Cape Meares, oceanside beach, cape lookout and tillamook
The coast gets rugged again, and it's one of my favorite sections, especially since it's near home and part of it is not as popular as other places, a quick drive from Portland.
Since we are driving south, we come to the town of Tillamook, famous for its cheese, and it really is justifiable. As you come into town, the cheese factory is on the left. Stop there. It's fun, and it's interesting. The ice cream is good and varied; there's a restaurant- expensive, but good- and the cheesy gift shop is a great place to wander. Their medium cheddar is a claim to fame, but their Swiss is surprisingly nutty and tasty. Good jerky too.
There used to be a road from Tillamook to the northernmost cape on the Three Capes Scenic Drive, Cape Meares. But after repeated washouts (a sandy, steep cliff above the ocean), they closed it, and we now have to drive south, then west, then north a bit to get to Cape Meares. Do it! The road ends at the cape. Park at the little pull-out lot and walk back into the gorgeous old-growth to see the Big Spruce, about 1/3 mile to the left along a trail.
Then drive down to the parking lot where you can walk out to the tip of the cape, visit the lighthouse, and see the sea stacks at Three Arch National Wildlife Refuge. A great place for binoculars for birds, and twice a year you can see gray (and now other) whales migrating. Walk down the southmost trail and back up the north. Be sure to look down into the cove to the north. My dad and I once watched a mother gray whale and her baby playing around down there.
To the south of the parking lot, there are restrooms and the quirky Octopus Tree. There are also viewing platforms near the parking lot if you aren't up for any of the walks.
Oceanside is a small town with a nice beach but not much parking. There's a State Recreation Site there and just south a bit is a pullout, Symons State Scenic Viewpoint. There's a wonderful view from there and very poor trails down to the beach, the same beach you can access safely from Oceanside.
Cape Lookout State Park is a favorite of many. It has a large and excellent campground, high dunes behind a beach you will not reach the northern end of, and the cape itself is Oregon's longest, at over 1.7 miles. The trail to the tip is 2.5 miles one-way and is often quite rugged and exposed. If you think you would like to camp there, reserve way ahead or get lucky. Despite the size of the campground, it is often full. There are group sites, yurts, cabins, tent sites, and full-service RV sites. It's nicely protected from the wind by the dunes and by a jungle of trees and shrubbery. Again, if you decide on a long walk on the beach, walk into the wind first.
South of there is the Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area, which is, to me, not particularly exciting, Bob Straub State Park, and Neskowin Beach State Recreation Site. That's the end of the northern 1/3 for me.
Since we are driving south, we come to the town of Tillamook, famous for its cheese, and it really is justifiable. As you come into town, the cheese factory is on the left. Stop there. It's fun, and it's interesting. The ice cream is good and varied; there's a restaurant- expensive, but good- and the cheesy gift shop is a great place to wander. Their medium cheddar is a claim to fame, but their Swiss is surprisingly nutty and tasty. Good jerky too.
There used to be a road from Tillamook to the northernmost cape on the Three Capes Scenic Drive, Cape Meares. But after repeated washouts (a sandy, steep cliff above the ocean), they closed it, and we now have to drive south, then west, then north a bit to get to Cape Meares. Do it! The road ends at the cape. Park at the little pull-out lot and walk back into the gorgeous old-growth to see the Big Spruce, about 1/3 mile to the left along a trail.
Then drive down to the parking lot where you can walk out to the tip of the cape, visit the lighthouse, and see the sea stacks at Three Arch National Wildlife Refuge. A great place for binoculars for birds, and twice a year you can see gray (and now other) whales migrating. Walk down the southmost trail and back up the north. Be sure to look down into the cove to the north. My dad and I once watched a mother gray whale and her baby playing around down there.
To the south of the parking lot, there are restrooms and the quirky Octopus Tree. There are also viewing platforms near the parking lot if you aren't up for any of the walks.
Oceanside is a small town with a nice beach but not much parking. There's a State Recreation Site there and just south a bit is a pullout, Symons State Scenic Viewpoint. There's a wonderful view from there and very poor trails down to the beach, the same beach you can access safely from Oceanside.
Cape Lookout State Park is a favorite of many. It has a large and excellent campground, high dunes behind a beach you will not reach the northern end of, and the cape itself is Oregon's longest, at over 1.7 miles. The trail to the tip is 2.5 miles one-way and is often quite rugged and exposed. If you think you would like to camp there, reserve way ahead or get lucky. Despite the size of the campground, it is often full. There are group sites, yurts, cabins, tent sites, and full-service RV sites. It's nicely protected from the wind by the dunes and by a jungle of trees and shrubbery. Again, if you decide on a long walk on the beach, walk into the wind first.
South of there is the Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area, which is, to me, not particularly exciting, Bob Straub State Park, and Neskowin Beach State Recreation Site. That's the end of the northern 1/3 for me.