The best walks and hikes around Depoe Bay

Depoe Bay is a city in Lincoln County, Oregon, located on Route 101 on the Pacific Ocean. The bay of the same name is a 6-acre (2.4 ha) harbor, which the city promotes as the smallest navigable harbor in the world. Depoe Bay was named after Siletz Indian Charles "Charley" Depot, to whom the land was originally granted in 1894 as part of the Dawes Act of 1887. There are conflicting accounts of the origin of his name. It is said that he received the name "Depot Charley" because he worked at the military depot near Toledo, Oregon. The family later became known as "DePoe." His original tribal affiliation was Tututni. In 1975, the fishing trip sequence in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was filmed in Depoe Bay. In 1983, the harbor sequence in Hysterical was filmed in Depoe Bay, with the Depoe Bay Bridge prominently featured in the background. In 2008, restaurant scenes from The Burning Plain were filmed in Depoe Bay at the Tidal Raves restaurant. On March 11, 2011, the Depoe Bay harbor was damaged by a tsunami caused by the Tohoku earthquake off the coast of Japan. On August 21, 2017, Depoe Bay was one of the first places in the United States to experience the entirety of that year's North American solar eclipse.

Perched on a seawall with sweeping ocean views and a large observation deck, the Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay is the perfect place to spot whales. Park staff and volunteers are ready to answer your questions and help you identify whales and other marine life. The center is equipped with binoculars for visitors and displays facts about whales and information about what swimming patterns you can see. During the busiest weeks, thousands of gray whales migrate past on their way to and from the waters of Alaska and Mexico. We observe all year round; you never know what might swim by. Humpback whales, orcas, dolphins, porpoises and even blue whales can also be seen.

Otter Rock Marine Reserve can be accessed via Devils Punchbowl State Natural Area. In and around the grounds, visitors can explore tide pools, see seals on the rocks and walk along the long sandy beach at Beverly Beach State Park. Check out tips on tidepool etiquette and seal watching to help protect these species and special places. Three offshore islands mark the western border of the marine reserve. Nearby cities and ports include Depoe Bay, Otter Rock and Newport.

Devils Punch Bowl State Natural Area is a state park on the coast of the US state of Oregon. The park is located eight miles north of Newport in Lincoln County, about a quarter mile from Highway 101. There is a picnic area within the 8-acre park, and a path leads from the cliffs to a sandy stretch of beach with tide pools. At the center of the state park lies a large natural basin cut into the rocky shoreline and connected to the Pacific Ocean by two tunnels. When the waves splash loudly into this pool, called the Devils Punchbowl, at high tide, the water is swirled around and fountains of spray spray into the sky. The basin is believed to have been formed by the collapse of two caves created by wind and tides. The stretch of beach south of the state park offers good surfing conditions, with a funnel-like rock called Gull Rock about a half-mile offshore. There are at least 17 large rocks off the coast that are part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Because the park offers sweeping panoramic views of the ocean, it is a very popular spot for observing gray whale migration in spring and fall.

Once you make it to the Salishan Spit at the northern tip of the beach, there is a good chance that you will be greeted by the harbor seals living here. From here you can decide whether you want to hike back along the beach or take the paved street. Please be aware, that there is only one access to the street in the north of the beach as the other paths are all privately owned.

At times serene and approachable, Devil's Punchbowl transforms during stormy seas, dramatically churning and spouting the surf in unique ways only possible in a fallen sea cave.

Whale Cove, part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, is a small, perilous cove along the Oregon coast, unsuitable for vessels due to its hazards.

During winter storms, the ocean crashes into a colossal punch bowl-shaped rock formation, creating a thunderous spectacle. This geological wonder, shaped by nature's force, is a perfect spot for whale-watching tide pool exploration and picnics.