Programs

Several places along the Oregon coast offer on-site interpretive programs that give you the opportunity to learn more about rocky shore species and their habitats. Several have a touch tank and other fun educational opportunities.

Some Oregon State Parks offer tidepool walks or have a seasonal on-site roving ranger, including but possibly not limited to those listed on this page. Check out the regularly updated Oregon State Parks events page on the main website for details.

For a virtual tour of a tidepool with an Oregon State Parks ranger, visit the multimedia "Watch and Listen" section of this site.

Ranger interpretation image

A roving interpretive ranger shares interesting details about mussel beds with a beach visitor.

Programs by coastal region

North Coast

Haystack Rock (in Cannon Beach, near Seaside) has seasonal interpreters (Haystack Rock Awareness Program) that offer an educational display, microscopes, touch tanks and tidepool rangers to answer questions;
Ecola State Park (near Cannon Beach) and Oswald West State Park (near Manzanita) offer seasonal rocky shore interpretive programs.

Central Coast

Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area managed by the BLM is just north of Newport. It has a visitor center and guided tidepool walks;
Oregon Coast Aquarium and the Hatfield Marine Science Center Visitor’s Center are both in Newport;
Seal Rock State Recreation Area, just south of Newport, has a seasonal rocky shore interpretive ranger that offers educational opportunities down in the tidepools;
Cape Perpetua Visitors Center, just south of Yachats may offer guided tidepool walks along with presentations and movies on related topics including birds and marine mammals;
Carl B. Washburne State Park (south of Yachats) may offer seasonal rocky shore programs at the campground and at the Strawberry Hill wayside in nearby Neptune State Scenic Viewpoint or Heceta Head Lighthouse State Scenic Viewpoint.

South Coast

Shoreline Education for Awareness offers programs in the spring at Coquille Point (Bandon), and at the Simpson Reef overlook, near Coos Bay in the summer;
Sunset Bay State Park (near Coos Bay) has a seasonal rocky shore interpreter that offers campground and tidepool programs;
Harris Beach State Park (near Brookings) has an interpreter that may offer seasonal campground and tidepool programs.

Oregon Tidepools

Interpretive programs