22 Miles & Stealth Camp

Shhh! Sorry, I have to whisper. I’m stealth camped at Driftwood Beach State Park, a postage stamp size park on the coast that boasts a parking lot, bathroom, a few acres of woods, Oh… and a beach. There is no ranger around, no parking overnight, and no camping. I am tucked in at the bottom of a swale in the wooded area as far as I could get from the parking lot.

I am too far from any state parks that have legal camping and several miles from the nearest town with motels. Theoretically, I could be camping on the beach tonight. I brought a tiny net tent and a sleeping pad. Camping on the beach is legal in Oregon. Unfortunately there isn’t quite enough beach where I am tonight. The high tide is especially high tonight at 8.54 feet. That means at high tide there will be no beach. Not a good situation in a tent on the beach.

So here I am hunkered down for the night. There is a very good chance that I will not get a flashlight in the eyes at 3AM, but it could happen. If it does, I’ll fill you in after I get out of jail. Otherwise, I post tomorrow night.

When I woke up, my knee was fine. It seems to have recovered. Don’t get me wrong. It’s still a bit sore, but I feel good to continue.

I left Beverly Beach SP about 6:45 and walked the beach almost to Newport. I had to jump over to the highway for about a mile to get around Yaquina Head. I returned to the beach for several more miles, then left it again to grab a bite in Newport. Back on 101 for a couple miles through town, then crossed the Historic Yaquina Bay Bridge completed in 1936. It is a very impressive and very tall steel arch bridge. Once on the south side, it was back out to the beach for 8 more miles to Beaver Creek.

I had hoped to stealth camp there at the Brian Booth State Park, but the bushy understory was impenetrable. I returned to the beach and walked another 5 miles to Driftwood Beach where I am tonight. A total of 22 miles today. That was about 7 more than I had intended. But I’m also seven miles closer, so there is that.

Tomorrow should only be about 14.4 miles to Yachats and a motel for the night!.

Happy Trails.