Cannon Beach · Tillamook Head · Coastal state park and trails
Ecola State Park
Spruce forest, ocean bluffs, Indian Beach tidepools and the Tillamook Head trail Clark’s party walked in 1806.
Opens Oregon State Parks’ day-use parking permit page. A 1-day permit is $10 for Oregon residents and $12 for non-residents, and you can buy it on site.
Details checked October 2026
Type
Coastal state park
About 9 miles of shoreline around Tillamook Head
Admission
$10 day-use permit
Per vehicle; $12/day for non-residents
Hours
Daily 6 am–10 pm
Per Google and Tripadvisor listings; no overnight parking
Time needed
Varies
Quick viewpoint stop or longer hike; no posted estimate
Parking
Day-use lots
Permit required; buy a 1-day permit on site
Pets
6-ft leash
Leashed in the park; under direct control on the beach
What you’ll see
Forest, bluffs and Indian Beach
Ecola packs old-growth spruce, ocean overlooks, a surf beach with tidepools and a historic headland trail into one short drive.
Photo: Casey Helton on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Start here
Walk down to Indian Beach
Indian Beach is a secluded sandy cove that surfers and beachgoers love, with tidepools and views along the Tillamook Head shoreline. Bring a picnic, poke through the rocks at low tide, and watch for deer, elk and eagles. In winter and spring, scan the horizon for migrating gray whales passing the headland.
RV tip: Leave the motorhome or trailer at camp and come in the tow car. Oregon State Parks says the entrance road is very tight with many turns and does not recommend motorhomes or trucks pulling trailers.
More to see
- Ecola Point overlookThe road opens onto a grassy bluff with ocean views and picnic spots. The old Ecola Point viewing deck has been removed because erosion and landslides made the ground unstable, so stay behind fences and off the edges.
- Clatsop Loop TrailA 2.5-mile historical interpretive loop through spruce and hemlock forest. Its west section has been closed since April 2026 because of an active landslide, so check the park alerts before you plan the full loop.
- Tillamook Head TrailA National Recreation Trail dedicated in 1972 that runs six miles between Seaside and Cannon Beach, following the route Captain Clark’s expedition used in 1806. It is also part of the Oregon Coast Trail.
- Wildlife and whale watchingDeer, elk and eagles live in the park, and gray whales migrate past in winter and spring. Drones are not allowed anywhere in Ecola, to protect nesting shorebirds, so leave yours in the rig.
Why go
Why Ecola belongs on your Oregon Coast list
Ecola wraps around Tillamook Head between Seaside and Cannon Beach. The state bought the first 451 acres in 1932, and the Civilian Conservation Corps built roads, picnic areas, trails and buildings from 1934 to 1941. In 1806, William Clark called the view from the headland among the “grandest and most pleasing prospects” he had ever surveyed.
The park sits just north of Cannon Beach, off US-101, but the entrance road through the spruce forest is tight and twisty, and motorhomes and trailers are not recommended. Unhook at camp, drive in with the tow car, and have your day-use permit ready. One-day permits are sold on site.
Winter and spring bring migrating gray whales, and the park reopened on April 7, 2026, after landslides from the December 2025 storms. Landslides close roads and trails here often, so check the official alerts page the morning you go, especially after heavy rain.
Photo: USFWS – Pacific Region on Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Why it made our list
- Old-growth Sitka spruce and western hemlock
- Indian Beach tidepools and surf
- Lewis and Clark history on Tillamook Head
- Gray whales in winter and spring
- Deer, elk and eagles along the trails
For RVers
Taking the rig to Ecola State Park
The practical stuff we wished someone had told us before we pulled in.
Come in the tow car
Oregon State Parks says the entrance road is very tight and has many turns, and it does not recommend motorhomes or trucks pulling trailers. No length limit is posted, but the safe plan is to leave the big rig and any trailer at your campsite and drive in with a car or pickup.
Check closures before you go
Landslides close Ecola’s roads and trails often. The whole park was closed after December 2025 storms and reopened April 7, 2026, and the west section of the Clatsop Loop Trail has been closed since April 17, 2026. Check the alerts on the official park page the day you visit.
Leash rules for pets
Pets must be on a leash no longer than six feet and under physical control in the park, and you need to pick up after them. On the ocean shore, dogs must stay under direct control, you must carry a leash, and you must leash them if a park employee asks.
No overnight parking
No overnight parking is allowed at Ecola State Park, so plan it as a day trip. The only overnight spot is a primitive hiker’s camp for Oregon Coast Trail hikers, with three small shelters, a fire ring and a vault toilet but no water. It is not a park-and-camp area.
What visitors say about Ecola State Park
The visitor report card
We don’t copy other sites’ reviews, but the published scores are worth reading together. Scores checked October 29, 2026.
“grandest and most pleasing prospects”
William Clark, 1806, as quoted by Oregon State Parks · stateparks.oregon.gov
What visitors often mention
Recurring themes in Tripadvisor’s review mentions
Amazing viewsNarrow roadTillamook Rock Lighthouse
These themes come from Tripadvisor’s ‘popular mentions’ for Ecola State Park, read October 29, 2026. Tripadvisor shows no counts for them.
What parking costs
Oregon State Parks day-use parking permit prices per vehicle, from the official parking permit page. A 12-month pass costs about the same as six or more daily permits.
Good to know
Day-use parking$10/day OR residents $12 non-residents
12-month permit$60 OR residents $75 non-residents
Trails and beachesCovered by the parking permit
Where to buyOn site, online, or 1-800-452-5687
Permit prices come from Oregon State Parks’ day-use parking permit page, and closures from the official Ecola State Park page, both checked October 29, 2026.
Know before you go
Plan your visit
Ecola State Park
- AddressEcola Park Rd., Cannon Beach, OR 97110
- HoursDaily 6 am–10 pm
Per Google and Tripadvisor listings; no overnight parking - Phone(503) 812-0650
- Fees$10/day Oregon residents, $12 non-residents. Buy a permit online or on site
- Getting thereFrom US-101, take the north Cannon Beach exit and follow signs to Ecola State Park. The entrance road winds tightly through the forest, so drive in with a car rather than an RV or trailer.
- ParkingDay-use parking areas at Ecola Point and Indian Beach. Display a day-use permit, and leave by closing because no overnight parking is allowed.
Landslides close Ecola’s roads and trails often, so check the official park alerts and tide tables before you head out.
Where to stay nearby
RV parks near Ecola State Park
The KOA near Fort Stevens is the only North Coast park we have written up so far, and it is an easy drive. The other two are farther south, for when you work your way down US-101.
Astoria / Warrenton / Seaside KOA Resort
Big full-hookup resort next to Fort Stevens State Park, with pools, a lodge and pull-thru sites for long rigs.
Sea & Sand RV Park
Terraced oceanfront full-hookup sites on a bluff above the beach near Depoe Bay.
Darlings Marina & RV Resort
Lakefront sites on Siltcoos Lake south of Florence, with a marina, boat rentals and a smokehouse.
Helpful answers
Frequently asked questions
The questions RVers ask most before pulling in.
Daily 6 am–10 pm
Heading to Ecola this week?
Check the park’s closure alerts, grab a day-use permit, and leave the rig at camp for the twisty road.
Thank you to the people behind these photos and this video. Please support them by giving their work a look. Photos: Casey Helton (Indian Beach; CC BY-SA 4.0), Joe Mabel (Crescent Beach; CC BY-SA 4.0), Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren (elk; CC BY 2.0), Z3lvs (foggy Indian Beach; CC0), Brmuchim (view south; CC BY-SA 3.0) and USFWS – Pacific Region (coves and headlands; public domain), via Wikimedia Commons; the images were resized. Video: Just Go Travel Studios on YouTube (park guide). Review-site logos are trademarks of their owners.
Disclaimer
RV-Roundup is an independent, community-based resource created to help RV travelers and to support and promote the places we feature. RV-Roundup is not owned by, operated by, or officially affiliated with Ecola State Park unless otherwise stated.
The information on this page was prepared using the most current details available at the time of publication, including published materials from Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and other publicly available sources. Hours, pricing, rules and other details may change at any time without notice. Before you travel, please confirm all details directly at stateparks.oregon.gov or (503) 812-0650. RV-Roundup is not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes made after publication.
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