Discovering Southern Oregon – September 2023
Secret Beach is part of the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor, a protected area along the Southern Oregon Coast known for its breathtaking scenery. The corridor offers several hiking trails and viewpoints that provide stunning vistas of the Pacific Ocean, tree-covered sea stacks, tide pools, and sandy beaches. Secret Beach is located about 30 minutes north on Hwy 101 from Brookings. You’ll find it on many maps, including Google Maps, but there are no parking or trailhead signs, and the trail down doesn’t appear to be constructed by the Park Service—more likely made by a steady stream of beach explorers. Don’t expect to have the beach to yourself—it’s not a secret anymore. Through social media, Secret Beach has become one of the most popular beaches in the Scenic Corridor—but don’t let that stop you. In my opinion, it is the most stunningly beautiful beach in Southern Oregon. The tree-topped sea stacks are right offshore and there are caves, a grotto, waterfalls, waterbirds, and sometimes seals—It’s amazing.
There are three secrets that, when known, will ensure you find the suitable beach, hike the best trail down, see all four coves of Secret Beach, and do it at the best time to make sure you have the best experience.
Where do you park?—30 minutes north of Brookings, pass over the Thomas Creek bridge, and past Natural Bridges Viewpoint. On your right, you will see Wilderness Drive with a CRT at the beginning of it. Keep driving on Hwy 101 about 1000 feet until you see a guardrail on your left and, most likely, cars parked behind the guardrail. (If you reach Spruce Island Viewpoint, you have gone too far north). You can park off the road on the left or behind the guardrail on the right.
Where is the best trailhead?—Once you are behind the guardrail, there are two trails down. The one to your left (South) looks like the best trail down, but it isn’t. A road was likely built to pour concrete under Miller Creek to keep the hillside from eroding. Instead, look for the small trailhead to your right (North), which is the best trail down. The trail is a bench cut into the side of the hill, steep in places but less than a mile to the beach. On your way down, you will see Miller Creek cascading to the left; then you’ll reach a beautiful viewpoint where you can see a rock bench around a Sea Stack on your right that often is occupied with seals, and you can see the first of four Secret Beaches. You can also see a small waterfall to your left, created by Miller Creek that is the perfect place to wash the sand off before hiking back to your car. Below the viewpoint is a large rock that you must scramble down to reach the beach; it’s a little hard to navigate, but you can always go down on your bum if you’re concerned about falling.
When is the best time to go?—The best time to see Secret Beach is during low tide, as there is a stark difference in the experience you’ll get visiting during high tide. The reason low tide is so important is because then you have access to all 4 of the secret beaches, including a tunnel rock and an area of three sea caves we call the grotto, which is stunning. If the tide is low enough, you can even hike through the grotto to another beach called Thunder Cove and Seal Beach by others. When you go, make sure to go during peak low tide to get the most time available for exploring this area. If you come during high tide, you can only access one beach, so it’s a different experience. Be aware that during the winter, there are combinations of high tides and storm surges, where the tide completely covers the beach, but you can still hike down to the viewpoint.
Once you have visited Secret Beach, thoughts of returning and exploring more will always be on your mind. For the adventurous, Secret Beach is one of the best places to Kayak around the sea stacks, through the caves, and past the seals. The hike from the parking lot is short and not too steep; you can easily access the beach once down. Before you go, check-out the tides on the link below, and look at the stills and video provided on the Discovering Southern Oregon page under “hikes.”
For photos and videos that will help you find Secret Beach, the trailhead, and a tour of the caves and coves, see https://www.expertprops.com/discovering-south-oregon/. Tide information at https://www.usharbors.com/harbor/oregon/brookings-chetco-cove-or/tides/#harbor-nav. To Rent Kayaks: Riverside Market North Bank Chetco River www.chetcokayaks.com.