The best walks and hikes in Fogarty Creek State Recreation Area

Outstanding ocean viewpoint only a short distance from parking lot. Easy hike. Also good access to a beach. Lots of picnic tables. Has restrooms.

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.

A wondrous and rugged bay rimmed with basalt. Boiler Bay is a great place to watch wild surfing action on the rocky spurs. This magnificent panoramic view offers a great opportunity to see gray whales all year round. Bring your binoculars - this is one of the best places in Oregon to see oceanic birds (like shearwaters, jaegers, albatrosses, grebes, pelicans, loons, oystercatchers and murrelets). In 1910 an explosion sank the J. Marhoffer and you can see the ship's boiler at low tide.

Boiler Bay Viewpoint offers a glimpse into history, named after the vessel J. Marhoffer that met a fiery fate in 1910. Witness to a dramatic shipwreck, the bay holds the remnants of a 175-foot schooner, including the enduring relic of her engine boiler, visible at extreme low tides.

The mini loop to visit Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint can not really be considered hiking due to the trail's shortness, but it's 100% worth a visit. From the viewpoint you get amazing views over the wild ocean and there is a pretty good chance that you can spot gray whales (year around).

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.

Alder Island Nature Trail opened in 2017 and is part of the Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. The loop is short and easy to walk but offers great nature while hiking on the island between the river and the marshes. Enjoy nice views over the Siletz River, and maybe you can even spot some wildlife like ducks, herons, cormorants, eagles or other birds.