Driving the Three Capes Scenic Route
From Tillamook to Pacific City

Some drives are about getting somewhere. The Three Capes Scenic Route is about the road itself. Starting in Tillamook, it follows the Pacific past three headlands, Cape Meares, Cape Lookout, and Cape Kiwanda, and runs through the beach villages in between. Travel Oregon describes it as a 40-mile drive covering three state parks.

This is not a replacement for our guide to outdoor adventures near Tillamook, which goes deep on each cape. Think of this as the route map: what order things come in, and what to know before you go.

How Does the Three Capes Route Work?

You head west out of Tillamook along Bay Ocean Road, skirting the south end of Tillamook Bay, then continue south past Netarts Bay and along the coast to Pacific City. Most people close the loop by returning north on US 101. Because it is a loop with a cheese-and-ice-cream capital at one end, it makes an easy day trip from Tillamook, and our food trail guide covers the eating part.

Along the way you pass Bay Ocean, a place with a strange story. Travel Oregon notes that it was once a seaside subdivision called “the Atlantic City of the West,” and that between 1932 and 1950 the ocean cut across the spit and homes slid into the sea. It is now a county park. The coast, here, is never finished changing.

One thing to know up front: each cape is its own state park, so conditions, closures, and rules can differ from stop to stop. The drive works in either direction, and it rewards a flexible schedule more than a tight one. Give yourself time at the viewpoints, pull over where it is safe to do so, and be ready to skip a stop if the weather or a closure says so.

Cape Meares: The Short Lighthouse and the Octopus Tree

The first cape is Cape Meares. According to Oregon State Parks, its lighthouse is 38 feet tall, the shortest in Oregon, built in 1889 and first lit on January 1, 1890. A short paved path leads to it from the parking area.

A walk of about a tenth of a mile takes you to the Octopus Tree, named for its thick, sprawling limbs. From April through July, the cliffs and offshore rocks host nesting seabirds, and the park notes volunteers help visitors spot migrating gray whales during Whale Watch Week in December and spring break. Always check the park’s current conditions page before visiting, because access can change.

The park has trails too. The state parks page describes a paved path of about 0.2 mile to the lighthouse, a 0.8-mile forest trail through old-growth spruce, and a short spur to what it calls the largest Sitka spruce in Oregon. Even a quick stop can include a bit of walking.

Cape Lookout: A Headland You Can Walk

South of Netarts Bay, Cape Lookout juts into the sea. The state park page describes the Cape Trail as a 5-mile round trip to the tip, mostly flat but muddy and rocky in places. Travel Oregon says the headland extends more than two miles into the ocean, and that beachcombers can look for glass floats after a storm.

Sunset at Cape Lookout, on the sand spit between Netarts Bay and the ocean — Photo: Bonnie Moreland / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

A practical note: improvement work has closed parts of Cape Lookout State Park, including the campground and day-use area, at times. Check the park’s current conditions page before building a plan around any one stop. The same goes for hours and fees at every park on this route, which we deliberately do not list.

Visitors climb and descend the dune at Cape Kiwanda, the route’s third cape — Photo: Josh Baumgartner / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Cape Kiwanda: Dunes, Dories, and a Serious Safety Note

The third stop, near Pacific City, is Cape Kiwanda. The sandstone headland is known for a big dune you can climb for views of waves hitting rock. Pacific City is also home port for traditional dory fishing boats, and the state parks page notes the city protects beach access for launching them. Travel Oregon calls it one of the few places in the country where fishermen launch boats off the beach into the surf.

Take the posted warnings seriously. The state parks page is blunt: the cliff edge beyond the fence can crumble without warning, and sinkholes have formed near the dune. Stay behind the safety fences, and keep an eye on the beach area north of the county parking lot, which is reserved for boat launching and retrieval.

Beyond the Third Cape: Pacific City and Bob Straub State Park

Pacific City rewards a longer stop. According to Travel Oregon, Bob Straub State Park sits at the south end of town, reached by a narrow, winding roadway. It is a day-use park with no overnight camping, with miles of sand reaching toward the mouth of the Nestucca River. It is a quieter counterpoint to the dune at Cape Kiwanda, and a natural place to slow down before the drive back.

Netarts Bay and the Quiet Stretches

Between the capes, the route passes Netarts Bay, where Travel Oregon says clammers and crabbers work the tides. Other stretches are simply road, with beach grass, shrubs, and sand-dune crests alongside and many ocean overlooks. Build in time to pull over. The route rewards drivers who stop more than they drive.

Planning the Drive Around Weather and Roads

The route is open to the weather, and the coast is dramatic in every season. Fog can hide the viewpoints, and winter storms can close sections of road or trail. Check TripCheck for road conditions and the National Weather Service Portland office for the forecast before you leave. For Netarts Bay, Travel Oregon advises clammers and crabbers to carry a tide table and an Oregon shellfish license.

What the Route Says About Living in Tillamook County

Drive it once and you notice how different each stretch feels: working farms near Tillamook, quiet beach villages along the bay, a campground on the sand spit, a surf-and-dory culture at Pacific City. Our Living in Tillamook guide covers daily life, and the deep dive covers the practical questions, like flood maps and services, that come before any offer.

Related reading

• Tillamook Town Guide
• Living in Tillamook: A Deep Dive
• Outdoor Adventures Near Tillamook
• The Tillamook Food Trail

Previously on the blog: Ecola State Park: Cannon Beach’s Wild Headland

Next up: Lincoln City Weather and Storm-Watching Season →