When it officially opened in 2021, the Corvallis-to-the-Sea Trail was the realization of a decades-long dream to connect the Willamette Valley and the Oregon Coast via a brand-new hiking and biking trail. Starting in downtown Corvallis and ending just south of Newport, the winding trail cuts through the urban bustle, bucolic farmland, rolling hillsides and more – all in just 62 miles. Along the way, it gives dedicated day hikers, busy backpackers, and cyclists plenty of new terrain to explore through a rich variety of landscapes showcasing the beauty of the Willamette Valley and the Oregon Coast Range.
The Corvallis-to-the-Sea Trail’s eastern terminus sits at the confluence of the Willamette and Marys rivers near the southern edge of downtown Corvallis. From there, the trail follows a bike path between Corvallis and Philomath, passes quiet creeks, darts in and out of young forests, and heads through suburban communities. Once you leave the community of Philomath, the Corvallis-to-the-Sea Trail ascends into the heart of the Oregon Coast Range, where you’ll take rural roads past regal farmhouses, head onto gravel roads through logged forestland, and skirt the northern edge of Marys Peak through forests of cedar and Douglas fir.
The Corvallis-to-the-Sea Trail passes through remote forestland, so there’s every chance you’ll see deer, elk and a variety of birds that call the region home, and springtime wildflowers are abundant through May in the Coast Range foothills.
The final stretch of the Corvallis-to-the-Sea Trail descends from the Oregon Coast Range toward the Oregon Coast; along the way, the trail follows old Forest Service roads, heads into moss-covered forests of hemlock and cedar, and passes through logging backcountry.
The trail comprises several types of stitched-together paths, including bike paths, paved rural roads, gravel logging and Forest Service roads, and single-track dirt trails. Hikers and cyclists must obtain just one permit along the entire trail, and that applies only to the Old Peak Road portion of the trail, just west of Philomath.
Hiking or cycling the stunning 62 miles of the Corvallis-To-The-Sea Trail offers adventure, solitude, and beauty. Hikers and cyclists who are ready to tackle this challenge should be sure to visit C2CTrail.org and VisitCorvallis.com for all the information needed to start planning the adventure.
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