Oregon · Hiking

Whalen Island Loop

Whalen Island LoopPhoto: Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
1.4 mi
loop
39 ft
climb
52 ft
high point
Loop
route
May–Sep
best months

Whalen Island Loop is a short, easy loop in Oregon's Clay Myers State Natural Area, a city-managed natural area. The trail is about 1.4 miles long, with a total elevation gain of about 40 feet, and it stays within a narrow range of about 12 to 52 feet. The steepest part comes at about 0.34 miles in, with a grade of about 5 percent. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Cloverdale weather station show July and August highs around 70°F with only about four wet days a month, while winter months bring highs in the low 50s and rain on most days. The loop sits close to several other spots. Estuary View Trail is about 0.7 miles away and Kinnikinnik Woods Trail about 0.8 miles. Sandbeach campground is also about 0.8 miles off, and East Dunes Campground is about a mile away.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Whalen Island Loop

    Best months: May–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      52° / 40°

      18 wet

    2. Feb

      53° / 40°

      16 wet

    3. Mar

      55° / 40°

      18 wet

    4. Apr

      57° / 42°

      16 wet

    5. May

      62° / 46°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      65° / 49°

      8 wet

    7. Jul

      69° / 52°

      4 wet

    8. Aug

      70° / 52°

      4 wet

    9. Sep

      69° / 50°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      63° / 46°

      13 wet

    11. Nov

      56° / 42°

      17 wet

    12. Dec

      51° / 40°

      19 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cloverdale, OR, 5.5 mi away at 12 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Estuary View TrailPhoto: Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Estuary View Trail

~1 min drive

0.77-mile loop trail in Oregon with 175 ft of elevation gain.

Hart's CovePhoto: Leslie Seaton from Seattle, WA, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Hart's Cove

~25 min drive

5.16-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,933 ft gain.

Salmonberry TrailPhoto: gary_leavens, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Salmonberry Trail

~35 min drive

Epic 83.84-mile point-to-point wilderness trek through Oregon's coastal range.

HIKE

Pioneer Indian

~14 min drive

16-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 2,029 ft elevation gain.

Kinnikinnik Woods TrailPhoto: Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Kinnikinnik Woods Trail

~1 min drive

0.99-mile loop in Oregon with 60 ft elevation gain

Cape Meares Scenic TrailPhoto: Roger Sylvia, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Cape Meares Scenic Trail

~26 min drive

0.81-mile out-and-back trail at Cape Meares with 1,505 ft elevation gain.

HIKE

Cascade Head

~25 min drive

6-mile out-and-back trail at Cascade Head in Oregon with 654 ft gain.

Cape Lookout TrailPhoto: S. Rae from Scotland, UK, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Cape Lookout Trail

~8 min drive

2.30-mile point-to-point trail in Oregon with 591 ft gain and 2,644 ft loss.

Cascade Head TrailPhoto: Art Anderson, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Cascade Head Trail

~28 min drive

3.29-mile point-to-point trail in Oregon with 2,524 ft elevation gain

Marsh TrailPhoto: Coreyleah, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Marsh Trail

~10 min drive

3.42-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 166 ft elevation gain

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors