The New Ecola Point to Indian Beach Trail
Everything You Need To Know About the New Ecola Point to Indian Beach Trail
Just outside of Cannon Beach is one of our absolutely FAVORITE places to go on the Oregon Coast: Ecola State Park. We fell in love with this place on an anniversary trip to Oregon, where we spent an entire day exploring its trails and beaches in the rain. However, one trail we were disappointed to pass up was the Ecola Point to Indian Beach Trail.
My cousin, who frequents the Cannon Beach area, insisted that we had to hike the trail to Indian Beach during our stay. But when I started planning our trip I quickly learned that the trail was closed due to it being washed out at the end of 2015. I was super bummed!
Well imagine my glee when at the beginning of this year Dustin’s family announced that we would be doing a reunion on the coast. The first thing I did when I heard about our upcoming summer plans was to Google “status of Ecola Point to Indian Beach Trail”. Luckily my good friend Google didn’t let me down. I learned the trail had finally been reopened, after being closed for almost five years!
Having now hiked the “new” trail I am eager to share with you all the details. Whether you are a newcomer or veteran of Ecola State Park, this hiking guide will help you know what to expect when embarking on this fun family outing!
How the New Ecola Point to Indian Beach Trail Compares to the Old Trail
Distance
Old Trail: 2.6 miles roundtrip
New Trail: 4.3 miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain
Old Trail: 350 feet
New Trail: 777 feet
Scenery
Old Trail: The old trail took a more direct route to Indian Beach, following the coastline most of the way.
New Trail: The new trail heads inland through an old-growth Sitka Spruce forest with only brief glimpses of the coast. At times the trail gets relatively close to the road that leads from Ecola Point to Indian Beach.
Things to Know When Hiking the New Trail
Now that you understand how the new trail compares to the old trail let’s talk about some information that will be helpful for you as you prepare to hike this trail.
Entrance and Parking
One thing to be aware of is, there is a $5 entrance fee to enter Ecola State Park. You can pay this either by using a credit card or cash.
Another important thing to note is that at times the parking can get a little sparse at Ecola State Park. If you plan to visit on a weekend or holiday I would recommend going early in the morning to ensure you get a spot or plan your visit for midweek. Both times we have gone it has been midweek and so far we haven’t had any problems getting a spot.
The last thing to keep in mind is that Ecola State Park has two parking areas: Ecola Point and Indian Beach. This means you can begin this hike at either location (Ecola Point to Indian Beach or Indian Beach to Ecola Point). Ecola Point is the first parking area you arrive at after entering the park so the trail is most commonly hiked in that direction (Ecola Point to Indian Beach), hence the name. If you have the choice I would recommend hiking it in the direction of Ecola Point to Indian Beach, just because stopping and playing at Indian Beach is a nice way to break up the hike.
Trail Conditions
Just a heads up that when we were there in July the state park had not yet replaced the signs. It still said 1.3 miles to Indian Beach, but don’t be fooled. It is (as I mentioned above) a little over 2 miles one way to Indian Beach from Ecola Point.
Personally, I think the best time to hike in Ecola State Park is when it is overcast or raining. However, be aware that this trail can get pretty muddy during or after a rainstorm. If you plan to hike this trail when it is wet be sure to wear good hiking shoes and bring poles if you will be hiking with a kid on your back. It can get a little slick going up and down the hills.
Towards the end of the hike, you will come to an overlook where you can see Indian Beach. If you want to continue on to the beach (which believe me, you do 😉), take the path to the right. The path to the left will take you down a dead end.
Additional Tips
As you can see the trail distance has almost doubled with the state park rerouting the trail through the forest. If you are concerned about your kids being able to make the distance, then here is a tip.
Try just doing the leg from Ecola Point to Indian Beach.
This is actually what we ended up doing. Initially, we had planned on hiking it roundtrip, but when Dustin and I saw how much fun the kids were having at the beach, we quickly changed our plans. Dustin ended up hiking back to grab the car and bring it to the Indian Beach parking area. While he did that, the kids and I stayed and played at the beach. Overall I think it made the hike more enjoyable for our kids since it was a more manageable distance and their beach time wasn’t cut short.
For those of you looking to do a longer hike, you can do the Clatsop Loop Trail from Indian Beach. The trailhead for this hike is located just past the restrooms in the Indian Beach parking lot. The loop adds an additional 2.8 miles to your trip. It takes you up to Hiker’s Camp before looping back via the Oregon Coast Trail to the parking lot. Below are some pictures of this hike. It was beautiful!!
Happy Trails
The state park worker bees have been busy over the last five years. I can only imagine how difficult it was to cut a new trail through the thick old-growth Sitka Spruce forest. But man am I glad they did the work! While it is longer than the old trail and heads a bit inland, it still provides amazing scenery. And in my opinion, it is the perfect way for families to experience Ecola State Park. But the best part about this trail is how adaptable it is. Depending on your family’s hiking abilities you can easily shorten or lengthen this trail making it the ideal family friendly hike. So next time you are on the coast, be sure to check this trail out!
Have you had a chance to hike the new trail? If so let me know what you think below in the comments. Or if you are looking for adventure/vacation ideas pin this post for future reference.
