Oregon Coast King Tides 2026–2027: Dates, Viewing Guide + Neskowin

Every winter, a few days arrive when the Oregon Coast looks noticeably different. Beaches shrink. Water reaches places that are normally dry. Rocks that are easy to walk around become islands. These are Oregon's king tides, some of the highest predicted tides of the year.

Here in Neskowin, king tides can completely transform the view around Proposal Rock. From Pinecrest, which sits directly above the beach, we get a front row view as the Pacific moves across stretches of sand that were dry only hours earlier.

If you're planning a winter trip to the Oregon Coast, here's what king tides are, when the 2026–2027 king tides are expected, how to watch them safely, and what makes Neskowin an especially interesting place to experience them.

What are king tides?

"King tide" isn't actually a scientific term. It's the name commonly used for some of the highest predicted tides of the year.

Tides are primarily caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun. At certain times, the positions of the Earth, moon and sun combine to produce especially high tides. Along the Oregon Coast, some of the most noticeable of these high tides occur during winter.

There's an important distinction, though: king tides and big waves aren't the same thing.

A king tide refers to an unusually high water level. Wave size is influenced by weather, wind and conditions offshore. You can have a king tide on a relatively calm day, and you can have enormous waves on a day that isn't part of a king tide period.

When a king tide and a strong Pacific winter storm happen at the same time, the combination can be considerably more dramatic.

Those dates are the general king tide windows for the Oregon Coast. The ocean isn't at its highest level all day.

If you're hoping to see the effect, check the local tide table for the part of the coast you're visiting and look for the day's high tide. Tide heights and timing vary by location.

Where can you see king tides on the Oregon Coast?

King tides can be experienced all along the Oregon Coast, from the Columbia River to the California border.

They're particularly interesting in places where you can compare the unusually high water with familiar landmarks such as beaches, offshore rocks, bays, jetties and headlands.

But the best king tide viewpoint isn't necessarily the place that gets you closest to the water.

An elevated viewpoint often gives you a much better perspective on how far the ocean has moved inland while keeping you safely away from the surf.

King tides vs. storm watching

King tides and winter storms often get lumped together, but they're different.

King tides are predictable astronomical tides. Winter storms are weather events.

When elevated tides, strong winds and large offshore swells arrive together, conditions along the coast can become much more powerful.

If you're coming specifically to watch the ocean, check both the tide forecast and the current weather and surf forecast.

Why does Oregon track king tides?

Oregon's king tides are more than a winter attraction.

The Oregon King Tides Project asks people to photograph the coastline during these unusually high tides. Volunteers document beaches, roads, buildings and other areas affected by high water.

Returning to the same locations year after year creates a visual record of changing coastal conditions. The photographs help document flooding and erosion and can also help people visualize how higher sea levels could affect the Oregon Coast in the future.

Visitors can participate too. If you're on the coast during one of the king tide periods, you can photograph what you're seeing and contribute your images to the project.

KING TIDES IN NESKOWIN

Why Neskowin is an interesting place to watch the tides

Neskowin is a small Oregon Coast village, but its beach has two landmarks that make the changing tides particularly easy to see: Proposal Rock and the Neskowin Ghost Forest.

At lower tides, there's often a broad stretch of sand around Proposal Rock. Walk the same beach at a much higher tide and the landscape can look completely different.

The water moves much farther up the beach, Proposal Rock becomes surrounded by the Pacific and areas that were accessible only hours earlier disappear beneath the water.

Proposal Rock + the Neskowin Ghost Forest

One of the most unusual things about Neskowin is that part of its landscape isn't always visible.

At sufficiently low tides, ancient Sitka spruce stumps emerge from the sand near Proposal Rock. Known as the Neskowin Ghost Forest, the stumps are the remnants of a forest that stood here roughly 2,000 years ago.

At high tide, the Ghost Forest disappears beneath the Pacific.

That contrast makes Neskowin particularly interesting during periods of extreme tides. At one end of the tidal cycle you can see an enormous beach, Proposal Rock and ancient tree stumps. Hours later, much of that same landscape can be underwater.

Winter on the Oregon Coast

Summer on the Oregon Coast is easy to understand. Winter takes a little longer.

There are quiet mornings, nearly empty beaches, dramatic storms, occasional stretches of blue sky and days when simply watching the ocean becomes the day's entertainment.

King tides are part of that rhythm.

If you happen to be in Neskowin during one, you don't need to chase the biggest wave or stand at the edge of the water to experience it. Sometimes the best view is from above.