Open House on Oregon Coast Trail

Hiker on Cascade Head.\Photo by Dennis White.

The Oregon Coast Trail is a great resource, and theoretically links the entire Oregon coast, but in reality there are gaps. The public is invited to learn about plans to close gaps along the Oregon Coast Trail (OCT). Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is hosting an online open house and webinar for people to learn about the Oregon Coast Trail Action Plan that aims to improve safety, access and convenience for all trail users, with an emphasis on connecting trail gaps.

The project team will host a live webinar on Wednesday, Jan. 26, from noon to 1 p.m.  The online presentation, open to all, will give the public a chance to weigh in.  Members of the public can also visit an online “open house” devoted to the trail completion project anytime through Feb. 11 by going here.

The OCT stretches along the entire 362-mile coastline, from the border to border, offering hikers spectacular coastal vistas, lush forests and recreation opportunities for day hikers and long-distance hikers alike. Most of the trail is on sandy beaches, with sections of overland trail across headlands, forests, rivers and through some of the coast’s 28 cities. About 10 percent of the trail is disconnected, inconvenient, unsafe or inaccessible — mainly where the route requires people to hike on the shoulder of U.S. 101 or where it follows county roads and local streets. OPRD is leading the planning effort to close these gaps in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) and Oregon Solutions. The plan will identify gaps in the hiking experience and determine actions and funding needed to improve and maintain the trail over time.

The OCT was approved in 1971 by the Oregon Recreation Trails Advisory Council and developed and managed by OPRD as part of Oregon’s state park system. OPRD manages most of the trail; some sections are managed by the US Forest Service, Oregon Department of Transportation and cities through which the trail passes.

For more information avout the webinar or open house, or special accommodations, contact Paul Reilly at paul.reilly@oprd.oregon.gov or 541-272-7394.

To attend the webinar, follow this link.

You can also access the meeting by calling in: Dial: (253) 215-8782; Meeting: 992 0765 9206; Password: 12622.