The Nehalem Bay is a bay formed by the confluence

Confluence (geography)

In geography, a confluence is the meeting of two or more bodies of water. It usually refers to the point where two streams flow together, merging into a single stream...

 of the Nehalem River

Nehalem River

The Nehalem River is a river on the Pacific coast of northwest Oregon in the United States, approximately long. It drains part of the Northern Oregon Coast Range northwest of Portland, originating on the east side of the mountains and flowing in a loop around the north end of the range near the...

 into the Pacific Ocean

Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...

 in northern Oregon

Oregon

Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...

.
The city of Nehalem

Nehalem, Oregon

Nehalem is a city in Tillamook County, Oregon, United States. Incorporated in 1889, the city is located on the Nehalem River at Nehalem Bay of the Pacific Ocean. It is bisected by U.S. Route 101. The population was 203 at the 2000 census.-History:...

 (pop. 233 in July 2009) is situated on US Highway 101

U.S. Route 101

U.S. Route 101, or U.S. Highway 101, is an important north–south U.S. highway that runs through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, on the West Coast of the United States...

 between Garibaldi

Garibaldi, Oregon

Garibaldi is a city in Tillamook County, Oregon, United States. The population was 895 in 2007 according to Portland State University.-History:...

 in the south and Cannon Beach

Cannon Beach, Oregon

Cannon Beach is a city in Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. The population was 1,588 as of the 2000 census. The 2007 estimate is 1,680 residents.- History :...

 in the north.

West of the bay, Nehalem Bay State Park

Nehalem Bay State Park

Nehalem Bay State Park is a state park in the United States located on the Oregon Coast, near the communities of Nehalem and Manzanita on the Nehalem Spit, a sand spit west of Nehalem Bay....

 is located on the sandspit separating the bay from the ocean, where elk

Elk

The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...

, coyote

Coyote

The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...

s, and several species of birds live. The park has a long beach, where centuries-old Spanish shipwrecks can be found. The park has campsites open all year and yurts, as well.