Tunnel Beach Oregon: A Unique Stop On The Oregon Coast

If you’re searching for a unique stop on the Oregon Coast, be sure to add Tunnel Beach Oregon to your bucket list.

Walking through tunnel to beach in Oregon

Tunnel Beach Oregon

Tunnel Beach is located west of Tillamook in Oceanside, Oregon. Its position north of Maxwell Point would make it inaccessible any time other than low tide, were it not for the tunnel blasted through the mountain in the early 20th century, creating a route between Oceanside Beach and Tunnel Beach.

How to Get to Tunnel Beach

Use the map below to get directions from your location to the public parking lot in Oceanside:

From the lot, follow the main path to Oceanside Beach State Park, then turn right and walk north along the shore towards the cliffs.

The manmade tunnel is on the north side of Oceanside State Beach Park at the base of Maxwell Point.

The tunnel starts out with a very manmade feel–a rectangle of concrete with a few circle cutouts providing a view to Oceanside Beach, and plenty of graffiti:

Then midway through you step off the concrete onto rocks of varying sizes. The walls shift from concrete to uneven rock. This part feels a little more wild and exciting. Once you’re off the concrete and onto the rocky path it starts getting pretty dark; now is a great time to bust out your phone’s flashlight.

It takes about one minute to walk from one side to the other (walk slowly on the rocks), and once you emerge on the other side you’re greeted by a beautiful rocky beach (Tunnel Beach), sea stacks, and peaceful ocean vibes.

Visiting Tunnel Beach – Practical Tips

Bring a flashlight, even if it’s just the one on your phone. The tunnel is pretty dark in the middle where you’re far from the entrances.
Walk slowly through the tunnel once you leave the concrete and hit the rocks. They were big, small, loose, fixed, slippery, etc., so you really can’t speed walk through this part.
Bring a bucket and do some rockhounding once you reach Tunnel Beach–apparently it’s a great place to find agates on the Oregon coast.

Tunnel Beach Final Thoughts

Tunnel Beach is definitely not a secret, nor a hidden gem of the Oregon coast–there were quite a few people coming and going in the short time we were there in early June. It’s still worth a stop, though, in my opinion, because it is so unique. Walking through one of Oregon’s basalt headlands via a narrow tunnel to reach a secluded beach? I’ll always be up for that!