Whaleshead Beach

My wife and I discovered this gem by accident looking for a pull off and viewpoint. The road is sketchy for a non 4WD vehicle and warning signs to turn you around. The mini van heading down in front of me was bottoming out in the ruts so don't even try in a sedan or low clearance vehicle. Parking area with bathrooms once you get to the bottom of the road and the access trail to the beach is easy walking. Great beach with plenty of pretty rocks to fill your pockets. My wife and I agree that it is one of the best spots on the Southern Oregon coast.

They have a small parking area at the top near US 101. If you have 4-wheel drive you might prefer driving down the hill on the terrible road down to the large lower parking lot. Normally when I say a gravel road is bad, it’s because of washboarding. That wasn’t a problem. This road has gullies up to 12” deep cross crossing the road. We visited in mid-February so there weren’t many people, about three cars on top and three more in the big lot below. Surprisingly, there were two Honda Odyssey’s that made it down the road. I don’t think I’d risk my own car; I’d worry about bottoming out and damaging something. But those two Hondas were fine, and undoubtedly had braver drivers than me. There are half a dozen picnic tables and a concrete block bathroom (non-plumbed, of course) by the lower lot. A trail takes you to the beach. A stream comes out right there to the south of the parking area, and we could not find a way across that would keep our feet dry. Wear waterproof boots if you want to walk down the long beach on the south side. We had to stay on the North side of the river which has large basalt rocks jumbled across it. Those can be fun to climb over and explore.

Beautiful wide open beach. I came here for sunset views and sunset views I got! Everyone ended up leaving shortly after I got there and I had the entire beach to myself. There were very few people there, and you do have to cross a small, wide creek to get to the beach beach but easily crossed. There is a good-sized parking lot, and the road down is rough pot holes and ruts, but you do not need 4x4 to get to it, as the sign says. There is a restroom at the end of the parking lot. There are also plenty of picnic tables.

This is a beautiful beach! Don’t let the “4x4 Recommended” sign deter you from visiting (unless the weather is inclimate). Lots of parking, a long beach to walk with lots of nice rock formations to see. The sand is unique in areas with different hues. Be sure to pick and eat some blackberries on the trail to the beach if they’re in season and you feel so inclined.