Hiking Simpson Reef from Shore Acres State Park

Hiking to Simpson Reef from Shore Acres State Park

One of my favorite moments of hiking in Southern Oregon came as a bit of a surprise. When I arrived, I went from the airport to the first state park I could find and hiked the first trails that I saw. this led me to the Hike to Simpson Reef from Shore Acres State Park. This hike had an amazing beach, cliffside views and one of the most beautiful reefs I have ever seen that was full of sea lions, seals and crystal clear ocean water. For a land-locked mountain guy, Simpson Reef turned into one of the most unforgettable moments of my life.

Editor’s Note: This trail has been closed for part of the winter ’26 due to a landslide. Always check with the park for current conditions and trail closings.

Getting Started

The start of this short, roughly 3 mile hike, is near the observation center of Shore Acres. There is also a short version of this hike that takes you to the Gardens at Shore Acres, but to get to the reef, head straight through the woods and look for signs for the beach.

The Journey through the woods is relatively short, about two-tenths of a mile before you start to see Simpson beach below you. There is a bit of a staircase built to make the trip down to the water a little bit easier and the decent never gets above an 8% grade.

Simpson Beach

The trip down is absolutely worth it to see this amazing beach. the water is surrounded by tall cliffs and woods and the water on my visit was calm and smooth. the sand is soft and the beach was a lot bigger than I was expecting. It felt like a wonderful little hidden spot, though a few people were already down there. I have to admit that I spent a few extra moments here on both the hike out and back just admiring how stunning this spot is.

To the west of the beach, the trail continues and starts with the biggest and only main incline of the hike. This time there are no stairs but instead a steep, ramp like trail leading back up to the topside of the cliffs. This steep section lasts for about a tenth of a mile and does have a grade up to 10% so it is relatively steep but also worth it for the views that aren’t too far away!

First Overlook

On top of the hill, the trail comes to a crossing. Heading to the north will continue on the Simpson Reef trail and some amazing views. Before long, the trees will give way to open air and this is where the trail gets a little hard to follow. Many social trails have appeared that lead to the cliffside and through the tall bushes. I took one of the trails that led to the edge and was impressed with two views. The first one, below, shows the cliffs looking back at Shore Acres.

While moving around the cliffside reveals the first glimpse of Simpson Reef. While I saw the reef, I couldn’t quite make out what sounded a lot like dogs barking in the distance.

After the overlook I found the proper trail to head to Simpson Reef. This is a wider trail that leads south running parallel but not next to the water. It also dips back into the woods for about a third of a mile before a short section right next to the road that leads to the Simpson Reef Overlook.

Simpson Reef

Simpson Reef is a series of islands that jut out from the coast. From the overlook it feels like it might stretch out a mile or maybe a half mile into the ocean. There is an external ring or rocks that seem to protect it a bit that is visible during low tide. The biggest island is called Shell Island and in the low tide, a small sandy beach is exposed and the whole area is absolutely stunning.

The reef itself is stunning and I was also blown away by how clear the water was. It didn’t really come through on the pictures because of the sun angle but looking down, it was easy to see the rocky ocean floor under the reef. I could also watch seals swimming through the water as the got a little closer to the coast but what really blew me away was the massive amount of sea life that made this place home. Plus, I finally figured out what sounded like far away dogs barking!

The Seal Life

Every square inch of land seemed on Simpson Reef seemed to be covered with a seal or sea lion or other large mammal that I couldn’t identify. None as covered as the small sandy beach on the largest island of the group. The Shell Island beach had to have 500 animals basking in late afternoon soon. They were barking at each other, a few were bumping for position or swimming in the water, but for the most part, it was a lot of basking. A life choice I can definitely get behind!

While the beach was definitely the most popular spot, it was not the only place the sea life congregated. Every bit of land above the water was covered. Even small little bits that barely fit a seal had one balancing against the wake. There were also several animals swimming around the water between each piece of valuable real estate. It was such an amazing sight. And they were not quiet! Despite being so far away, it was so loud at the overlook!

This is one of those memories that will be with me forever. I have seen small herds of deer or elk or even small families of moose, but nothing like what I saw on Simpson Reef. Simply amazing!

Video of the hike to Simpson Reef from Shore Acres

I have put this time-lapse video together of the Simpson Reef from Shore Acres hike so other hikers can get a feel of what the hike is like. If you enjoy this video make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. It is free to subscribe and you will get the latest outdoor content.

Distance and Elevation

If you don’t have the AllTrails app you might want to check it out, I really love mine. It records your progress and is a great way to search for hikes that are nearby and gives you difficulty measurements. According to AllTrails today’s hike was around 2.93 miles and had a total elevation gain of about 187 feet including undulations. That put the high point at around 97 feet. I was also moving for a total 1 hour and 1 minute.

I am a Pro member of AllTrails and love it. If you are interested in the platform, please consider using my affiliate link for AllTrails. It gives me a small commission with no extra cost to you.

Effort

The hike to Simpson Reef from Shore Acres State park isn’t the most challenging but there are a couple of tricky spots. First, the decent down to Simpson beach and then back up from the beach to the clifftop has some elevation that needs to be dealt with. Next, the trail does get a little harder to follow between the cliffside and the overlook for Simpson reef. There is some overgrowth and several social trails that split off and it is hard to tell where to go. For these reasons I am going to mark this hike as a Moderately challenging hike. Though, physically it is about average.

Terrain

There are several terrains that you will have to deal with while hiking to Simpson Reef from Shore Acres State Park. The hike begins through some moderately thick woods. It then descends down to a beach which includes some walking on sand. This is followed by some more woods and then some exposed areas and finally a road. Good hiking shoes and coverage for bugs and sun should be considered for this hike.

Access to the Simpson Reef hike from Shore Acres

Shore Acres State Park is located at 89526 Cape Arago Highway in Coos Bay, Oregon. There is plenty of parking around the circular drive and some restrooms are available at the park. The park is part of the Oregon State Park System and a pass is required. Passes can be purchased at a kiosk near the entrance for $10 or an annual pass may be used.

Wrapping up the Simpson Reef from Shore Acres Hike

The hike to Simpson Free from Shore Acres State park was one of the most memorable of my life. Starting with one of the coolest beaches I have ever seen, including an amazing look down the rocky Oregon Coast, and finishing with the stunning Simpson Reef, completely occupied with seals and sea lions, this is something I will never forget.

For those who don’t know if they can make the hike, it is also possible to drive to the Simpson Reef Overlook. If you ever find yourself in southern Oregon, this is an absolute must see reef!

I have added this hike and all of my hikes to the interactive map page you can find here. If you have any suggestions for hikes or comments feel free to email me at fatmanlittletrails@gmail.com or you can follow me on any of the below social media platforms. Happy Hiking!

Gallery of the Simpson Reef from Shore Acres Hike

1 2 ►