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When we planned a Lincoln City trip for a three-day weekend, we expected to spend most of the time looking for glass floats. We were totally stoked to spend the entirety of the weekend on the glass float hunt, even though the forecast said there would be rain every day. That’s just February in the Pacific Northwest. Maybe it would reduce the competition!
“But if we find a float,” I said to Bryan, as we sped toward the coast. “Let’s check out God’s Thumb.”
With a name like “God’s Thumb,” this hike had lingered in my imagination ever since I’d first come across it in an Oregon coast hiking article.
It turns out we did find a float, so we got to explore the God’s Thumb trail. The windswept headland of God’s Thumb juts into the ocean just north of Lincoln City, and being there feels like standing at the edge of the world. It’s like being in a terrestrial version of the scene in the Titanic movie when they’re standing at the ship’s bow, staring out to sea.
In today’s post, I’ll share everything you need to know to hike God’s Thumb trail yourself, and stay tuned for a video preview later in the post!
God’s Thumb Trail: The Highlights
Even though God’s Thumb is mostly known for its views, you won’t miss the magic of an Oregon forest hike on the God’s Thumb trail. The trail begins in the forest and then travels out to the ocean through moss-laden trees.
The evergreen forest is vibrant with life year-round. On our hike, we paused to watch a newt slowly meander across the trail ahead of us. Licorice ferns sprouted from mossy branches. A variety of very cool-looking mushrooms bloomed from the forest floor.
God’s Thumb itself is the last viewpoint on the hike, but it isn’t the only one. The trail first leaves the forest at a grassy hillside called the Knoll. The Knoll is a destination in its own right, providing magnificent views of Lincoln City and the ocean below. There’s a sense of freedom and peace up there in the hills, with the whole coastline shimmering below you.
Many hikers bypass the Knoll and go straight to God’s Thumb, but I’d definitely recommend stopping at the Knoll first. You’re much more likely to find solitude there. We encountered just one other couple at the Knoll, while there’s nearly always a group at God’s Thumb. God’s Thumb is popular for a reason, though, and it’s definitely worth visiting despite the crowd.
After emerging from the forest, the God’s Thumb trail meanders out across open meadows and then follows a narrow ridgeline out to God’s Thumb. A gradually sloping meadow borders the left side of the trail, but the right side follows a steep cliff dropoff. Be careful with your footing here!
At the final approach to God’s Thumb, the trail becomes a curiously deep cutout in the grass, about a foot or two below ground level. I felt secure in this section, since I could hold onto the ground with both hands!
Trail Conditions and Mud on the God’s Thumb Trail
The temperatures on the Oregon coast are pretty mild year-round, so God’s Thumb can be hiked in any season.
Unless you go in the summer, rain is reasonably likely; Lincoln City gets more than twice as much rain per year as the US average. According to BestPlaces, it sees an average of 82 inches of rain, vs the national average of 38 inches! That’s probably why the forest is so lush. Rain isn’t a big deal, though; just check the weather report and bring rain gear. I’d recommend a rain jacket, rain pants, and waterproof shoes.
We did this hike on February 20th, and rain was forecast for the whole weekend. It did rain, but it actually alternated between bouts of blue sky, rain showers, and even some hail. The weather definitely kept things interesting! Holding out for totally sunny days will mean many fewer days of exploring the Oregon outdoors.
There will likely be a lot of mud on the God’s Thumb trail in the rainy season. The mud isn’t a big deal for the hike to the viewpoint at the Knoll, but it makes the steep cliffside trail quite slippery in places for the last section of the hike out to God’s Thumb. Trekking poles are best for that section. If you need a set, this is a good set of trekking poles you can easily get online.
We didn’t bring our trekking poles, so I did that last section very slowly. Bryan chose to stop and appreciate the views from the meadows instead of going all the way out to God’s Thumb itself. We saw others doing the same. The views are great from both endpoints.
If You Need Rain Gear Recommendations:
We’ve been happy with the MARMOT Precip Waterproof Rain Jacket (women’s sizing or men’s sizing here). There are lots of effective rain jackets, but we’ve found that many of them contain chemicals of concern called perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in their waterproof coatings, so we’ve been happy to find this option that’s PFC-free (but still works at repelling water!). MARMOT likewise makes a line of PFC-free waterproof pants (women’s rain pants here, men’s rain pants here).
God’s Thumb Trail Length & Difficulty
There are a few route options you can take on the God’s Thumb hike. AllTrails recommends a route that’s 4.3 miles long. The AllTrails map highlights the recommended route, but it also shows the alternate trails. We wanted to explore a bit more, so we took a different trail on the way back and made the hike into a loop instead of an out-and-back.
Either way, the God’s Thumb hike is generally moderate in difficulty, though it has some sections that are steep and some that are unusually slippery due to the mud. A lot of trails in the Pacific Northwest are muddy, but the mud is more prevalent and more slippery at God’s Thumb than we’ve encountered on typical hikes.
Getting to the God’s Thumb Trailhead
God’s Thumb is in Lincoln City, a town on the central Oregon coast that’s about two hours by car from Portland. To find the right trailhead, navigate to The Knoll at Cascade Villages Head Trail on Google Maps. I’ve heard that parking elsewhere has caused conflict with the neighborhoods in the area, so please stick to the designated parking when you go.
Video of the God’s Thumb Trail Highlights
Check out God’s Thumb trail virtually with us in the video below!
While You’re in the Lincoln City Area
Lincoln City is a great place to visit if you’re traveling to Oregon, or if you live in the area and want to find more awesome outdoor things to do. It’s one of our favorite cities on the Oregon Coast. Here are a few nearby things to do after your hike to God’s Thumb:
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Harry Potter-themed cafe in Lincoln City, the Cheeky Cauldron: A great place to stop for a pumpkin juice or a butterbeer after a day of hiking!
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Glass float treasure hunt in Lincoln City: Beautiful blown-glass floats can be found along the Lincoln City beaches. If you find one, you can keep it! The city commissions glass artists to make the floats and then hides them along the beach every day for visitors to find. We found one after a 3-day search and put together this post to share tips & tricks.
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Tidepooling in Lincoln City: Lincoln City is a great place to look for sea creatures in the tide pools. This article explains everything you need to know to find the tide pools and catch them at the right time.
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Drift Creek Falls waterfall hike: About 35 minutes’ drive from Lincoln City, Drift Creek Falls is a waterfall hike with a special twist. A suspension footbridge allows hikers to walk right across the deep ravine that forms the waterfall, for a unique up-close view of the falls.
Other Adventures in the Pacific Northwest
For more adventure ideas in the Pacific Northwest, check out our PNW Trip Planner. You can find adventures near you and filter by season and difficulty level. There are weird and wonderful things to explore any time of year. The trip planner links to blog posts to help you plan your next adventure.
Happy exploring!