Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, Oregon – How to See, Find, and Where to Park Guide

If you’ve ever seen photos of the Oregon coastline, chances are, you’ve seen a photo of Haystack Rock. Or if you’ve ever seen the famous ’80s movie The Goonies, you’ve definitely seen this rock formation! So if you’re on an Oregon coast road trip, you’re going to want to add visiting Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach to your itinerary. I’ve visited Haystack Rock a few times during road trips along the Oregon Coast, so in this guide, I’ll tell you everything you need to know before visiting Haystack Rock – let’s get going!

Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach Oregon – Location & Where to Park

Haystack Rock is located in the small coastal Oregon town of Cannon Beach. You’ll want to exit the 101 on Sunset Blvd to get into the town. Once you get into town, you might be like me and start stressing over where to park – but no worries – I’ll tell ‘ya where 🙂

Parking for Haystack Rock:

There are technically a few different places you can legally park to see Haystack Rock, but I’m going to focus on the one I always use – which happens to also be the easiest one to use, with the best chance at actually finding a spot!

It’s called the Haystack Rock Park and Ride *but that name does not show up on Google Maps*. It’s right next to the Cannon Beach City Hall, so you can put that address in your GPS and you can’t miss it. This is a fairly large parking lot, but it can get very busy. There are also three spots of RV parking.

Address: 163 E Gower Ave, Cannon Beach, OR 97110

Parking is free.

Once you’ve parked your car, simply start walking west down Grover Avenue for two blocks, and you’ll come upon the Wayfarer Lounge and Restaurant – and you’ll see the entrance to the beach – as well as Haystack Rock itself.

Visiting Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, Oregon

Once you’re at the beach, you can’t miss Haystack Rock. During low tide, you can get much closer to Haystack Rock, where you can check out the tide pools. Each time I’ve visited, it’s been during high tide, so I haven’t been able to do that. If you want to make sure you arrive during low tide, you’ll need to consult a tide chart to make sure your timing is right.

You can spend as much or as little time here as you want. We’ve always just spent maybe 20-30 minutes enjoying the views and the beach, photographing Haystack Rock and then moving on to our next Oregon coastal road trip destination, but you can make an entire day of it here, and bring your beach blankets, chairs, and coolers.

Best time to visit Haystack Rock

Haystack Rock can be visited any time of year – but each season brings its own ups and downs.

Winter: It’s cold, high chances of rough seas and rain. But there are no crowds and lodging along the coast is much, much cheaper.

Spring: Fewer crowds, still can be chilly, but better chances of sunny days.

Summer: I’ve only visited during summer. It’s warmer (but note: I’ve always still worn long sleeves because it’s never been extremely hot!). Also, on most days, the marine layer won’t burn off until the afternoon, so you’ll get overcast skies. Lodging prices all along the coast will be more expensive.

Fall: The rain starts moving in again, but there still are chances for nice, sunny days. Starts to get less crowed.

Where to Stay in Cannon Beach, Oregon

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Cannon Beach, Oregon has a decent amount of hotels and motels available, but I personally haven’t stayed overnight in this town, as I’ve always visited during a road trip. But, you can check out the current hotel prices in Cannon Beach, Oregon here.

I’ve stayed in Astoria, Oregon (which is about 45 minutes north of Cannon Beach), as well as Seaside, Oregon (which is much closer at only 15 miles away). These are both great towns to stay in for an Oregon Coast road trip – and to see Haystack Rock!

Astoria, Oregon
Holiday Inn Express – check prices here
Or, check all Seaside, Oregon hotel prices and availability here.

Seaside Oregon:
Holiday Inn Express – check prices here
Or, check all Seaside, Oregon hotel prices and availability here.

Have you ever seen Haystack Rock or visited Cannon Beach, Oregon? What did you think?