Accessible Travel on the North Oregon Coast

If you’re looking to explore the abundant natural and historic offerings along the North Oregon Coast, consider these top recommendations from community members who experience disabilities. Whether you’re looking for beach access, trails, or museums, these spots offer a variety of ways to explore the beauty of the coast, from north to south.

Astoria

Columbia River Maritime Museum

The Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria is the place for visitors interested in maritime history, shipwrecks, and the Columbia River Bar. The museum features wide, smooth walkways throughout most exhibits, as well as automatic doors, accessible restrooms, and free wheelchair rentals. Exhibits are low enough for viewing from a seated position and include tactile components and audio guides for a more inclusive experience. Outside, visitors can also explore the Lightship Columbia, docked next to the museum—though some areas of the ship have limited accessibility due to stairs and narrow passageways.

Beyond physical access, the museum hosts a Sensory Sunday on the first Sunday of each month. These events feature a calm environment and low to no audio. The visitors center also offers a “Comfort Cart” with a range of devices to make your visit more enjoyable, including EnChroma colorblindness correcting glasses, sensory backpacks, and noise dampening headphones.

Columbia River Maritime Museum also supports financial accessibility. A complimentary ticket is provided for a professional aide accompanying a visitor with disability, and reduced admission is provided for all visitors with an EBT or WIC card. For more accessibility information, visit Columbia River Maritime Museum Accessibility page.

Lewis & Clark National Historic Park

At Lewis & Clark National Historical Park, visitors can step into the story of the Corps of Discovery at Fort Clatsop, where Lewis and Clark spent the winter of 1805–1806. The visitor center, including exhibits and the orientation film, is fully accessible, as are the restrooms and gift shop. Paved paths lead to a reconstructed fort, offering wheelchair access to outdoor interpretive areas. While some forest trails nearby are gravel or natural surface, the popular Netul River Trail includes a flat, hard-packed section suitable for many mobility devices, with scenic views of the river and interpretive signs along the way.

Lewis & Clark National Historic Park also participates in the free Access Pass, which covers admission for all U.S. citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities. Rangers are happy to assist with access questions or accommodations, including scooters and wheelchairs available for loan. Visit the park’s Accessibility Page for detailed information on assistive listening devices, brail, quiet spaces, parking, and trails by location. 

Seaside 

Seaside Beach

Seaside’s beach is known for its packed, flat sand, making it easier to navigate for those using mobility devices. The beach is wide and free of debris, creating an accessible environment for many visitors. At the 12th Avenue beach access, you’ll find a long Mobi-mat that extends toward the water in a “T” shape. The mat provides not only a tactile guide for those with visual impairments and a more usable pathway for those with wheelchairs and walkers, but also a place to sit and watch the waves. If you’d like to explore beyond the Mobi-mats, but need some assistance, call the Bob Chisholm Community Center at 503-738-7393 to reserve a fat tire beach wheelchair.

Seaside Promenade

If you travel south from the 12th Avenue beach access, you’ll reach the famous Seaside Promenade. The North Promenade access has a semi circular viewing deck that is wheelchair accessible, providing spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean. At the South Promenade access, there is a David’s Chair—an all terrain motorized wheelchair—available to reserve for free. Just visit the David’s Chair website to make your reservation in advance. 

Seaside Aquarium

The Seaside Aquarium offers an up-close look at marine life in a compact, accessible space right along the Promenade. Visitors using mobility devices will find that the facility is mostly level with wide walkways. Touch tanks allow hands-on interaction with sea stars, anemones, and other tide pool creatures, and there’s a beloved harbor seal exhibit where you can feed the seals and watch their playful antics. While the building is older, staff are available to assist with access needs, and the nearby street and lot parking include accessible spaces.

Cannon Beach

Haystack Rock

The most visually defining feature of Cannon Beach, Haystack Rock is a bucket list stop along the North Oregon Coast. The beach access is completely step free, with a slight slope. There are several hotels surrounding the beach access, providing accessible rooms for seamless beach days. This beach has mainly flat, packed sand. However, visitors should be aware that the area can have slippery surfaces due to seasonal ocean debris, which can be an obstacle for those with visual impairments.

Rockaway Beach

Big Cedar Trail

The Big Cedar Trail is a historic and natural highlight in Rockaway Beach. Beginning at the trailhead along Highway 101, the boardwalk provides a smooth and stable path through a lush coastal forest, making it ideal for all abilities, including wheelchair users and those with mobility challenges. The wide and well-maintained boardwalk eliminates obstacles like roots and uneven ground, allowing visitors to navigate easily through the dense greenery. The silence of the forest is balanced with the small creeks that pass under the walkway.

Along the way, towering spruce and cedar trees line the path, creating a serene and shaded environment. The highlight of the trail is the viewing platform surrounding the massive Rockaway Cedar, a centuries-old giant. This platform ensures that everyone can take in the grandeur of this ancient tree without impacting the delicate soil. Nearby benches and a picnic table offer a comfortable resting spot, making this a truly inclusive nature experience. 

Bay City

Kilchis Point Reserve

Kilchis Point Reserve offers visitors a chance to explore both natural beauty and deep historical roots along the shores of Tillamook Bay. With over two miles of interpretive trails, guests can learn about the area’s diverse plant and animal life, its significance as a Native American village, and its role in early pioneer settlement. The site’s rich history, including the construction of Tillamook County’s first ship and its ties to Chief Kilchis, makes it a meaningful stop for history enthusiasts and nature lovers alike.  

Accessibility is a key focus at Kilchis Point, with paved and compacted gravel trails that are mostly level and easy to navigate. Visitors who need assistance reaching the Caitlin Heusser Bird Watching Station can request a ride on a modified golf cart, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to experience the serene views of Tillamook Bay.

Tillamook

Tillamook Estuaries Partnership

The Tillamook Estuaries Partnership (TEP) is a grassroots organization that prioritizes estuarine restoration, monitoring, and education. The organization works to connect community members and visitors to natural lands and stewardship activities in Tillamook by hosting a series of guided hikes, walks, and paddles. Each event is unique to its Oregonian environment, with mushroom-spotting walks, crabbing clinics, and planting meetups. 

TEP has paid particular attention to ensuring accessibility information is available for all events. Each event posting has an “Accessibility Level” that describes the activity and possible access challenges in detail, from trail type to parking specifications. TEP has also instated a Know Before You Go section on their website, which includes a photo gallery showcasing paths, parking, terrain, and facilities at all activity locations.

Tillamook Forest Center

Situated along the Wilson River, the Tillamook Forest Center offers an immersive look into the area’s logging history, forest ecosystems, and fire recovery. The center is fully wheelchair accessible, with paved paths, ramps, and automatic doors. Inside, multi-sensory exhibits are designed to be hands-on and at accessible heights, and there’s an accessible theater showing short educational films. Outside, a paved trail leads to a scenic suspension bridge over the river, and there are picnic areas and restrooms that accommodate a range of mobility needs.

Tillamook Creamery

A must-stop for foodies, the Tillamook Creamery offers a glimpse into the rich heritage of Tillamook County’s dairy products. Stop in for a meal, free self guided tour, or premium tasting experience. The visitor center is fully wheelchair accessible, with automatic doors, wide aisles, and elevators connecting both floors. The self-guided tour features large visual displays and windows into the cheese-making process, and hearing loops are available at the front counter. The café and gift shop also provides accessible restrooms and wheelchairs available to rent on a first-come, first-served basis. At peak hours, the café can be loud for those with sensory concerns, but the Creamery offers sensory kits that include noise-reducing headsets, a squeezable loaf toy, branded sunglasses, sensory/emotion cards, a fidget popper, and a coloring kit.

Tillamook Air Museum

Located inside a massive World War II blimp hangar, the Tillamook Air Museum offers a spacious and accessible experience for aviation enthusiasts. The museum features wide, flat walkways throughout the main exhibit areas, making it easy to navigate with mobility devices. There are accessible restrooms, and hearing loops are available at the front desk to assist visitors with hearing impairments. The museum’s collection includes vintage aircraft, aviation artifacts, and historical exhibits, all thoughtfully displayed with ample room for exploration. It’s a great stop for those interested in history, engineering, or just experiencing one of the largest wooden structures in the world.

Pacific City

Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge

Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge is a scenic green space with trails leading to sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean. Along the quiet trails, you can soak in the sights and sounds of songbirds, waterfowl, deer, and the protected Silver Spot Butterfly species.

The Pacific View Trail overlooks the restored prairie, Little Nestucca River, and the Pacific Ocean. At 0.6-miles round-trip, this packed gravel path follows an out-and-back route to an observation deck. Designed to accommodate individuals with mobility challenges, the trail includes two rest benches along the path and one on the viewing platform. At the deck, visitors are rewarded with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, Pacific City’s Haystack Rock, Nestucca Bay, the Coast Range, and the Little Nestucca River. 

For those seeking a longer route, the Two Rivers Nature Trail spans 2.2 miles round-trip, with several loop options. The path consists of gravel and natural soil, making it slightly more challenging due to uneven terrain and elevation changes. This scenic trail winds through coastal prairie, wildflower meadows, and mixed-alder forest, eventually leading to a viewpoint overlooking the meeting point of the Nestucca and Little Nestucca Rivers. Along the way, benches provide resting spots, and the trail offers excellent opportunities for birdwatching and photography of the preserved forestlands.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife has been working to collect trail data, including trail grade, width, and obstacles in order to give visitors the agency to decide if the trail is accessible for them or not. Data is available for each trail on the USFW website. 

More Accessibility on the Northern Oregon Coast

Beyond these local recommendations, there are many other ways to experience the North Oregon Coast with accessibility in mind. Free all-terrain motorized wheelchairs, known as David’s Chairs, are available for reservation in Seaside, Manzanita, Rockaway Beach, Netarts, and Pacific City, allowing visitors to explore sandy beaches with ease. Additionally, fat-tire beach wheelchairs can be found at several locations, including Seaside, Manzanita, Nehalem Bay State Park, Rockaway Beach, Barview Jetty, Cape Lookout, and Pacific City.

For a more in-depth look at accessible travel along the entire Oregon Coast, check out the Oregon Coast travelability guide and the Oregon Coast Visitors Association’s Accessible Adventures Guide.