In most states some portion of beaches are public land and all members of the public have a right to use that portion of the beach. The ability to walk along the beach is known as lateral beach access.

But the land between where people can park or walk to the beach and where they can enjoy the beach is often private property, making it difficult to provide access to the public while protecting personal property rights. The ability to reach the beach is known as vertical beach access.

Laws regarding public access to beaches vary from state to state but many states recognize the public trust doctrine, a legal doctrine that certain natural resources such as beaches are owned or held by the government in trust for the public’s use and enjoyment and that the government has an obligation to protect and maintain these resources for the public.

In Oregon, the public has extensive rights to access and use the beaches along the state's coastline, thanks to the Oregon Beach Bill of 1967. This landmark legislation established public ownership of land along the Oregon coast from the water up to sixteen vertical feet above the low tide mark. This effectively makes the entire Oregon coastline public land, ensuring lateral beach access for walking, recreation, and other activities. However, vertical access, which refers to the paths from nearby roads or properties to the beach, can sometimes cross private property. The state and local governments work to maintain and establish public pathways to ensure that the public can reach these beaches. Oregon's approach to beach access is one of the most generous in the United States, reflecting the public trust doctrine that the government holds certain natural resources in trust for public use and enjoyment.