The Oregon Coast: Everything Promised & Then Some
Have you ever been to the Oregon coast? Or perhaps, like me, you’ve just seen amazing photos and heard about its unique and immense beauty? Well, let me tell you. This is the only area of the country—sans Alaska—that I had yet had the opportunity to experience. So my expectations were pretty high. Were they met?
If these photos represent just 10% of the actual beauty seen live and in-person, then the answer is an unequivocal YES!
Coos Bay
We started out on the central coast exploring Coos Bay. The town of Coos Bay was a little disappointing to me, to be honest. Maybe my expectations were a little too high; for some reason, I was expecting one of those charming coastal towns with cute boutiques, and locally-owned shops and galleries. But the city itself is a little more of a working-class and industrial one. We did come across a little gem of a park, complete with a duck pond, quaint little bridges and gorgeous trails, along with a cool farmer’s market where people from all around the area sold unique produce, art, and more. I tried some ‘Artisanal Rough-Cut Sourdough Noodles’, made with mushroom and quail eggs! Yum.
What we discovered next was a number of beautiful state parks all along the coast. We stayed at Bastendorff Beach, seemingly buried deep in a tropical forest yet just a stone’s throw from the beach. We ventured down to Sunset Bay Beach, where we heard there were some great hiking trails. Unable to find a clearly marked trail initially, we headed up a curvy, narrow trail up a steep sea cliff hugging the coast. I’m getting better at listening to my inner second-thoughts voice, as we had to navigate over fallen trees, super narrow paths, and jungle-like plants spreading across the trail. I began to think I might need a machete! Even though this was clearly made to be a manicured trail, it was a little more hard-core than I had bargained for, so decided to turn around and give up. Fortunately, I love talking to people, so greeted a nice couple down on the beach—who were somewhat crazily going to kayak in the cove on a cold, cloudy, day—and who told me of a great trail on the OTHER end of the parking lot that was much safer. So, after traversing the rocky beach to try to get a little closer to the ocean—without falling in—off we went!
The huge rocks and sea stacks were incredibly interesting to view up close. According to the Oregon Coast Visitors Association, they were formed by massive ancient volcanic eruptions, tectonic plate uplift, and millions of years of relentless wave erosion. Many of the Oregon coast’s soaring cliffs and most spectacular sea stacks—those giant rocks in the Pacific close to shore—are made of basalt. This charcoal-gray igneous rock, which is formed by cooled lava, covers much of the state. That’s because a series of volcanic eruptions in what is now Northeastern Oregon between 15 and 16 million years ago sent huge quantities of lava flooding over the landscape, where it accumulated in immense quantities—in some places, up to 2 miles deep. Geologists believe that some of the more remarkable examples of basalt headlands were formed when molten basalt flowed into prehistoric estuaries, creating long underwater protrusions of rock. Once they emerged above sea level, the soft sediment around those protrusions eroded completely, leaving dramatic headlands we see today. So ends the lesson ;-).
We next headed to Simpson Beach, and followed the loud barks of several dozen sea lions and seals to the top of Simpson Reef, where I had another total geekout moment, because I saw a BALD EAGLE! Y’all, I can safely say I have never seen a bald eagle in the wild. It was a sentinel moment for me! It was hanging out on some of the large rocks near the beach where all the seals were. Just hanging out (seemingly, at least). I’m glad I brought my binoculars but wish I had a long zoom lens; my iPhone does a pretty good job generally, but it was pretty far away. What a treat, though!
Florence
On the way to our next campground, we had to stop and spend a little bit of time in the seaside town of Florence. Always one to go out of my way to visit a lighthouse, we headed toward the Umpqua River Lighthouse first. Originally the first lighthouse in the Oregon Territory was built in 1857 near the mouth of the Umpqua River. It was undermined and destroyed by a flood in 1864, then rebuilt near Florence in 1894. There also was a lovely museum there.
We then walked the Historic Old Town district of Florence, brimming with cute storefronts packed with boutiques, galleries, restaurants and candy shops.
Newport
Once settled near Newport, Oregon, on a lovely site right on the Alsea River, we spent the next two days exploring this harbor town and the beautiful coastal area around it. We’ve spent a lot of time traveling the 101, and this time it took us over the Yaquina Bay Bridge in Newport, an iconic Art Deco/Gothic Revival arch bridge that was built in 1936.
The historic district was quite interesting; one half of the street had the type of cute, quaint, local shops that you know I love, and the other was a working harbor, with fishermen and big seafood processing plants. Then of course there was the constant barking of the sea lions near the fishing docks. They are California Sea Lions, and they love to lay on the rocks and the docks while they are visiting Yaquina Bay. Adult and sub-adult sea lion males can be found on the docks; they live there for 11 months out of the year. In July, they migrate to the Channel Islands of Southern California where the females stay year-round. After breeding, they return around the first week in August. The locals say that the one month when they are gone is eerily quiet!
And okay ladies, let’s pause a minute. Anyone want to send their husband/boyfriend off for 11 months of the year? Haha. Just kidding.
Our next outing was the most marvelous, outstanding, stupendous, Oregon-coast-iconic landscape of them all! Walking up to the Yaquina Head Lighthouse in Newport provided us with quintessential views. AND Y’ALL … I saw another BALD EAGLE! In fact, there were two there, hanging out in a tree by the lighthouse. There were some smaller, crow-like birds picking fights with them (I guess their presence was threatening their young, or something?). I caught them in mid-flight as they started to chase each other around the tree.
The lighthouse itself has the tallest tower on the Oregon Coast, and stands at 162 feet above sea level. This is the only lighthouse in Oregon with a marble floor, for what that’s worth. We walked down a million steps (slight exaggeration) to Cobble Beach, where some harbor seals were swimming around the tidal pools. Atop one of the basalt headlands was a massive group of birds, called murres. Up to 10,000 of them raise chicks on top of Pillar Rock (see photo). A female lays one pear-shaped egg that will spin, but not roll off a cliff. Parents take turns incubating their egg, which they recognize by unique markings and color. At three weeks old, their chick leaps off the edge. Thousands of “jumplings” will flutter down to their waiting fathers who care for them at sea until they learn to fly and dive for fish. Like penguins, murres are black and white, stand upright, and swim after fish underwater. Murres live to age 20!
Cape Meares + Tillamook
Heading up the 101 to Tillamook (a truly beautiful drive), we stopped at Cape Meares, near Oceanside, Oregon, about 75 miles from the Washington border, and as far north up the Oregon coast that we will make this trip. We first came upon the unique Octopus Tree, a 250-300-year-old Sitka spruce with massive, sprawling limbs that grow horizontally before turning upward, resembling tentacles. It’s unusual shape was possibly formed by natural forces or trained by Indigenous peoples for ceremonial purposes, such as holding canoes for tree burials. It’s over 14 feet across at its base and 105 feet tall.
Then we took the trail down to the Cape Meares Lighthouse (I just can’t get enough of lighthouses!!). The tower stands just 38 feet high and is the shortest lighthouse in Oregon. We talked to lovely people up and down the trail, all of whom were fawning over Maisie, of course.
Our final stop on our tour of the Oregon coast was one that came highly recommended by someone I met at a dog park in Eugene (of all places ;-). The Tillamook Creamery! Rather than tour the creamery to see how they make all their cheese and ice creams, etc., I watched a video about it since dogs weren’t technically allowed inside. I say ‘technically’ because YES, I went inside with her anyway. Sometimes we just have to try and get kicked out rather than miss out completely! We were able to peruse the engaging interior where they tell the history of the company, their store where they sell LOTS of dairy products and swag, and wound through the main floor. I REALLY wanted to sample some of their hand-scooped ice cream, but the line was way too long. Boo!
I didn’t want to overstay my welcome (so to speak), so we scooted out and headed away from the coast to a few inland cities. More on that in the next blog!