Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.

Haystack Rock is one of Oregon’s most recognizable landmarks and has been featured in countless publications, TV shows, and movies (The Goonies being the most infamous). Rising 235-feet above this beautiful stretch of coastline, this huge stack of basalt rock features amazing geology, colorful tide pools, and is the seasonal home to the Tufted Puffin.

Haystack Rock has been on our Oregon wish list for a while now and recently, we were finally fortunate enough to visit. We had a great time and were in awe of its commanding presence, but there were a few things we wish we’d known before going.

With that in mind, we wrote this comprehensive guide to help your visit go much smoother. In it, we’re going to cover: finding parking, it’s history, hotels, when to go and more!

Directions to Cannon Beach

Haystack Rock is located in the coastal community of Cannon Beach, Oregon. Many films and TV shows, such as The Goonies and Kindergarten Cop were filmed here. It’s no wonder, as Cannon Beach features miles of pristine, breathtaking coastline views, beaches, and waterfalls, in addition to multiple shops, restaurants, and hotels.

If you’re planning to visit Portland, Oregon’s most visited city, Cannon Beach is only a 80-minute drive away (or about an hour and a half), making it a great day trip to escape the hustle and bustle of a downtown environment. Additionally, Haystack Rock is close to many other destinations in the PNW.

From Portland:

Make your way to US-26. Take the westbound section for roughly 75-miles
You’ll then begin seeing signs for US-101 south towards Cannon Beach/Tillamook. Take that for about 5-miles
When you see the exit sign for Sunset blvd, take it and merge onto the main road

From Astoria:

Take US-101 south for about 26-miles
Take the Sunset blvd exit

From Vancouver:

Take I-5 south into Portland (about 2-miles)
Take I-405 across the Fremont Bridge
Merge onto US-26 west for 75-miles
Take US-101 south towards Cannon Beach/Tillamook for 5-miles
Take the exit for Sunset blvd

Haystack Rock Parking & Entrances

This is a point of contention amongst people visiting Haystack Rock and is one of the things we wish we’d known before going. There are two main parking areas and entrances to the beach that Haystack Rock is located on. One is a small, hidden pathway just off of Hemlock Street. This is the one you’ve likely seen on social media.

This (admittedly cool) entrance can be found near the corner of South Hemlock Street and View Point Terrace in a residential neighborhood. Next to the corner of these two streets is a small pullout, big enough to accommodate about three normal sized vehicles. There is no other legal parking here, so arrive in you want to use this entrance.

Directly across the street from this pullout you’ll see a wooden deck, stairwell and bench situated in between two beach homes. At first, it’ll come across as a private entrance for the residents of the houses but fret not, it is 100% a public-use, legal entrance to the beach.

As you walk along the dirt path, Haystack Rock will come more and more into view. The path terminates at the top of another wooden stairwell which leads to the beach. At the top of said stairwell, there’s an informational board detailing Haystack Rock’s history and development.

Haystack Rock as seen from the hemlock street entrance.

The main, much larger entrance is off of Ecola Court. This entrance, while nowhere near as scenic as the one on Hemlock Street, will still get the job done as it provides quick and easy access to Haystack Rock and comes with a plethora of parking.

The Haystack Rock Park & Ride parking lot is located along South Hemlock Street at the corner of Gower Ave. It’s a large lot that has three spaces for recreational vehicles. Simply park, walk down Gower Avenue towards the beach and turn left on Ecola Court. You’ll see the entrance and Haystack Rock straight ahead.

Haystack Rock Tide Pools

Tide pools at Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, Oregon.

This is something else we didn’t think to check before going but fortunately, we arrived right at low tide when the tide pools were visible. This marine garden is flushed with sea life. During our visit, we spotted crabs, starfish, mussels, and anemones.

You’re allowed to enter and explore the tide pools, but only during low tide. This is the only time they are visible and accessible. Volunteers from the Haystack Rock Awareness Program are there from Spring to Fall to show you around and answer questions (they’ll be the ones in the red jackets).

Be sure to time your visit by visiting during low tide. You can check tide times here.

Wildlife at Haystack Rock

We were here in March, so the Tufted Puffins, who are quite popular here, hadn’t yet made their way to Haystack Rock. They usually arrive in April and leave in September. So while we were mostly treated to garden-variety seagulls, mother nature did provide us with a special treat; a Bald Eagle.

When it landed on the rock, the Seagulls went ballistic (according the volunteer, they don’t get along all too well). Unfortunately, my lens couldn’t zoom in enough to get a shot, but it was awesome to see nonetheless.

In 2023, Haystack Rock made headlines when a Mountain Lion decided to climb onto it and hang out for a while. City officials ended up closing the beach to the public until the cougar moved on, which it did the next day. Goes to show that even in populous places, you should always pay attention to your surroundings.

Best Time to Go

There’s no real bad time to go, as each season has its own positives and negatives. It really just boils down to your personal preferences and travel style.

Winter: While not an ideal time due to the cold and potential for snow, you’ll experience little to no crowds (which isn’t a bad thing). You may also experience the rarity of seeing Haystack Rock with a coating of snow blanketing it.
Spring: This is when my wife and I were here and found the weather to be perfect. It was a bit chilly in the morning but it warmed up quickly. Best of all, crowds were minimal and parking was plentiful.
Summer: Do we even need to say it? Yes? Ok…It’s hot, crowded and lodging rates are at their peak. Try to avoid visiting in the summer if you can avoid it. Though, one positive to summer is it doesn’t see much rain, so there’s that.
Fall: It starts raining regularly again, but summer crowds start tapering off and lodging becomes a little more affordable. Additionally, the fall colors begin setting in, taking the beauty of the scenery up a few notches.

Hotels

We visited Haystack Rock and Cannon Beach as a day trip from Portland, so we didn’t stay in any of the hotels.

However, we did research a few of the top rated ones near Haystack Rock and can recommend some of them. They are:

Hallmark Resort & Spa Cannon Beach: This is a beautiful hotel super close to the beach with rooms offering amazing views of Haystack Rock and the ocean.
Surfsand Resort: Another beautiful that offers rooms with a view of the beach. This one is also super close to the Ecola Court entrance to Haystack.
The Courtyard: This charming hotel features cozy rooms, a cafe, and is perfectly situated between Haystack Rock and the many shops/restaurants of Cannon Beach.

Haystack Rock from the hemlock street entrance.

A Quick Note….

I’m often asked about the equipment we use to capture the photos on our website. Below, we’ve added Amazon links to those products and others that we recommend.

If you decide to purchase, Amazon will pay us a small commission. This helps us keep Inked with Wanderlust running and doesn’t cost you anything extra.