Moolack Beach

Moolack is a mixed beach and reef break that offers multiple peaks across its wide sandy shore, backed by rock features and dramatic headlands. Conditions are fickle—the exposure to open ocean often creates shore-break wash that obscures clean lines, but when a west swell combines with east offshore wind, typically in winter months, the break produces waist-to-stomach-high waves with rideable shape. The water is extremely cold, requiring a sealed spring wetsuit with booties and hood. Hazards include strong rip currents, sneaker waves, and driftwood, though sharks inhabit the area at very low encounter rates.

Access to Moolack is straightforward and free along Highway 101 north of Newport, with multiple pullouts and parking areas between mileposts 134 and 136. The northern approach via Wade Creek offers an easy 0.1-mile forest walk to the beach, while the southern access near Yaquina Head involves steeper, occasionally slippery terrain. The beach stretches roughly 3.5 miles and draws fewer crowds than nearby popular breaks, making it less pressured when conditions do align.