Cape Lookout State Park RV & Campground Guide
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Located in northwestern Oregon on the Tillamook County coastline, Cape Lookout State Park spans 2,014 acres between the Pacific Ocean and Netarts Bay. The breathtaking landscape includes windswept beaches and old-growth trees. Despite its natural beauty, the park receives fewer than 140,000 visitors annually, making it the ideal location for a relaxed camping or RV trip on the coast. With its location just off scenic Highway 101, the park is located close to several towns that are worth a visit when you’re in the area.
Nearby cities:
Tillamook, OR
Oceanside, OR
Beaver, OR
Netarts, OR
Spring 25-62 F
Summer 33-70 F
Fall 17-69 F
Winter 8-52 F
RV Resorts & Campsites in Cape Lookout State Park
Campground Accommodations
Cape Lookout Campground
Water hookup: Yes
Electrical hookup: Yes
Sewer hookup: No
Wi-Fi: No
Pet-friendly: Yes
Max RV length: 60 feet
Other amenities: Flush toilet, showers, fire ring, picnic tables
Netarts Bay Garden RV Resort
Away from the crowds and off the beaten path, just 10 minutes from the state park, Netarts Bay Garden RV Resort is a unique, waterfront RV park! In a beautiful, quiet and tranquil setting, visitors will enjoy simply relaxing with their friends and family, along with plenty of activities and amenities to do! Rates begin at $38 per night.
Water hookup: yes
Electrical hookup: yes
Sewer hookup: yes
Wifi: yes
Pet-friendly: yes
Other amenities: horseshoe pits, meeting and banquet room, boat rentals, crabbing and clamming gear rentals, picnic tables, restrooms, laundry and shower facilities, convenience store, campfire rings
Barview Jetty County Campground
Barview Jetty County Campground is one of 6 county campgrounds operated by Tillamook County Parks. All of the county campgrounds offer a wide variety of amenities, and Barview Jetty is located in a beautiful and tranquil location nearby the water. It’s a family-friendly campground that your whole group will enjoy! Rates begin at $22 a night.
Water hookup: yes
Electrical hookup: yes
Sewer hookup: yes
Wifi: yes
Pet-friendly: no
Other amenities: coin operated showers, playground, community shelters, beach access, jetty fishing, scuba diving, surfing and bird watching
What to Do at
Cape Lookout State Park
Cape Lookout is open year-round and is the perfect campground to stay at while traveling along Highway 101 on the Oregon coast. The park grounds feature an expansive coastline that is ideal for beachcombing, whale and dolphin watching, birdwatching and leisurely strolls. Hiking and camping are also popular activities at Cape Lookout State Park.
From its sandy, tree-lined beaches to its heavily wooded campsites and miles of trails, Cape Lookout State Park is well-suited for both relaxation and adventure.
Inside Cape Lookout State Park
Cape Lookout State Park offers beautiful scenic views of the ocean, the nearby forest and lots of nature fun! From fishing to beachcombing, whale watching and a variety of hiking trails, there are activities for all ages and activity levels. Here are some of the things to do inside the park:
Water Activities – As an oceanfront state park, Cape Lookout State Park has no shortage of water activities for all ages! Not only does the park offer scenic ocean views, and fishing opportunities, there is beach access as well. Once you’ve made it to the beach, enjoy all the classic beach activities. Keep in mind the beach is protected by a 50’ wide cobble-sized stone revetment, which can be unstable when walking. Beachcombing is a popular water activity at the park, and it’s known as an area to find glass floats.
Trails – There are several trails for hiking, walking and biking within the park, ranging in length and difficulty levels. Even better, all the trails offer stunning views of native trees in lush, old-growth forest, the ocean and much more. A hike to the tip of the cape along the Cape Lookout Trail may even offer whale watching, so make sure to bring binoculars from December to June. As the whales migrate from Alaska to Mexico yearly, there may be as many as 30 per hour to view.
The sites within Cape Lookout State Park aren’t just on the ground – be sure to look in the sky as hang gliding and paragliding is popular in the area and their colorful wings fill the sky with beauty, too!
Fishing
While there is not a dedicated fishing pier at Cape Lookout State Park, visitors can fish from the beach. Small shrimp found on the beach after low tide are commonly used by fishermen as bait. You can also dig for crabs and clams in the sand.
Geocaching
A few caches are located along the trails in Cape Lookout State Park. Visitors who enjoy hunting for treasure can get the GPS coordinates for these caches through their geocaching app during their visit.
Nature Watching
While spending time at Cape Lookout State Park’s stunning beaches, you can enjoy dolphin and whale watching from the shore. On the beach, you may also find crabs, anemones, sea stars and sea urchins. Overhead, keep your eyes open for red crossbills, western gulls and falcons.
Stargazing
If you take a short stroll to the beach in the evening, you can enjoy a spectacular sunset over the Pacific Ocean. Stay a while longer, and you will be treated to an incredible stargazing experience.
Flora and Fauna
In addition to the aquatic life and birds that you can spot along the shore, Cape Lookout State Park’s wooded areas are home to other animals and beautiful vegetation. The forests feature old-growth hemlocks and Sitka spruce trees. Foxes, deer, bobcats and others also are native to the area.
Hiking
Several popular hiking trails are located on the park’s grounds, including the five-mile Cape Trail that takes you through the woods and offers beach views. You can also enjoy hiking along the 2.3-mile North Trail and the 1.7-mile South Trail.
Swimming
While the cool temperatures at Cape Lookout State Park throughout most of the year may deter some visitors from venturing into the ocean, both swimming and surfing are permitted. On the warmer days in the summer, the cool waters are particularly inviting.
Biking
Cape Lookout State Park permits bicycles on paved surfaces. From the roadways, cyclists can enjoy the great weather and beautiful views.
How to Get to
Cape Lookout State Park
If you are traveling to Cape Lookout State Park from Tillamook, take Highway 131 west. Turn left on Whiskey Creek Road. This road ends at Netarts Bay Road, which is also known as Whiskey Creek Road. Turn left or south on this road, and it will lead you directly to the park’s entrance.
If you are traveling to the park from Newport, follow Highway 101 north. Just north of Beaver, turn left on Sandlake Road. This road turns into Cape Lookout Road, which leads into the state park from the south.click here
Entering Cape Lookout State Park
In addition to parking located in the campground and at the park office, day use parking is located just west of the campground. From this parking area, you can access the trailheads and the beach. The day use fee is $5 per vehicle.
No matter if you’re whale watching, enjoying a hike along the coast or just sunbathing at the beach, there is so much to see and do at Cape Lookout State Park! We can’t wait to hear about it all – and we’d love to see some scenic pictures, too. Don’t forget to tag us on social media, or shoot us a photo and some details at [email protected]. We may just feature your story on our blog or social media channels. Happy camping!
Frequently Asked Questions About Cape Lookout State Park
While Cape Lookout State Park is open year-round, winter weather is generally very cold. Summer is the most popular time of year to visit the park. Because of cool ocean breezes, visitors are encouraged to monitor the forecast and dress in layers as needed.
While you are on the beach at Cape Lookout State Park, you may find sea stars, anemones, crabs, sea urchins and western gulls. Both whales and dolphins are often spotted from the shore. While you spend time in the wooded areas, you observe falcons, red crossbills, bobcats, foxes, deer and other species in their native habitat.
At Cape Lookout State Park, there are 170 tent sites. There are also 38 RV sites with full hook-ups and one additional site with electricity only. These are all wooded sites, and no camping spots are located on the beach. The nightly rate for an RV spot at Cape Lookout State Park is $31 to $37.
Reservations are not required to camp at Cape Lookout State Park, but reservations are recommended because of the limited number of RV spots. Reservations can be made up to six months in advance. It is best to make a reservation well in advance to ensure that you have a spot during your planned trip dates.
Dogs are permitted throughout Cape Lookout State Park, including on the beach. In most areas, they must remain on a leash no longer than six feet. However, dogs may be unleashed at the beach located north of the campground.