A view of Gull Rock from the north.

Not to be confused with other Oregon Coast sea stacks by the same name — including one at Otter Crest Beach near Devil’s Punchbowl, and another offshore from Cape Blanco to the south — the Gull Rock of the North Coast is hidden along the sand strip of Cove Beach, near Cape Falcon.

Closer to the shore than its neighbor, Castle Rock, Gull Rock is a wide, flat outcrop — surrounded by smaller rocks — with a grassy surface that attracts plenty of seabirds, including murres and guillemots.

The rocks are enclosed by a pocket beach, which is covered with a sheet of volcanic cobbles above the high tide line. The loud, chattering noise of the tumbling stones against the push and pull of the surf has led some to give it the nickname “Magic Rocks Beach.”

To access the cove, take the Arch Cape Loop Hike, starting from one of two public access points along the Tide Road Trail. This trailhead is located within the forested neighborhood of Cove Beach, and is accessible off Cape Falcon Road from U.S. Highway 101.

A round-trip hike along the length of Cove Beach is 3.4 miles. During very low tides, this trip can be extended north by rounding the Arch Cape headland, with a walk by barnacle-encrusted rocks and sea caves.