animal's waste while in the ocean shore state recreation area.

mdi-help-circle-outline Day use/Special Events

I want to reserve part of the park or beach for an event, commercial filming, construction, or other special use. What do I need to do?

Special events and nontraditional activities require a special use permit.

OPRD does not issue special use permits of any kind at this park for events that take place between the Friday before Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day.

For more questions, review our statewide FAQ

History

The area was purchased from various owners between 1971 and 1985. It includes forested Humbug Point on the ocean shore and attractive beach access. After much discussion and opposition to the original plans, the area was developed for day use in the late 1970s.

Photos