A long sand spit separating Nehalem Bay from the ocean, a few miles south of town. The state park has an excellent campground (yurts and tent sites), a bike path along the spit, and a boat ramp onto the bay where crabbing is popular in summer. The bay itself is quiet water — flat enough for beginners in kayaks or canoes — and shorebirds crowd the mudflats at low tide. The spit's tip has a small airstrip and a horse camp, giving the park a slightly eccentric character that regulars love. In September, the Nehalem Bay Crab Derby draws competitive crabbers from across the region.