Whaleshead Beach — Attraction in Brookings

An ever changing beach with waterfalls. As you pull in you see a sign warning that you need a 4x4. There a small parking lot to the right you can park small low clearance cars in then cross the drive to coastal trail that will take you to the lower parking lot. There a small path to beach from here or continue from coastal trail to switchback and cross the bridge continuing on coastal trail to the beach. Even those who use the lower parking lot can use this trail (take the side walk and pass the bathrooms into the woods you'll see the trail markers and bridge). It takes you around so you don't have to cross whaleshead creek on the beach which in winter is too cold to cross in bare feet and too deep to cross without boots. However, sometimes the trail is flooded after long periods of rain. Not impossible to pass but you need boots. In summer you can't beat going either way. The trail offers views and old growth forests. The beach on the Parking lot side of the creek at low tide has fun rocks to check out and small tidal pools, even a few small caves. Cross whaleshead creek and trek down the beach to see several waterfalls. In summer there is a few still going strong. In the winter keep an eye on the tide though. Farther down the beach it seems to come in quicker and there's a mini point impossible to get back past once the...

They have a small parking area at the top near US 101. If you have 4-wheel drive you might prefer driving down the hill on the terrible road down to the large lower parking lot. Normally when I say a gravel road is bad, it’s because of washboarding. That wasn’t a problem. This road has gullies up to 12” deep cross crossing the road.

We visited in mid-February so there weren’t many people, about three cars on top and three more in the big lot below. Surprisingly, there were two Honda Odyssey’s that made it down the road. I don’t think I’d risk my own car; I’d worry about bottoming out and damaging something. But those two Hondas were fine, and undoubtedly had braver drivers than me.

There are half a dozen picnic tables and a concrete block bathroom (non-plumbed, of course) by the lower lot. A trail takes you to the beach. A stream comes out right there to the south of the parking area, and we could not find a way across that would keep our feet dry. Wear waterproof boots if you want to walk down the long beach on the south side. We had to stay on the North side of the river which has large basalt rocks jumbled across it. Those can be fun to climb over...

Pros. Beautiful rock formations, not as many people, vault toilet and great for walking a good distance out and back. (We had the chance to meet “crater Charlie” the golden retriever and his owner. I guess the locals know holes in the sand as “crater Charlie” had been here. Very funny to observe lol) Cons- wicked steep, very bumpy road to get in. Unkept (over grown picnic areas) and to get to the beach the trails are steep and have a drop off at the last step.

We drove down in a Chevy Malibu. Just have to go very slowly. They recommend 4 wheel drive on a sign just when you turn to go down to the beach...