Hike the Oregon Coast Trail (OCT)
Hike the Oregon Coast Trail (OCT)
Brian Tanzman is a serial hiker and hiked very well-known thru-hikes like the PCT and CDT as well as lesser-known hikes. A hike that many hikers may not know about is the Oregon Coast Trail or also known as the OCT. Brian hiked the OCT in August of 2019 and came onto Experiences You Should Have podcast to tell his story and provide helpful tips for those considering taking on the Oregon Coast Trail. Listen above to the full episode (or wherever you listen to podcasts) or read on for top tips and information about this hike.
Oregon Coast Trail Length and Time to Hike the Trail
The Oregon Coast Trail is about 382 miles long and takes about 25 days to hike if you average 15 miles per day. Brian is an experienced thru-hiker and averaged 17 mile days and was able to complete it in 23 days. A little known fact is that if fire season has smoked out the Oregon section of the Pacific Crest Trail, some years, hikers will head to the Oregon Coast and hike the Oregon Coast Trail (OCT) in lieu of the Oregon section of the PCT.
Not everyone has copious amounts of time off to hike a longer distance hike, so the Oregon Coast Trail is a great alternative. It starts at the Oregon/Washington border and goes down to the Oregon/California Border. Below is an overview of the Oregon Coast Trail map but highly recommend checking out detailed maps of the Oregon Coast Trail that you can download if planning on hiking this trail.
North, Central and South Oregon Coast
The northern part of the OCT was Brian’s favorite part of the trail (the first week). It was a stunning combination of beach trails and forested trails and he loved coming upon the wreck of Peter Iredale in Hammond, Oregon. The middle part of the hike on Oregon’s central coast felt more urban and it included more road walking (see below). The bottom third of the hike was much more remote and the beach sand changed as it was more gritty and harder to walk through.
How Does the OCT Differ From Other Thru Hikes
This isn’t your typical thru-hike. By the name, you may think that the hike is mostly on the coast or beach walking, but about 25% of the OCT is road walking. Therefore it may not be right hike for everyone. Brian and his partner hiked about 43 miles on Highway 101 and got creative to avoid some road walks. There are many obstacles along the Oregon Coast Trail which is why a quarter of the hike is on roads and some parts you can ferry across to save yourself walking on the road. Note that walking on the road can be a safety issue so it’s recommended you use some of these transportation options when available.
Brian suggested taking a packraft if you are familiar with packrafting as this could reduce some road walks and help you get across estuaries.
Tides are the other tricky part of the Oregon Coast Trail that you don’t have to think about with other thru-hikes. The tides may affect your hiking schedule and is something you need to be aware of. Recommend using the Tides Now Or App for planning your walks on the sand and river crossings during low tide times.
Camping is the other difficult part of hiking the OCT. For instance camping can be tricky because it’s not allowed on the beach within city limits. Brian and his partner had a map of city limits; therefore they would find a very small area that they could camp in. One way of doing this hike would be to stay in hotels in small towns, but that can get expensive quickly. Read Brian’s tips on Postholer for handling camping, tides, and road walking.
Hike the OCT NOBO or SOBO?
Hiking the Oregon Coast Trail SOBO (southbound) is the recommended way to hike. This is due to the winds consistently blowing southbound, which makes the hike easier if you are hiking with the wind instead of against it.
Best Time to Hike the OCT
The best time to hike the OCT would be late spring through early fall. Winter on the coast can be quite stormy and wouldn’t be a pleasant hike. Note that the high season for the Oregon Coast is summer; therefore it may be hard to find accommodations unless you have planned far in advance.
What to Include in Your Pack that You May Not Think About
Ultimate Guide for Hiking the OCT
Brian’s top recommendation for hiking the OCT is to get the book Day Hiking the Oregon Coast by Bonnie Henderson. She originally wrote this book as a guide for hiking the OCT, but later rebranded it for a larger population. This book essentially breaks down the Oregon Coast Trail into sections that were a fantastic guide for Brian and Heather.
Additional Tip
In conclusion, plan to hike an additional week or so down into California as the views are stunning and well worth it.