Camping at Carl Washburne State Park
For this trip, we reserved a campsite for three nights at Carl G. Washburne State Park. It was my third time camping here, but my husband’s first — he’d been eager to return to this area ever since he found jaspers on the beach at Muriel Ponsler Wayside over ten years ago while we were staying in Yachats.
From Portland, we drove south on I-5, then followed Highway 20 through Corvallis and Philomath to Newport. I love coastal drives, so it’s always a treat to catch that first glimpse of the ocean. From Newport, Highway 101 took us south across the Alsea Bay Bridge into Waldport, through the artsy town of Yachats, and past Cape Perpetua to Carl Washburne State Park campground. Along the way, scenic outlooks, waysides, and state recreation sites offer plenty of options for side trips from camp.
Day 1Our campsite was in a section once used for RVs until a storm damaged the hookups; it’s now reopened for tents. For a state park campground, Washburne feels small, quiet and friendly, mostly filled with RVs and vans. I also discovered a walk-in tent loop unlike any I’ve seen, with spacious, private sites tucked in the forest.
Our site backed up to a scenic section of sitka spruce forest where native squirrels entertained us as we relaxed.
That evening, I used a small flatpack grill (UCO Flatpack Portable Grill & Firepit) to cook dinner before we headed to the beach. I’m trying to mix up what I cook on camping trips, and the grill was fun to use. I learned that next time I’ll need more charcoal to fill the grill so it stays hot longer. I ended up finishing the chicken and mushrooms in the skillet along with the potatoes and carrots. I really enjoyed this dinner — the chicken, seasoned with a sesame seed spice mix, paired perfectly with the grill’s smoky flavor.
After dinner, we did a short loop hike from camp to the beach. The China Creek trail begins at the north end of the campground, and leads under the highway (no road crossing required) to the beach.
Signs at the trailhead warned of bear, cougar, and coyote sightings, which made us slightly nervous hiking at dusk – especially after crossing under the highway where the trail goes through a tunnel of dense thicket. We never heard or saw anything, though, and reached the beach in time for sunset.
Once we reached the beach, we headed south toward the Washburne day-use area before looping back to camp.
In the morning, we walked north along the China Creek Trail to the beach, hoping to find rocks to hunt. Unlike the last time we were here, the beach at Muriel Ponsler Wayside was surprisingly sandy, so we kept going and finally discovered a large rocky stretch near Big Creek.
My husband could happily rock hunt all day — on this trip, he found several nice jaspers and agates to polish in his tumbler.
The cliffs here are eroding, revealing the layers that show where those beach stones come from.
Later, we drove north to Cape Perpetua to watch waves crash into the rocky shoreline, then enjoyed a seafood dinner in Yachats.
Day 3On our third day, we hiked a loop directly from camp: taking the Valley Trail to the Hobbit Trail, down to Hobbit Beach where we explored the north side of Heceta Head. Then we walked north on the beach for several miles to the day-use area, and back to camp. The hike featured forests filled with Sitka spruce, gradually blending into shore pines as you near the beach.
At the end of the Valley Trail, we crossed the highway to take the Hobbit Trail to the beach.
At the Hobbit Beach entry, visitors have turned shells and other beach finds into a playful, ever-changing public art display along the side walls.
It was low tide so we spent some time exploring the base of Heceta Head before continuing for several miles up the beach back to the Washburne day use area.
At the day-use area, twisted shore pines create an eerie, tunnel-like passage — a bit creepy to walk through at night but incredibly beautiful in the light of day.
Rain fell lightly overnight, so we lingered in camp, drying gear before packing up. On the way home, we stopped in Yachats for pastries at Bread & Roses Bakery (highly recommended!).
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