Tide pooling in Oregon: best low tides
The best tide pool days are low tides that are among a spot's lowest of the year and fall in daylight. In Oregon they come mostly in May to July. The next stretch of tide pool lows across the state is Jan 20. Dates, times and heights below come from NOAA predictions for 47 spots, worked out for the next 12 months.
Tide pools in every state · Oregon king tides
Tide pool season in Oregon
Average number of good tide pool days per spot, month by month:
Best tide pool days statewide
| Dates | Best day | Spots with a good low that day |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 20 | Wed Jan 20 | 14 of 47 spots |
| Feb 18–19 | Thu Feb 18 | 28 of 47 spots |
| Apr 9–10 | Sat Apr 10 | 28 of 47 spots |
| Apr 21–23 | Thu Apr 22 | 42 of 47 spots |
| May 6–11 | Fri May 7 | 43 of 47 spots |
| May 19–23 | Fri May 21 | 44 of 47 spots |
| Jun 3–9 | Sat Jun 5 | 46 of 47 spots |
| Jun 17–21 | Sat Jun 19 | 45 of 47 spots |
Favorite tide pools in Oregon
| Tide pools | Next good low tides | Lowest |
|---|---|---|
| Harris Beach, Brookings Tides: Brookings, Chetco Cove, 2 mi | Nov 23 then Dec 21–22, Jan 19–21 | -1.3 ft Mon Nov 23, 4:44 PM |
| Cape Arago & Sunset Bay Tides: Charleston, 4 mi | Jan 20 then Feb 18–20, Apr 10 | -1.4 ft Wed Jan 20, 4:41 PM |
| Strawberry Hill Tides: Drift Creek, Alsea River, 13 mi | Apr 9–10 then Apr 21–23, May 6–11 | -0.5 ft Fri Apr 9, 10:25 AM |
| Cape Perpetua Tides: Drift Creek, Alsea River, 11 mi | Apr 9–10 then Apr 21–23, May 6–11 | -0.5 ft Fri Apr 9, 10:25 AM |
| Seal Rock Tides: Waldport, Alsea Bay, 4 mi | Apr 21–23 then May 6–11, May 19–23 | -0.9 ft Thu Apr 22, 8:49 AM |
| Yaquina Head Tides: Yaquina USCG Sta, Newport, 4 mi | Dec 21 then Jan 19–20, Feb 18–19 | -0.9 ft Mon Dec 21, 4:13 PM |
| Otter Rock (Devil's Punchbowl) Tides: Depoe Bay, 4 mi | Jan 20 then Feb 18–19, Apr 10 | -1.5 ft Wed Jan 20, 4:42 PM |
| Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach Tides: North Fork, Nehalem River, 11 mi | Jan 19 then Feb 18, Apr 9–10 | -1.1 ft Tue Jan 19, 4:56 PM |
Tide pool lows for your spot
Next good low
Showing all 47 spots
| Spot | Next tide pool lows | Lowest |
|---|---|---|
| Brookings, Chetco Cove | Nov 23 afternoon then Dec 21–22, Jan 19–21 | -1.3 ft Mon Nov 23, 4:44 PM 3 good days in the next 3 months |
| Barview | Dec 21 afternoon then Jan 19, Feb 18–19 | -0.8 ft Mon Dec 21, 4:34 PM 1 good day in the next 3 months |
| Brighton | Dec 21 afternoon then Jan 19, Feb 18–19 | -0.8 ft Mon Dec 21, 4:32 PM 1 good day in the next 3 months |
| Port Orford | Dec 21–22 afternoons then Jan 19–21, Feb 18–20 | -1.6 ft Tue Dec 22, 4:39 PM 2 good days in the next 3 months |
| Yaquina USCG Sta, Newport | Dec 21 afternoon then Jan 19–20, Feb 18–19 | -0.9 ft Mon Dec 21, 4:13 PM 1 good day in the next 3 months |
| Gold Beach, Rogue River | Dec 22 afternoon then Jan 19–21, Feb 18–20 | -1.5 ft Tue Dec 22, 4:40 PM 1 good day in the next 3 months |
| Netarts, Netarts Bay | Jan 19 afternoon then Feb 18, Apr 9–10 | -0.7 ft Tue Jan 19, 5:00 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| North Fork, Nehalem River | Jan 19 afternoon then Feb 18, Apr 9–10 | -1.1 ft Tue Jan 19, 4:56 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Reedsport | Jan 19 afternoon then Feb 18, Apr 9–10 | -0.8 ft Tue Jan 19, 4:55 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Taft, Siletz Bay | Jan 19 afternoon then Feb 18, Apr 9–10 | -0.6 ft Tue Jan 19, 4:35 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Toledo | Jan 19 afternoon then Feb 18, Apr 9–10 | -0.8 ft Tue Jan 19, 4:39 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Bandon, Coquille River | Jan 20 afternoon then Feb 18–20, Apr 9–10 | -1.3 ft Wed Jan 20, 4:43 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Charleston | Jan 20 afternoon then Feb 18–20, Apr 10 | -1.4 ft Wed Jan 20, 4:41 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Depoe Bay | Jan 20 afternoon then Feb 18–19, Apr 10 | -1.5 ft Wed Jan 20, 4:42 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Florence USCG Pier, Siuslaw River | Jan 20 afternoon then Feb 18–19, Apr 21–23 | -1.1 ft Wed Jan 20, 4:59 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| North Jetty, Tillamook Bay | Jan 20 afternoon then Feb 18–19, Apr 21–23 | -1.3 ft Wed Jan 20, 4:50 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Sitka Dock, Coos Bay | Jan 20 afternoon then Feb 18–19, Apr 9–10 | -1.4 ft Wed Jan 20, 4:49 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Siuslaw River Entrance | Jan 20 afternoon then Feb 18–20, Apr 9–10 | -1.3 ft Wed Jan 20, 4:44 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Southbeach | Jan 20 afternoon then Feb 18–19, Apr 9–10 | -1.3 ft Wed Jan 20, 4:51 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Umpqua River Entrance, Half Moon Bay | Jan 20 afternoon then Feb 18–19, Apr 21–22 | -1.2 ft Wed Jan 20, 4:59 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Weiser Point, Yaquina River | Jan 20 afternoon then Feb 19, Apr 9–10 | -1.3 ft Wed Jan 20, 4:55 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Astoria (Youngs Bay), Oreg. | Feb 18 afternoon then Apr 21–22, May 6–10 | -0.7 ft Thu Feb 18, 5:38 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Cascade Head, Salmon River | Feb 18–19 afternoons then Apr 21–22, May 6–10 | -1.2 ft Fri Feb 19, 5:44 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Coos Bay | Feb 18 afternoon then Apr 9–10, Apr 21–23 | -0.8 ft Thu Feb 18, 5:51 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Empire | Feb 18 afternoon then Apr 9–10, Apr 21–23 | -0.8 ft Thu Feb 18, 5:13 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Florence, Siuslaw River | Feb 18 afternoon then Apr 9–10, Apr 21–23 | -0.8 ft Thu Feb 18, 5:21 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Garibaldi | Feb 18–19 afternoons then Apr 9–10, Apr 21–23 | -1.2 ft Fri Feb 19, 5:38 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Hammond, Oregon | Feb 18 afternoon then Apr 9, Apr 21–22 | -0.8 ft Thu Feb 18, 5:13 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Kernville, Siletz River | Feb 18 afternoon then Apr 9–10, Apr 21–23 | -0.7 ft Thu Feb 18, 5:48 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Dick Point | Mar 19 afternoon then Apr 20–22, May 18–22 | -0.6 ft Fri Mar 19, 7:21 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Chinook Bend, Siletz River | Apr 8–10 mornings then Apr 21–23, May 6–10 | -0.5 ft Fri Apr 9, 10:46 AM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Cushman, Siuslaw River | Apr 8–10 mornings then Apr 20–23, May 5–10 | -0.9 ft Fri Apr 9, 9:41 AM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Drift Creek, Alsea River | Apr 9–10 mornings then Apr 21–23, May 6–11 | -0.5 ft Fri Apr 9, 10:25 AM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Nehalem | Apr 9–10 mornings then Apr 21–23, May 6–11 | -0.7 ft Sat Apr 10, 10:50 AM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Rink Creek Entrance, Coquille River | Apr 9–10 middays then Apr 21–23, May 6–10 | -0.5 ft Fri Apr 9, 11:49 AM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Tillamook, Hoquarten Slough | Apr 9–10 middays then Apr 21–23, May 6–11 | -0.5 ft Sat Apr 10, 12:09 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Astoria (Port Docks), Oreg. | Apr 21–22 mornings then May 6–10, May 19–21 | -0.9 ft Wed Apr 21, 8:38 AM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Astoria (Tongue Point), Oreg. | Apr 21–22 mornings then May 6–10, May 19–21 | -0.9 ft Wed Apr 21, 8:41 AM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Cathcart Landing, Youngs River | Apr 21–23 mornings then May 6–10, May 19–22 | -1.1 ft Thu Apr 22, 9:15 AM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Knappa, Knappa Slough | Apr 21–22 mornings then May 6–10, May 19–21 | -0.8 ft Wed Apr 21, 9:39 AM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Settlers Point, Oreg. | Apr 21–22 mornings then May 6–10, May 19–21 | -1.0 ft Wed Apr 21, 9:34 AM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Waldport, Alsea Bay | Apr 21–23 mornings then May 6–11, May 19–23 | -0.9 ft Thu Apr 22, 8:49 AM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Portland Morrison Street Bridge | May 6–8 afternoons then May 19–21, Jun 3–8 | 0.0 ft Fri May 7, 3:05 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Wauna | May 7–9 middays then May 19–21, Jun 3–9 | -0.8 ft Sat May 8, 11:59 AM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Multnomah Channel | May 19–20 middays then Jun 3–11, Jun 17–24 | -0.2 ft Thu May 20, 1:16 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Saint Helens | Jun 5–9 afternoons then Jul 2–10, Jul 16–24 | -0.2 ft Mon Jun 7, 3:34 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
| Rocky Point | Jul 3–7 afternoons then Jul 16–17, Jul 31–Aug 6 | -0.2 ft Sun Jul 4, 3:01 PM 0 good days in the next 3 months |
Tide pool tips
Go before the low
Arrive about an hour before low tide and head back as soon as the water turns.
Watch the waves
Sneaker waves run far up rocky shores, especially on the Pacific. Never turn your back on the ocean.
Step on bare rock
Seaweed and barnacles are slippery and alive. Wear shoes with grip and step on bare rock or sand.
Look, don't take
Touch gently with a wet finger, put rocks back as you found them, and leave animals and shells. Many tide pools are protected.
How these dates are worked out
For every spot we take NOAA's low tide predictions for the next 12 months. A low counts as a tide pool low when it's in that spot's lowest 10% and comes between an hour after sunrise and sunset, so there's light for the hour before it. Heights are feet above mean lower low water (MLLW), the zero on tide charts; below zero is a minus tide. Wind and swell can keep the water higher than predicted. Not for navigation.