Kayaking at Secret Beach
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Secret Beach is easy to recognize at a glance. Stunted conifers grow on dome-shaped rock islands near the shore. A small waterfall tumbles onto a narrow belt of sand in a secluded cove. Cliffs surrounding the beach make it feel like a world apart, one with more wonders just around the corner, close but out of reach. Enter, the kayak tour. I recently got the chance to take a guided tour with Secret Beach Kayaking. Paddling with an experienced guide brought me to sea caves, arches, and coves that would be inaccessible any other way. An unexpected bonus was a close encounter with a whale. It’s the kind of once-in-a-lifetime excursion that filled me with a sudden need to plan a trip to the southern Oregon Coast. Here’s what to expect on a Secret Beach Kayaking tour.
Natural Bridges by kayak
Tour experience
Beaches, caves, and arches
Secret Beach Kayaking tours explore one of my favorite places in the world, the Samuel Boardman Corridor. This remote and undeveloped part of the Oregon Coast is near the California border. Before my tour, I’d been to Secret Beach several times over the past ten years and was familiar with its many moods. High tide, low tide, dense fog, rain, warm and crowded, too stormy for the birds, name it. Seeing it from the water felt entirely new. The shore quickly becomes an afterthought. The sea stacks come into focus. Around the water line, orange and purple sea stars appear and disappear with lapping waves. A sea lion looks on curiously before swimming past. The cliffs fade gently into the marine layer.
As you paddle, you’ll see some of the Oregon Coast’s most interesting rock formations. Over millions of years, wind and waves have carved channels, caves, and arches into the coastline that was once an ancient seabed. The most impressive sight is Natural Bridges, a group of enormous sea arches. You can see two from a distance at the viewpoint on land. Kayak tours bring you close enough to paddle under them. Depending on what the ocean is doing on a particular day, tours explore the hidden corners of the coastline that are safe enough to approach. When the ocean is calm, you can paddle into sea caves and look for the anemones and sea stars living inside. On a choppier day, like the day of my tour, listen for the roar of the waves striking the hidden recesses in Thunder Rock.
Preparation and what to expect
When I told my friends I was going kayaking on the ocean, they all asked with thinly veiled concern if I was going alone. I guess I have a reputation for harebrained schemes that would make it likely for me to strike out on a choppy ocean in an inflatable boat by myself. But no, I have my limits. Marcus Mayorga, owner and tour guide for Secret Beach Kayaking, has years of experience kayaking on the Oregon Coast. He knows what a wave will do before it arrives and how to respond when it comes. My responsibilities were sensibly limited to following directions and keeping my kayak away from the rocks. Paddling gets harder when the waves are higher, but I found the kayak reassuringly stable.
I paddle under one of the Natural Bridges
You don’t need much kayaking experience to prepare for the tour. If you’ve never been, I’d suggest going at least once on a river or lake to get familiar with the paddling before heading to the ocean. Along the same lines, the day is a physical one, but you don’t need to be in amazing shape. I’m definitely not. I go hiking pretty often, but I have scrawny girl arms and do strength training, well, never. The hike to the beach has some uneven terrain, mostly tree root-related. You’ll need to be able to wade into the water and climb into and out of the boat. The paddling can be tiring, but you get breaks. I felt like I had exercised when I was done. I still went for a short hike in the afternoon.
Season and cost
Secret Beach Kayak tours operate from around April 15th to October 15th, the season when the weather on the Oregon Coast tends to be best.
Regular tours begin at 8 AM and last until around 11 AM, including two hours of paddle time. Private tours have a flexible start time, depending on the weather and conditions on the water.
Tours cost $119-199 per person.
Logistics
Make a reservation for your Secret Beach Kayaking tour by 8 PM the night before.
Tours meet at the Secret Beach Trailhead. The parking area on Highway 101 is an unpaved pull-out next to a guardrail. It doesn’t have a sign. Look for a truck with a white trailer.
The Secret Beach Trailhead has no amenities. Look for the nearest restrooms at Arch Rock State Park. Bring water with you.
Sometimes tours are canceled because conditions are too dangerous. If your tour is canceled, you'll receive a refund.
Kids can come on kayaking tours if they’re at least 80 pounds and accompanied by an adult in a tandem kayak.
The hike from the parking area to Secret Beach is a little less than half a mile round-trip. The terrain is pretty standard for Oregon Coast hiking: uneven with some rocks and roots, but no major obstacles. It’ll be kind of steep downhill on the way there and uphill on the way back.
Trail to Secret Beach
What’s included
Kayak
Guide
Wetsuit and booties
Lifejacket
Bin to secure car keys or anything you don’t want to bring on the kayak.
You can carry the kayak to and from the beach or, for an extra $25, your guide will do it for you. The kayaks are inflatable and about 30 pounds for a one-person boat.
Secret Beach
Packing list
Everyone
Swimsuit. I’d suggest wearing it under your clothes to make changing into the wetsuit easier when you arrive. You can change in the car or use the changing mat. There isn’t a changing room. You can also wear underwear under the wetsuit. Just know it might get a little wet.
Synthetic shirt or hoodie.
Hat/sunglasses (optional)
Phone for pictures (optional). The lifejacket has a pocket where you can store it while paddling.
Water bottle and snacks. I didn’t need them on the tour, but it was nice to have them in the car when I got back.
Photographers
Dry bag. 5L should do it unless you have a telephoto lens.
I liked having a backpack to secure the dry bag. I just used my normal hiking backpack, but it wouldn’t hurt to have a waterproof backpack. Or, you can strap the dry bag to the bottom of the kayak instead.
Optional but recommended: camera clip. I found it helpful to clip my camera to my backpack strap while I positioned my kayak. The Peak Design clip is secure and easy to release quickly.
Photography on a kayak tour
While you’re paddling, you’ll stow electronics somewhere waterproof. The kayak tour will have breaks for pictures as you go. I brought my phone and DSLR camera. The phone was easy to take in and out of the life jacket pocket. The camera was more involved. I had it in a dry bag in a backpack that sat on the backrest behind me. The kayak has straps on the bottom to secure things, but mine kept getting foam in it, and I liked having the bag off the bottom for extra peace of mind.
I take a break for pictures
If you’re taking pictures to remember your trip rather than professionally, I’d suggest using your phone camera. You’ll get beautiful images with fewer distractions, making it easier to stay fully in the moment. It also means one less device you’ll need to keep dry.
If you’re bringing a camera, let’s break it down. Photography while sea kayaking has two main challenges. The first is that you’re always moving. The kayak bobs, drifts, and turns in circles as soon as you stop paddling. A fast shutter speed will help keep the images sharp. I’d suggest using a setting that prioritizes shutter speed or, if you’re shooting in manual, set it to at least 1/1000. I usually shoot in manual, but found it too cumbersome on the kayak and switched to a shutter priority setting. You’ll need to listen for instructions from your guide and watch for waves and rocks. The light changes as your boat moves, which, again, is constantly. In other words, a lot is going on, and it helps to simplify where you can.
Marcus leads the way through Natural Bridges
Which brings me to the second challenge: paying attention to your surroundings while taking pictures. Whenever I stopped paddling, my kayak just loved drifting toward the rocks Marcus told me to avoid. The camera clip was useful in these situations. Instead of packing up the camera in my multi-bag system, I could clip it onto my backpack strap, paddle a few strokes toward a safer spot, and then quickly unclip. You’ll still want to stow it in the dry bag when you’re traveling between locations.
Wildlife at Secret Beach
Brown pelicans perch on one of the rocks near Secret Beach
Whether on land or on the water, Secret Beach is a great place to see Oregon Coast wildlife. Sea stars, mussels, barnacles, and anemones become visible on the cliffs and sea stacks at low tide. When I started my kayak tour, pelicans were floating just offshore, while harbor seals slept on the rocks nearby.
Harbor seals
Kayaking offers a unique opportunity for wildlife watching by bringing you to places that are normally inaccessible. You can see Natural Bridges from the viewpoint on land, but the sea stars below the arches are only visible from the water. Each kayak trip is different, and the animals around Secret Beach will vary. Seabirds are almost a sure thing. Brown pelicans flock to the Oregon Coast in summer. Gulls and cormorants are also frequent visitors. Watch for seals and sea lions bobbing in the water as you paddle. Kayak tours at Secret Beach sometimes see whales. Gray whales are the most common whales on the Oregon Coast, and they sometimes come very close to land. The highlight of my tour (and, maybe, my life) was seeing a gray whale surface about 20 feet in front of my kayak.
Gray whale breaches near the kayaks
Lodging near Secret Beach
Secret Beach is in an undeveloped region of the Oregon Coast. The nearest lodging options are in Gold Beach, about 20 minutes north, and Brookings, about 15 minutes south. Both are decent-sized towns with grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations.
Gold Beach
Jot’s Resort is a budget-friendly hotel with a pool and hot tub. It overlooks the Rogue River near where it empties into the ocean.
The Wildflower Inn is a hidden gem with many charming touches. Cross Highway 101 and you’ll be at the beach.
If your budget allows it, the Tu Tu Tun Lodge is a tranquil resort on the Rogue River designed around quality time in nature. It’s rustic in aesthetic only. Expect many amenities, like a pool, spa, and restaurant serving table-to-table cuisine. Since it’s a few miles up the Rogue River, it’s about 35 minutes from the Secret Beach Trailhead.
Brookings
The Pacific Sunset Inn is a good budget option within walking distance of Harris Beach State Park.
Ocean Suites Motel, next to Brookings Harbor, is an easy walk to the ocean.
The clean and comfortable rooms at the Beachfront Inn have excellent ocean views. The hotel has an on-site restaurant, gym, and pool.
The nearest campground is at Harris Beach State Park at the north end of Brookings. It’s popular. Make a reservation in advance.
Getting there
Several trails lead from Highway 101 to Secret Beach. As of 2025, kayak tours meet at the Secret Beach Trailhead, which has the shortest hiking distance to the beach.
The Oregon Department of Transportation is considering closing access to that trailhead and redirecting traffic to the Thunder Cove Trailhead. Follow the instructions from your guide when you reserve your tour. Check out my article on Secret Beach for detailed directions from the Thunder Cove Trailhead and all hiking options.
Enjoy your kayaking trip at Secret Beach!
With love,
Emma
Explore nearby
See more of the Samuel Boardman Corridor.
Find the best things to do in Brookings.
Visit Harris Beach State Park.
