Three Capes Scenic Loop
View the entire Tillamook Coastline
If you’re looking for the most breathtaking views of the Tillamook Coast, the Three Capes Scenic Loop is the perfect scenic journey. Beginning in downtown Tillamook, this 70-mile loop takes you along the water and reveals some of the most majestic natural landscapes that the Oregon coast has to offer.
The road is easy to follow, with ample signage that leads travelers west of Tillamook, visiting three spectacular capes: Cape Meares, Cape Lookout and Cape Kiwanda.
What is a cape?
A cape is a coastal landform that extends into a body of water, in this case, the Pacific Ocean. Capes are a peninsula or promontory, typically high and rugged, characterized by steep cliffs and a marked change in the coastline.
An easy day’s drive, with plenty of cool stops
While the Three Capes Scenic Loop is an easy day’s drive, several historical sites and state parks along the way are worth stopping at to stretch your legs. After all, the very best views aren’t seen from the passenger seat of a car or RV, but after a short trek up a wooded trail.
Early on in your journey, you’ll pass by Bayocean Spit, a now-extinct community that was once the “Atlantic City of the West.” The Bayocean Spit is a 7.8-mile round-trip loop in an eclectic stretch of dunes, beach, trees, and understory that is a sand-based dividing line between the Tillamook Bay and the Pacific Ocean.
Beyond Bayocean, as you travel south, you’ll approach Cape Meares State Park and Lighthouse, also known as Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge. Cape Meares is known for its short hiking trails, its iconic lighthouse, and giant Octopus Tree, a Sitka spruce that’s grown into a most unusual shape!
As the scenic loop continues from Tillamook toward Oceanside, you’ll be thrilled at the mesmerizing ocean views that have been leaving people speechless for centuries. See the ocean meet tranquil Netarts Bay, (stop a while and go clamming at this popular shellfishing spot—just make sure you have a license from ODFW before you head out!), as you travel up to the second cape, Cape Lookout, where you are in a prime position to view the entire Tillamook coastline. Trek through the old-growth forest and along the beach here to stretch your legs.
From there, the road takes you through the Sandlake dunes into Pacific City, where Haystack Rock juts up from the depths of the Pacific Ocean at the third cape, Cape Kiwanda. Drink in the magnificent view of this iconic coastal landmark.
Another spot worth hopping out for? Cape Kiwanda’s Pelican Brewing Company, the only beachfront brewpub in the Northwest! You can enjoy lunch and a pint as you admire the view of Haystack Rock and listen to the ocean.
Finally, Bob Straub State Park in Pacific City offers a beautiful beachy stretch where you can hunt for shells and sand dollars while you soak up the sun (or enjoy a little Oregon drizzle!).
The views are incredible in any weather condition
The views are incredible in any weather conditions, although clear weather allows for the farthest views of the coastline from the top of Cape Lookout, and along the newly constructed Cape Meares Loop Road. But any time of year you drive the Three Capes Scenic Loop, it will be well worth it. You won’t find a more magnificent stretch of fantastic views along the Oregon Coast.
