Cannon Beach Winter Top Ten: Oregon Coast Insider Tips

Published 12/13/2019 at 5:35 AM PDT
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Cannon Beach, Oregon) – Winter on these beaches is a singularly intense endeavor where adventure can be found at just about every turn, and not just during the storms. There are quite a few aspects of the north coast’s famed Cannon Beach during this season you probably don’t know about. But you’re about to find out - and then there’s a few you likely need to be reminded of.

Here’s a list of top ten unique talking and walking points of the town. See the links for details.

Storm Watching. Everybody and their dog knows this one. It’s the salient aspect of the Oregon coast. But in Cannon Beach, safety is a must during wild wave moments – but you also want a good view of the action. Haystack Rock isn’t necessarily always the craziest spot, but it does provide a few incidents of towering breakers. Most of the town’s beaches are not safe to be on when waves go jetting up the shoreline, so you’ll want to stick to high vantage points. Ecola State Park’s main lookout and Indian Beach are excellent because you can watch from your car if the winds are intense. Plus, the wave action is more bonkers.

Then there are those pullouts just south of town, where you can check out the weird waves shooting off another direction if conditions are right.

Low Sand Levels. The delights are in the details here, as winter storms cause the sand levels to drop and fascinating stuff comes to light. One of the highlights are the red towers: bizarre globs of reddish, nebulous shapes that emerge if sands do go down far enough. Or, walk the beach just below Silver Point and you could see bedrock some 18 million years old. However, this winter’s storm action hasn’t been that intense and it doesn’t look like it’s scouring out that much. Wait and see, however.

Ghost Forests. The Cannon Beach area is chock full of these strange wonders, some 4,000 years old or so. But they only come out if sand levels drop far enough. They can be found at Hug Point and Arch Cape in some engaging shapes.

Fab February Weather. A little known secret about the Oregon coast is the peculiar warming trend that can happen fairly often each February – in many years, but not all of them, that is. Blues skies and temps around 60 can be found dotted throughout the month, and it’s often much warmer than inland. See more at Oregon Coast Weather Secrets.

Haystack Holidays. What a way to warm up your season, with a boatload of events crammed throughout the quaint little burgh. See the list.

Magic Rocks Beach. Just south of Arch Cape there’s a somewhat secretive spot known Falcon Cove Road, an unusual spot because of the large tiers of big, polished stones instead of a regular beach. These make curious noises when the breakers wash over them as they move outwards – a kind of clacking, clicking sound. It’s been nicknamed Magic Rocks Beach because of that, and it’s much more prevalent in winter.

Hug Point. A scenic hotspot no matter the season, you do have to watch it here in winter though. Don’t touch it if the waves are high. Otherwise, the place is overflowing with the mesmerizing, including a comely waterfall, a trippy sea cave filled with colorful walls, cool tidepool spots and that wacky, ancient road going around the point. There’s much more about Hug Point.

Hotels in Cannon Beach - Where to eat - Cannon Beach Maps and Virtual Tours

Friends of Haystack Rock Library Lecture Series. Get your beach nerd on with the annual array of talks during each winter. They happen at 7 p.m. and are free. Cannon Beach Library, 131 N. Hemlock St, Cannon Beach, Oregon. (503) 436-1391. https://friendsofhaystackrock.org. This time around:

January 8. Patrick Cocoran, Title: Envisioning the Coast of the Future

February 12. Colleen Weiler, Title: Orcas of the Oregon Coast. More happen in the spring.

Cannon Beach History Museum. Need a bit of inside fun? CB’s little haven of history has all sorts of fascinating bits about the area, including objects from various area shipwrecks, keepsakes from the lighthouse just offshore. Corner of Sunset & Spruce, Cannon Beach, Oregon. cbhistory.org. 503.436.9301.

Oswald West State Park. Up for an easy hike to some outstanding viewpoints? Catch some crazed waves battering the shoreline? Or maybe walk a suspension bridge for a thrill? Oh yeah, it’s also famous for its surfing.

Exceptional Hotels in Cannon Beach. Spending the night here is only a chore in that there’s so many beach-a-licious places to stay: it’s hard to choose. Quite a few are oceanfront, some allow pets, but all of a unique charm that is only something this town can produce. Some ideas: Beachcomber Vacation Homes, Cannon Beach Rentals -
Inn at Arch Cape - Cannon Beach Vacation Rentals - Inn at Haystack Rock - Oregon Beach Vacations - The Wayside Inn - Tolovana Inn,

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