TILLAMOOK COUNTY, Ore. — Three sections of the north coast trail system in Tillamook County will remain closed until at least spring 2023, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) said, to give crews time to clear downed trees from a 2020 windstorm.
The September windstorm, which fueled historic wildfires in other parts of the state, knocked down and damaged trees over 185 acres within Oswald West and Cape Lookout state parks. A stormy fall and winter caused more damage, OPRD said.
The following trail sections are closed:
- Cape Lookout State Park: The entire North Trail at Cape Lookout State Park that connects the Day-use Area to the Cape Trail.
- Oswald West State Park: The 1.4-mile Arch Cape section of the Arch Cape to Cape Falcon Trail, from the north trailhead to the crossing at U.S. Highway 101.
- Oswald West State Park: A 1.6-mile section of North Neah-Kah-Nie Mountain Trail from U.S. Highway 101 to the summit.
“We want to thank visitors for their patience as we work as quickly as possible to reopen these historic and culturally important trails,” said North Coast District Manager Justin Parker. “In the meantime, we encourage visitors to explore one of the many open trails along the north coast.”
Crews will have to remove fallen and dangerous trees by helicopter before the trails can be rebuilt.
“We are focused on keeping workers and visitors safe, while being good stewards of this public land,” Parker said. “We don’t want to rush the process, knowing that decisions we make today will affect how the forest looks for hundreds of years.”
