Salem to the Coast in an EV, with Your Dog: A Charging Road Trip
Fall is one of the best times to take the dog to the coast. The summer crowds are gone, the beaches are wide open, and an electric car handles the Salem-to-Newport run with room to spare. The trick is knowing where the chargers are, which ones your car can actually use, and what there is to do with a dog while you wait.
Here's a practical guide to the trip, built from public charging data and our own stops at the Lincoln City and Newport Superchargers.
Pick your route
The classic: OR-22 to OR-18 to Lincoln City. From Salem, head west on OR-22 toward Dallas and Willamina, pick up OR-18 (the Salmon River Highway) through Grand Ronde, and meet Highway 101 just north of Lincoln City. It's roughly 60 miles and about an hour and a quarter in light traffic. From Lincoln City, Highway 101 runs about 21 miles south to Newport.
The alternative: Corvallis and US-20. Take I-5 or OR-99E south to Albany or Corvallis, then US-20 west through Philomath and the Coast Range straight into Newport. It's a bit longer, roughly 85 miles, and makes a good loop: go out one way, come home the other.
Both routes climb over the Coast Range, and you'll use more energy heading west than you get back coming home. Plan on starting with a healthy charge either way.
Charging stops along the way
Charger access is the part that trips people up, because not every charger takes every car. Here's what's on the OR-22/OR-18 route as of this writing. Always check the network's app or PlugShare before you leave.
Grand Ronde (OR-18): WCEH Grand Ronde, EVCS. 26820 Salmon River Hwy. This is one of the original West Coast Electric Highway sites, now run by EVCS. One DC fast charger, up to 50 kW, with CCS and CHAdeMO plugs, plus Level 2. One fast stall means you may wait. Teslas need a CCS adapter.
Grand Ronde: Spirit Mountain Casino and Hotel. 27100 Salmon River Hwy. Level 2 (J1772) chargers on the ChargePoint network, front of the hotel and out back. Drivers on PlugShare report roughly 6 to 11 kW, which makes this a topping-off stop during a meal, not a quick splash.
Lincoln City: Lincoln City Outlets Tesla Supercharger. 1500 SE East Devils Lake Rd. 8 stalls, up to 150 kW, open 24/7. Tesla lists it as Tesla-only, so other EVs can't use it right now.
Lincoln City: Lincoln City Cultural Center, EVCS. 540 NE Hwy 101. Another West Coast Electric Highway site, with 50 kW DC fast chargers (CCS and CHAdeMO) and Level 2, open 24/7. This is the go-to fast stop in Lincoln City for non-Tesla EVs.
Newport: Newport Tesla Supercharger. 2220 North Coast Highway. 8 stalls, up to 250 kW, open 24/7. Tesla lists this as a "NACS Partner Site" open to all EVs. Non-Tesla cars with a CCS port need a NACS adapter, and should check that their car is supported in the Tesla app.
Newport: Electrify America at Walmart. 160 NW 25th Street. 4 DC fast stalls rated up to 350 kW, CCS (plus CHAdeMO on some units), open 24 hours. Driver reviews over the years mention stalls being down at times, so have a backup.
What's near the Lincoln City and Newport Superchargers
I stopped at both on my last coast run and wrote them up with photos.
At Lincoln City Outlets, the stalls are in a single row along the edge of the outlet lot, backed by grass and pine trees. The outlet shops are generally open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (8 p.m. Saturdays), and there are public restrooms in the center, but drivers report they're only open during mall hours. There's a grassy edge for a quick dog stretch. Full field report: Lincoln City Outlets Supercharger.
At Newport, the big change is that the anchor Safeway next to the Supercharger has closed, so don't count on grabbing groceries or a restroom there while you charge. Plan your snack and bathroom break somewhere else in town. Full field report: Newport Supercharger.
(Willamette News and Oregon Critter Company are managed by the same people.)
Dogs on the beach: the rules
Oregon's beaches are some of the most dog-friendly in the country, but there are rules, and they differ between the beach and the state parks next to it.
On the ocean shore, dogs can be off leash if they're under "direct control," meaning in your sight and responding to voice commands. You must carry a leash at all times and leash up if a park employee asks.
Inside Oregon State Parks (parking lots, trails, picnic areas, campgrounds), dogs must be on a leash no longer than six feet.
Some beaches require leashes. The beach in front of Cape Lookout State Park is one. Check the signs at each beach access.
Snowy plover areas have extra restrictions from March 15 to Sept. 15, and some are closed to dogs entirely in season. That season is over for this fall, but keep it in mind next spring.
Pick up after your dog, and don't let it chase birds or wildlife.
Good stretches to try: the long beach at Lincoln City (several public accesses off Highway 101) and Nye Beach in Newport, a short walk from the shops and cafes of the Nye Beach neighborhood.
Coast weather and range tips
Expect cool, damp weather. Fog and drizzle are common even in fall. On my Lincoln City stop it was thick fog and puddles at noon. Cold, wet air means you'll use some energy on heat and defrost.
Precondition before you leave. Warming the cabin and battery while still plugged in at home saves range for the drive.
The climb costs more than the descent gives back. Going over the Coast Range, expect lower efficiency westbound.
Leave a cushion. Single-stall sites like Grand Ronde can be busy or down. Arrive at each stop with enough charge to reach the next one.
Never leave a dog in a parked car without climate running. Many EVs can keep the cabin heated or cooled while parked. Our companion piece on orcritters.com explains how on several popular models.
A simple sample itinerary
Day trip, Salem to Newport and back
1. 8:30 a.m. Leave Salem with a full charge, cabin preconditioned.
2. 10:00 a.m. Lincoln City. Tesla drivers can top up at the outlets; others can use the Cultural Center chargers. Dog walk on the beach.
3. 11:30 a.m. Drive Highway 101 south to Newport, about 21 miles.
4. Noon to 3:00 p.m. Lunch and a long walk at Nye Beach. Charge at the Newport Supercharger or the Electrify America site if you need it for the trip home.
5. 3:30 p.m. Head home on US-20 through Corvallis for a loop, or retrace OR-18 and OR-22.
Renting an EV for the trip
Don't own an EV, or want something with more room for the dog? The practical side of this trip, charge times at each stop, keeping your dog comfortable while parked, and a first-time EV renter's checklist, is in our companion piece at Oregon Critter Company: Coast EV road trip with your dog: the charging and rental checklist.
(Willamette News and Oregon Critter Company are managed by the same people.)
Gear that helps
A waterproof dog seat cover keeps sand and wet fur off the seats after a beach walk. URPOWER waterproof dog car seat cover
A collapsible travel water bowl for charging stops. Kurgo Collaps-A-Bowl
A NACS-to-CCS adapter if you drive a non-Tesla and want to use partner Superchargers like Newport. Check that it's approved for your car. Lectron Vortex Plus NACS-to-CCS adapter
Cover photo: Nye Beach, Newport, Oregon, by Tamanoeconomico via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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