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Alsea Bay Beach

I’m always pleased to find beach access within a short number of steps. The bay beach near the Alsea Bay Bridge Interpretive Center is just that, plus includes a convenient view of this modern coastal bridge, so close you can hear the vehicles as they cross.

The destinations described here form a loop. If walking in sand is not appropriate for you, the picnic area and the bridge view bench can be visited individually.

Picnic area

50 Steps

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A pair of picnic tables overlooks the bayshore and provides seated viewing of the Alsea Bay Bridge.

Terrain: Flat pavement and sidewalk
Seating: Two picnic tables
Fee: No
Restrooms: Near the entrance to the Interpretive Center
Directions: To reach the Interpretive Center, just south of the Alsea Bridge in Waldport, turn west on Hemlock Street at stoplight or Spring Street (but no light). Take the next right and follow the road until you reach the parking lot. The picnic area is clearly visible to the north of the parking spaces next to the building.

Bridge view bench

75 Steps

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If you can negotiate stairs, and would like to experience the bridge panorama from a bit closer to the beach, this bench sits not far from the bridge’s entrance spires.

Terrain: Flat sidewalk, descent of seven stairs with handrails
Seating: One backless bench
Fee: No
Restrooms: Near the entrance to the Interpretive Center
Directions: From the indicated parking, head toward the picnic area and then down the stairs to its right. The bench is on the left at the bottom of the stairs.

Beach walk

200 Steps

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Beaching walking! The wind through your hair, gulls gliding above and bobbing on swells, sand crunching underfoot, waters lapping against the shoreline, fresh ionized sea air filling your lungs. Nothing is like a walk on the beach!

Terrain: Loose sand for about 30 steps, then decent of seven shallow stairs with handrails. On the beach, there is loose sand for about 25 steps until it firms up closer to the water. May need to sludge through some wet sand for a few steps depending on the tide (we sank a couple of inches).
Seating: There is a black, flat-topped rock suitable for one person’s resting at the end of the route, next to the returning stairway.
Fee: No
Restrooms: Near the entrance to the Interpretive Center
Directions: From the bridge view bench at the bottom of the first stairway, head left across the sand and descend the second stairway. Follow the water line until you reach the black, flat-topped rock near the returning stairway.

Return from beach

100 Steps

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After reposing on the rock-cum-bench, you can ascend the stairs and return to your car, or head to the Interpretive Center for an educational experience.

Terrain: Climb of seven shallow stairs with handrails, then flat sidewalk and pavement in the parking lot
Seating: No
Fee: No
Restrooms: Near the entrance to the Interpretive Center
Directions: From the black, flat-topped rock, climb the stairs and return through the parking lot to complete the walk’s loop.

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