Cobble Beach

A part of the 100-acre Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, Cobble Beach is a small cove sheltered by basaltic headlands near Newport featuring a dramatic and beautiful intertidal area. Sitting right below the famous Yaquina Head, this site is a must-visit location to make your Oregon Coast experience complete.

Take a walk down a long stairway from the parking area and beach observation deck and enjoy the ancient ocean shore covered by polished round black rocks, a rare natural wonder of the Oregon Coast.

Geology

The cobblestone beach was created roughly 14 million years ago as a result of the Columbia River basalt lava flow. Over the years, powerful erosion processes break down beachside cliffs releasing basalt cobbles. The cobblestones become smooth and polished from the constant tides and storms. When mighty waves come in during high tides, cobbles are moved and shifted creating a unique musical sound you can never confuse for anything else.

Wildlife

• Cobble Beach has multiple sea stacks, offshore rocks, and islands with abundant wildlife including colonies of California mussels, seabirds, and harbor seals
• Pacific harbor seals reside year-round and often haul out on nearby rocks
• Migrating gray whales are visible from Yaquina Head observation decks in winter and spring

Tide Pools

Considered one of the best tidepool areas on the Oregon Coast. Gorgeous tidepools carry a colorful kaleidoscope of marine life including purple or ochre sea stars, green anemones, purple sea urchins, tidepool sculpins, and shore or hairy hermit crabs.

Cobble Beach as a part of Yaquina Head Marine Garden is a protected area dedicated to the conservation of marine life. Please explore tidepools gently and obey wildlife signs and all boundaries. All marine life and rocks are for exploring and photographing only and may not be collected or removed.