Secret Beach is the worst kept secret in Oregon.

But that’s OK! Its popularity is a result of its extreme beauty. Naturally, it draws visitors from all over.

As such, it is an exemplary background for an elopement ceremony, or just some portraits if you prefer a more private place to exchange vows.

The day that I was at Secret Beach with Ashley and Frankie, it was a bit crowded. Luckily, these are two of the most outgoing and gregarious people I’ve ever had the privilege of photographing.

Secret Beach has a couple of different routes to get down there. One of the trails is longer, more meandering, and less steep. The other (which used to be more secret, but someone added the trailhead to Google Maps) is a shorter, steeper, more direct route. If you’ve got some time, I recommend the longer trail. It’s a nice trip through some coastal woods and you catch glimpses of the beach along the way. The shorter route is better for folks short on time (or short on whimsy… no disrespect).

SAFETY NOTE: Please please please be careful when exploring Secret Beach! The area where many folks like to stand and look down at the cove is COVERED in poison oak. Please do some research on how to identify it before heading there. It’s particularly tricky because the stems and branches can give you a rash when there are no leaves present. I have seen too many pictures from other photographers who have put their muses RIGHT next to some of the thickest patches… I always just hope silently to myself that they did their due diligence to keep everyone safe and rash-free.

In my head, Secret Beach is split into three sections: the overlook, the front beach and the back beach… the front and back beaches are really the same beach, but there is a large, thin rock dissecting the sand that creates a sort of separation. Each area is fun to explore, but my ideal elopement situation is this: portraits at the overlook, dynamic fun photos on the front beach, private (ish) vows on the back beach.

Once in my career have I been lucky enough to see the BACK back beach… At particularly low tides, a passage way becomes accessible and you can clamber over some rocks to get to an actually sort of secret beach. Ha! You must have excellent timing with tides, be willing to get your feet wet, and to walk over some crusty barnacle rocks, but it was a pretty fun adventure getting back there.

Secret Beach for an elopement is a classic choice. I would put it in the top 5 elopement locations on the Oregon Coast, for sure. There are definitely areas that I prefer, but the sheer beauty and drama of this place cannot be overstated, and it cannot be ignored.

Oregon Coast Elopement Photographer

The Oregon Coast is where my love for Oregon was really solidified, and I have been exploring all of its varied, diverse landscapes ever since. My background in outdoor guiding and nature education gives a unique and cool (in my humble opinion) approach to planning and photographing adventure elopements… I also super love the types of clients I attract for that reason. Once, a person found a tiktok I posted about the rocks in my car and booked me to photograph their Oregon Coast elopement… you better believe I built in some rock hunting into their elopement timeline 🙂

If that sort of thing piques your interest, I’d be stoked to be considered as your elopement photographer when you embark upon your grand elopement planning adventure.

It can be a little overwhelming, so I’m happy to get you started by answering any questions you have. Get in touch here, no strings attached.