Haystack Rock Tidepools, Cannon Beach
Sea stars and puffins beneath Oregon's famous sea stack
⏱ 1-2 hours👤 All agesFree
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Timing is everything. Check a tide chart (available online, at City Hall and from local businesses) and plan to arrive an hour or more before a low tide, ideally a minus tide in late spring or summer. Morning lows in summer combine the best tides with calmer winds and the puffin season.
Treat it like the world's best touch tank with stricter rules. Step only on bare rock and sand, avoid the mussel and anemone beds, touch gently with a wet finger if at all, and never pull an animal off a rock. The volunteers of the Awareness Program are happy to show you what you are looking at, and their microscopes reveal the tiny creatures most visitors miss. Film fans will recognize the rock from The Goonies, and the Needles, three smaller sea stacks just to the south, frame the classic photograph.
Practicals: access to the beach is free; park in town and walk down to the beach near the rock. Never turn your back on the ocean, especially with children. Pair it with the Seaside Aquarium a few miles north, or drive south on US-101 to the Oregon Coast Aquarium and Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport.
What to Expect
Format
Natural tidepools at the base of a 235-foot sea stack — sea stars, anemones, crabs and nudibranchs at low tide, nesting puffins in season, and seasonal volunteer naturalists on the sand.
Best Time
An hour or more before low tide; minus tides in late spring and summer are best, and June and July are prime puffin months.
Duration
One to two hours around a low tide.
Tips
Check the tide chart first. Stay below the barnacle line and on bare rock. Bring binoculars for the puffins and never turn your back on the waves.
⚡ Quick Picks
Best For
Seeing aquarium animals in the wild, for free.
Families
Excellent with supervision — kids love finding sea stars.
Couples
A classic Oregon coast walk, ideally at sunset with a low tide.
Pair With
Oregon Coast Aquarium and Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport.
Time Needed
One to two hours.
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Get Tickets →Frequently Asked Questions
When is the best time to see the tidepools?
An hour or more before low tide, ideally a minus tide in late spring or summer. Check a tide chart before you go.
When can I see puffins?
Tufted puffins nest on the rock from April through July; June and July are the best months, on the grassy north slope. Bring binoculars, or look through the spotting scopes the Awareness Program sets up on the sand.
Can I climb Haystack Rock?
No — climbing above the barnacle line is prohibited, and nothing may be removed within 300 yards of the rock.
Are there guides?
Yes — the Haystack Rock Awareness Program runs from mid-February to late October during daytime low tides, with staff, microscopes and spotting scopes.
Is it free?
Yes — Oregon beaches are public; you only pay for parking in town where it applies. Public lots near downtown Cannon Beach fill early on summer weekends, so arrive ahead of the low tide rather than right at it.
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