Secrets of the Season

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Details of the Oregon Coast Most Entrancing

Winema Beach (see below)

(Oregon Coast) – There’s always more than meets the eye along the Oregon coast. It’s often a twisting, winding drive of basalt wonders, fleeting ocean vistas and bright, sandy stretches. Stunning landscapes whiz by as you zoom along between beach stops, or on your way to get grub.

Or maybe you’re on a particular beach – perhaps it’s your favorite beach, and you’ve been there a lot.

In either case, there are marvels hiding in plain sight, or perhaps nearby your favorite place of relaxation and repose. There’s still much more to discover, wherever you may roam on the Oregon coast.

Barview

Historic and atmospheric Barview sits right around the corner from Garibaldi – an enigmatic and funky little park that’s often overlooked.

Near Barview

There, Barview Jetty County Park is run by Tillamook County. You'll find about 240 campsites sitting on the edge of Tillamook Bay, overlooking both the bay and the ocean. Most of the full amenities pack this little gem in the rough, including restrooms, showers, RV hookups and much more.

But it's the fun that lurks within that's the real attraction - not to mention there's an eerie bit of history surrounding you.

At first view, Barview seems just a small community made of some homes, a couple of businesses and perhaps serving the purpose of being the gateway to either Rockaway (to its north) or to Garibaldi. But the park reveals a long, slightly alien-looking beach which wraps around the bay mouth and the oceanfront, with a funky old, dilapidated platform sitting on the south end which just begs for climbing. It’s an interesting mix of rock, sand, bay and ocean environments. There's even access to the jetty, which is always a kick in the pants.

The town’s past is especially engaging. This was once a thriving, burgeoning tourist resort, where the train dropped off hundreds of folks during summers to enjoy its numerous, growing amenities. Then, somewhere in the 1910’s, ocean storms and currents that had been changed because of the jetties tore it apart, taking with it chunks of the train track.

Cape Kiwanda's Hidden Brothers

Pacific City is a quickly growing resort town that really knows how to live it up throughout the year. And of course, scaling the golden, strangely sculpted cliffs of the cape is no secret.

But a mile to the north, the county park is still a bit clandestine. Look for an unmarked road on the west side of the highway, and at the bottom you'll find a fairly untouched section of beach with interesting views of the other side of Cape Kiwanda.

About two miles south of the Highway 101/Pacific City junction, you'll find a real clandestine gem in the form of Winema Beach. It's an intriguing mixture of a rock climber's paradise and a playground of endless sand.

Basalt columns just n. of Cape Kiwanda

On Highway 101, between MP 94 and Oretown, Winema Road sits inconspicuously on the west side. Once there, you'll find all sorts of oddities in the cliffs - most notably the giant rock structure plopped in the middle of the tide line. It too is perfect for climbing, with a tiny patch of grass welcoming you at its top.

Head another mile or so north along this beach and you'll reach some very secretive areas of the Nestucca Bay.

Short Beach, by Oceanside

One of the state's most enthralling hidden spots lies right next to Oceanside, just west of Tillamook.

Look for Radar Rd. along the back road between Oceanside and Cape Meares, and you'll find the refurbished entrance to this stunning beach. Until recently, the way down here was precarious and slippery, causing many injuries. But locals got together and created this "stairway of 1000 steps."

First, you'll find the bulbous blob at the tide line, resembling the sea stack at Neskowin to the south. Wander here a bit longer, and you may see the waterfall coming from the side of the cliff which hosts the lighthouse. Legends abound here. It's said that at extreme low tides, there is yet another tunnel visible (like the one through the cliff in Oceanside). One version of the legend says there may be two tunnels here.

One of many spots in Yachats inhabited by wild waves and complex rock structures

The Drama of Yachats

This awe-inspiring area is filled with nothing but dramatic shorelines, with craggy rock platforms causing the waves to come crashing in with a consistent intensity.

At Yachats Scenic Recreation Area, in back of downtown, it's easy to walk down to the beach or rocks from here. Even better: grab a bit of lunch to go and munch while the ocean flails and crashes in front of you.

At the Smelt Sands Recreation Area, it's here that the paved, three-quarter-mile 804 Trail begins, winding past a myriad of slabs, intriguing rock formations and a spouting horn or two.

Or explore the area just south of Yachats - some 20 miles filled with more incredible, dramatic scenery and a host of secret spots. Tide pools reign here, with the wildly colored sea life outnumbering the humans by far. At places like Bob Creek Wayside, tide pools are aplenty, but you'll also find a funky sea cave, or two or three.

For a change in scenery – sometimes surrealistic - there are some unmarked spots tucked off the side of the highway that have a mix of all sorts of terrain.

Cannon Beach's Little Orphaned Beach Spots

Arcadia State Park

Classy and cute is this lovely town on the north coast (wow, that sounds like that goofy character from Star Wars), where nary a spot is hidden or unknown. However, the extreme southern and northern ends provide some respite from the maddening tourist crowds.

Try the unmarked beach accesses south of the Tolovana area, which lay at the end of neighborhood streets occupied by a myriad of private homes. From these, you're perhaps a mile from Arcadia Beach, and you can see that park's sea stacks from their northern side. Or just explore the beach and its various rock formations and tide pools.

Always intriguing Hug Point

A few miles south, you'll find Hug Point. A waterfall, several sea caves and a raised, grotto-like tide pool within another cave are all just a precursor to one of the coast's most fascinating spots.

There is a road carved out of the rocky headland here, which was created in the early part of the century to allow Model T's and horse-drawn carriages around the point at medium tides. Back at that time, there was no Highway 101 (it wasn't built until the 30's), and the beaches were Oregon's coastal highways.

Most of the road is worn away and barnacle-covered now, but there are bits of the concrete left, as well as a remnant of the old traffic light which kept these ancient vehicles from smacking into each other.

Weird rock landscape just N. of Yaquina Head

By Yaquina Head

This secret beach is full of all sorts of wonders, especially the crazy slabs of basalt set at odd angles, which protrude from the sand and make for a mesmerizing journey. There are plenty of other kooky rock structures which will never cease to fascinate you. Not to mention the lovely views of the Yaquina Head Lighthouse.

Just north of the entrance to the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, you'll find 58th Street tucked away behind some trees on the west side of the highway (it's accessible by turning onto 56th St.). At the bottom of 58th, you'll find a hidden beach trail wandering down from this residential neighborhood to a stunning cove area on Yaquina Head's north face.

You can't walk very far towards Yaquina Head, but to the north it's at least six miles of clear beach as the path turns from weird rock structures to sand, ending all the way up at the Devil's Punch Bowl.

Inn at Cannon Beach. Beautifully wooded natural setting at quiet south end of Cannon Beach. Great during winter storms with a new book by the fireplace – or when the sun is out for family fun and beach strolling. Handsome beach cottage-style architecture. Lush flowering gardens and naturalized courtyard pond. Warm, inviting guest rooms. Continental buffet breakfast. Warm Cookies. Family and Pet Friendly. Welcome gifts. Smoke-free. Complimentary Wireless Connectivity. Wine and book signing events. 800-321-6304 or 503-436-9085. Hemlock At Surfcrest, Cannon Beach, Oregon. www.atcannonbeach.com.

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