Netarts: Bay, Spit, and Coastal Landscape

The seven-mile-long Netarts Bay is designated as a natural estuary. Netarts lies in a coastal landscape surrounded by coastal rainforest and the Pacific Ocean. This combination makes water and nature natural themes to consider when choosing where to stay.

Bay, Spit, and Pacific Ocean

The Netarts Spit separates the town from the Pacific Ocean. It is a long, club-shaped stretch of sand with forest cover—a distinctive landform between the town and the ocean. Together with the bay, it offers different landscape features: the designated estuary, a forested sand spit, and the open Pacific. If you choose destinations based on their landscapes, you can consider these different aspects of Netarts separately rather than viewing it solely as a coastal destination.

Activities in and on Netarts Bay

Clamming is the main visitor activity in Netarts Bay. At the end of Crab Ave. there is beach access to Clamming Area 1 in the bay. This specific landmark is helpful if you are considering making clamming a focus of your stay. You can also hike in Netarts Bay and enjoy boating activities on the bay. The options differ in the type of experience they offer: beach access and gathering shellfish, getting around on foot, or spending time on the water. You can weigh whether you would rather focus your days on one activity or experience several sides of the bay.

Netarts Landing County Boat Launch has a concrete ramp for motorized boats, restrooms, and a parking lot. Check the facility’s current operating status before you go.

Route and Stories

Netarts is part of the Three Capes Scenic Loop. If you plan to include the route in your vacation, check current road conditions before driving. This lets you consider the drive along the loop as a planning priority in its own right, alongside activities in the bay.

Friends of Netarts Bay WEBS gives visitors opportunities to learn about and experience the distinctive natural and cultural history of the Netarts Bay area. The town’s name also has a linguistic history: Netarts is traced to “Ne ta at” in the language of the local Killamook tribe. The expression means “near the water”; later, the spelling was modernized to Netarts. This story behind the name adds a cultural perspective to the natural features.

Choose a Vacation Rental That Fits Your Plans

Use your planned activities as a guide when choosing a rental, and compare each listing’s specific location description with the destinations you actually want to visit. If you plan to go clamming, you can use the access to Clamming Area 1 at the end of Crab Ave. as a reference point; if you plan to drive the loop, factor current conditions into your plans. This comparison can help you tailor your vacation rental search to your plans.

Explore more destinations: Tillamook, Nehalem, Manzanita, Cloverdale, Cape Meares, Neskowin, Rockaway Beach, Garibaldi

For the broader travel overview: Tillamook County.