Three Incredible Viewpoints Along Oregon Coast with Some Twists | Video

Published 07/18/21 at 12:05 AM PDT
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Oregon Coast) – Killer views along a drive that is simply killin' it. Oregon coast's Highway 101 is for the most part non-stop action and scenic revelations, especially when you can find one of those rare roads that are an offshoot of the main route. Expansive ocean vistas can open up in the wildest, most unexpected of places.

Two are fairly famous, but one you likely don't even know exists. See the links for even more about these spots.

Neahkahnie Overlooks. As you drive above Manzanita, on the curvy, lofty part of Highway 101 that stands hundreds of feet above the surf and yet a few hundred feet below the tip of Neahkahnie Mountain, you will be awed without pause.

Pullout gives way to the next pullout; they seem endless for a few minutes, each with the astounding world revealed. As you round that bend towards Manzanita, the charming little rock walls add yet other dimensions.

If you visit in winter, this spot is prime for watching the gargantuan waves below without having to step outside into the windy melee. However, that wind will seriously knock your rig about, giving it all a thrill ride vibe.

It's near this viewpoint where you'll find the entrance to the hiking path up Neahkahnie Mountain, where more aerial views of this area are to be had.

Along one of the pullouts, a pyramid-like rock is one of the more recognizable features of the Manzanita area – and one of the more often photographed structures on the coast. It's even briefly featured in some commercials on TV.

On clear days you can see some 40 miles south, all the way to Oceanside.

As you stand above all this wondrous spectacle, you don't need big storm systems to make some massive waves below. It's true that wintertime is a perfect time to catch these monsters of the surface plodding in towards the beach. It doesn't have to be uncomfortably windy on the viewpoints to see these. There are times when mammoth, mesmerizing waves are found even in calmer weather. Hotels in Manzanita, Wheeler - Where to eat - Manzanita, Wheeler Maps and Virtual Tours

Cape Lookout, near Oceanside. There are actually three different hiking trails on this enormous headland, and extensive, jaw-dropping views along each. But the main one - which winds around some five miles - is legendary for its vistas. [Note: as of this writing some parts of the trails are closed on the cape for awhile due to storm damage]

The view pictured here is of Sand Lake Recreation Area, which is known as the "other Sand Dunes on the Oregon Coast," and the stretch of sand running between there and the base of Cape Lookout.

Wowing moments are plentiful here, but this spot - hidden behind a thick wall of bushes - is nothing short of breathtaking. It's about a quarter mile down the main route.

You'll find Cape Lookout – appropriately enough – along the Three Capes Loop in the middle of Tillamook County. Hotels in Oceanside - Where to eat - Oceanside Maps and Virtual Tours

Otter Crest Loop. As you drive southward from Depoe Bay on Highway 101, just a couple miles outside of town you'll notice the road suddenly rise. But if you're not careful, you'll miss the tiny, nondescript road jutting off towards the ocean right where the elevation rise begins. This is Otter Crest Loop Road – and to pass it by would be a grave mistake.

It all begins at Rodea Point, and then takes you to some of the most breathtaking views along the entire Oregon coast. Yet it's quite a secret.

The tiny road meanders below 101 and abruptly becomes a one way route going south. Eventually it dumps you out onto the top of Cape Foulweather, but along the way it's a gorgeous, canopied and slow drive that hovers above beautiful, rather clandestine cliffs. Sheer drops and soaring, green-covered hills dot the landscape and seascape, as the forest periodically opens up to reveal places that constantly cause you to pull over and take a few pics.

Among the attractions is the Ben Jones Bridge viewpoint right next to the bridge – just before it turns into a one way. Another is a remarkable hidden spot that allows you to descend a densely forested trail and out onto one of those mysterious clifftops you see from above. There's more in the video.

You'll find the entrance at the gravel pullout just before the road turns one way. Hotels in Depoe Bay - Where to eat - Depoe Bay Maps and Virtual Tours

MORE PHOTOS BELOW

More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....

LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles

Back to Oregon Coast

Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net
All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted