The Oregon Coast is something to behold, and camping in Nehalem Bay State Park is a fantastic way to immerse yourself in the area’s beauty. The scenery in the park changes drastically throughout the day as the light changes in the sky and the waters rise and fall with the tide. This means that you can stay here for a few days and not get bored with the scenery! Plus, the playground offered by the beach is second to none. Finally, if you do decide that you need to get away for a bit due to the weather, there is plenty to do nearby as you wait out for a storm to pass through.
There is only one campground inside of Nehalem Bay State Park. We’ll cover all you need to know about staying here, including how to get reservations, what types of sites are available, what there is to do near the campground, where to pick up supplies and much more! For more details on the park in general, check out our blog on Things to Do in Nehalem Bay State Park.
NEHALEM BAY STATE PARK CAMPGROUND: OVERVIEW
The Nehalem Bay State Park is quite large and has plenty of sites. There is also the added benefit of having a separate camping area for those with horses. And-get this-you can even land an airplane on the park’s airstrip and camp right near your aircraft! Finally, there is also a small spot for hikers and bikers to set up a tent.
The park is pretty busy, so be sure to book your reservations well in advance if you can. That being said, since there are a ton of spots here, cancellations do happen frequently, so keep checking if you can’t find a spot. One may pop up at the last minute!
NEHALEM BAY STATE PARK CAMPING SUPPLIES
There aren’t any supplies available for purchase in the park other than the ability to purchase firewood. Groceries aren’t far away-in the town of Manzanita (about 1 mile north of the park entrance) you can get groceries. There are also a couple of restaurants. There are also grocery stores in the small town of Nehalem to the east.
For camping supplies and big box stores, you have to travel into Astoria (about an hour to the north) or Portland, OR (nearly 2 hours to the east). The trek to those locations is pretty far, so do your best to have what you need before entering into the park.
NEHALEM BAY STATE PARK CAMPGROUND: DETAILS AND CAMPGROUND MAP
Map of the Nehalem Bay State Park campground, courtesy of Oregon State Parks
Nehalem Bay State Park Campground
- Location: From Portland, take US-26 W toward Seaside. Take the OR-53 S exit toward Wheeler/Nehalem. Turn right onto US-101 S and continue for about 5 miles. Turn right onto Necarney City Rd and follow the signs to the park. Continue into the park and the campground entrance is on the right.
- Accessible via: Car and RV.
- Reservations: Reservations are available through reserveamerica.com and can be made six months in advance.
- Capacity: 307 sites in six loops. These sites include 17 horse sites and 18 yurts.
- Electricity / Water Hookups / Dump Station: Yes / Yes / Yes.
- Toilets / Showers / Dishwashing station: Flush toilets with showers and dishwashing stations are available to all campers.
- Pets: Allowed but must be kept on a leash 6 feet or less.
- Operating Season: The campground is open year-round.
- Quiet Hours: 10 pm to 7 am.
- Additional details: The Nehalem Bay State Park campground is situated in between the Pacific Ocean and Nehalem Bay. Each site has a fire ring and a picnic table. Sites are generally shaded. The park is extremely clean and the facilities are well cared for. They have packed a lot of people into the campground, so the sites are pretty close together, limiting privacy. The campground is almost always full during the warmer months.
- Nearby: The Pacific Ocean is accessed via two short walkways right from the campground. You can also easily get to Nehalem Bay to the east. If you want to hike, we recommend heading to Neahkahnie Mountain or Oswald West State Park during the day.
NEHALEM BAY STATE PARK HORSE CAMPING
Camping for those with horses is available as well! A dedicated camping area is all the way south in the park, accessed by driving through the campground and following directions to the horse camp on the southwestern end of Loop F.
NEHALEM BAY STATE PARK HIKER AND BIKER CAMPING
Dedicated camping for hikers and bikers passing through is set up near the park entrance. There is space for 25 dedicated tents, and the cost is less than $10 / person. There is also a nice setup created by Oregon Parks Forever to help protect your gear.
NEHALEM BAY STATE PARK FLY-IN CAMPING
A primitive campground is located at the airstrip that is on the eastern side of the park. From the campsites near the airstrip you can take a walking / bike path to the main campground and access the beach from here.
NEHALEM BAY STATE PARK GROUP CAMPING
There is no group camping available at Nehalem Bay State Park. Check out the Oregon Parks Site for facilities with group campgrounds in the state.
BACKCOUNTRY CAMPING IN NEHALEM BAY STATE PARK
There is no backcountry camping or primitive camping offered in Nehalem Bay State Park.
FURTHER INFORMATION ON NEHALEM BAY STATE PARK AND THE SURROUNDING AREA FROM JUST GO TRAVEL STUDIOS
- Be sure to see our article on Things to Do in Nehalem Bay State Park.
- Be sure to check out another great state park located on the Oregon Coast in our article, Things to See and Do in Ecola State Park.
- After your trip to the Oregon Coast, send us a few photos and we’ll create a custom, vintage travel poster, personalized just for you!
