Cape Meares & Cape Lookout State Park

There’s some wonderful running in the 20-mile stretch between the Bayocean Peninsula in Cape Meares and Cape Lookout State Park: beaches for running, forested trails, some quieter waterside roads. and some more challenging trail running.

Bayocean Peninsula/ Cape Mears

Waterside Road Running

• The aptly named Bayocean Rd/Bayocean Dike Road is one of the best options for a waterfront road run in the area that’s NOT Highway 101. Bayocean Rd. winds its way along Tillamook Bay for nearly 4 hilly miles, with great water views. Note: No shoulder, but the road is not too trafficked.  ROUTE MAP (One-Way). For longer, combine with Bayocean Dike Road, which stretches 4 miles down to the point in Bayocean Peninsula Park.
  
• Netarts Bay Rd. A picturesque road along the eastern side of Netarts Bay goes for 1.1 miles from Netarts south to Whiskey Creek Rd., before tuning inland. ROUTE MAP
• Netarts Oceanside Highway. Some sections of this hilly road, which go both along the water and above it, have great views. Note: No shoulder.

Cape Meares Lighthouse Loop. Hilly loop on a combination road/trail out to Cape Meares Lighthouse. It’s 660 feet elevation gain in only 3 miles…   ROUTE MAP

Interior Roads. A large network of unnamed roads inside the Cape Meares Loop Road (Rt. 131) offers some hilly, mainly wooded running.

Beach Run: Good beach for running between Oceanside and Netarts, ~2.5 miles one-way on Oceanside Beach.

Cape Lookout State Park

Beach Run: The running highlight here is the 5.4 mile coastal trail on the beach. Cruise along the Pacific Ocean on hard-packed from Cape Lookout State Park to the end of the Netarts Bay. A gravel trail at the southern end rides just above the beach for ~ 1 mile.  ROUTE MAP (One-Way)

Trail Run: More than eight miles of hiking and walking trails wind through a lush old-growth forest. Best for running is The Cape Trail — a 5-mile out and back moderate trail run to the tip of Cape Lookout.  TRAIL INFO