Whalen Island Campground

We just wanted a campground a little way north from Lincoln City and this looked nice. No hookups, dump station is closed (there is one at another campground in Pacific City, just a few miles south), there are two flush toilets with running cold water and a couple porta-potties, but this was a beautiful little place to spend a couple days and unwind. The hosts were beyond friendly and helpful, there were only 4 or 5 sites occupied, and great trails through the woods and hikes along the mud flats when the tide was out. We’ll make this a destination on our next trip through.

After reviewing the sites we chose #14, as it was the longest available, 50’. Our truck and trailer are close to that length hooked up. Wonderful camp host Kathy greeted us And suggested we park sideways in the site so our door and dinette view were out to the water😊
The trailer filled the width of the site. We were able to park at the front of the site. Made our site seem very private! (We we’re a little apprehensive about how to get out if someone took the site next to us!)
A group of cyclists moved in before our last night and were VERY CLOSE. They opted to move to another site where they could spread out and have more room as well.
So summer or busy weekends might be a little snug if the sites are full. Our experience was of respectful campers, however!
The sites are a little free form so lots of possibilities on how to pastor.
We had great walks out on to the and flats while the tide was out plus a beautiful loop hike around the “island”.
Perfect spot an hour and a half from home, for a quick getaway!

We pushed off from Portland a bit later than we'd planned and found ourselves out of luck when we got to Cape Lookout SP at 2 pm on a Monday afternoon. So we continued south and pulled into Whalen Island, a Tillamook County park situated at the throat of a lovely little island estuary opposite the Sand Lake ORV campgrounds.

Its laid out very informally... Which turns out to be part of this campgrounds charm. There are no definable boundaries for each site on the grassy rise just above the high tide mark. You can park any which way you want in proximity to your site's picnic table and fire ring. We had a front row seat to the rising and ebbing tide under an almost full moon in mid August.

Restrooms are very basic but the toilets are flush and there's foamy hand soap which is always a welcome touch. Park hosts are sweet and helpful and take their job seriously. They'll help you find just the right spot for your rig or tent... There were a couple of 32' RVs here which fit just fine.

The dump station is right at the rest room. Those needing handicapped facilities can go to the adjacent Clay Myers State Natura island just a hundred feet away.

There's a neat 2 mile round trip hike through the woods or along the estuary at low tide, all the way out to the ocean a mile away. My hiking map even claims that you can walk all the way across the Sand Lake at low tide along the Oregon coast trail.

Kids will have a swell time walking in the mud and digging up clams. And birders will be in heaven!

Cost seems very high for a park with few amenities but I know that Tillamook County is not well off so I am sure the money is highly appreciated. Campground will close for a while starting October 1 as they are putting a new bridge in out to the island.

Pets are welcome but there's an extra $5.59 charge for each visit per pet. Those who stay more than one night are not charged the $11 registration fee which is part of the $37 nightly fee. So additional nights are $26.

Needed the booster to get a couple of bars of 3g on our Verizon phones.