The South Oregon Coast: Mystery, Mist and Adventure

The South half of the famed Oregon Coast, from the California border, north to Florence, is stocked with adventure, eye candy and something for everyone, of all interests.

Although it tends to be foggy here early in the day, that just adds to the mystery and also why you have to be patient and not have an inflexible travel schedule here.

There's Arch Rock, Thunder Rock Cove at the far end of the Oregon Coast. There are stunning views at every turn, along Highway 101.

The Rogue River offers some chances for thrilling jet boat adventures.

There's the West Coast Game Park, a great family fun spot and a chance to hold/touch young critters, like baby tigers.

The City of Coos Bay boasts a good modest museum, complete with a Steve Prefontaine room, dedicated to the late Oregon runner who died tragically in 1975.

Elementary school kids will run themselves silly in any sections of the Oregon Dunes, a vast sandy area and hills right along the ocean side.

'Gorge-ous" Playground: Oregon's Columbia Gorge

                                            Multnomah Falls

 A natural playground, the Columbia Gorge and surrounding area have become a popular year-round destination for visitors to the Pacific Northwest.

The western side of the Columbia Gorge is a green heaven water  with the mighty Columbia River and dozens of creeks, waterfalls, mist and cool temperatures.

If you love waterfalls, the gorge's west end is as good as it gets — it is simply "waterful."

Even those en route to Seattle or Portland — with only minutes to spare — can take exit No. 31 off I-84 and spend 15 minutes or less enjoying Multnomah Falls — a 620-foot-high drop, second-highest year-round falls in the U.S.

The eastern half of the gorge is drier but offers its own variety of activities.

"The further you get from Portland, the drier you get," said Mary Stocks, events coordinator for the Columbia Gorge Visitors Association, in The Dalles.

                             Multnomah Falls at the top, going over the cliff.

"Hood River is known as the windsurfing capital of the world," she said. "The Dalles is sometimes known as the cherry capital of the world."

Words like awesome, fantastic and beautiful seem to dominate the visitor log entries at the Columbia Gorge, Stocks said.

The community of Hood River is usually smaller than The Dalles, but Stocks said the many windsurfers on the Columbia in the summer expand its population greatly. Hood River almost has a bay/gulf of the Columbia River, and that, combined with wind, makes it excellent for the sport.

Hood River also has a historic railroad, offering two-hour scenic excursions, while the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler boat operates out of Cascade Locks.

The Dalles are also extra famous these days for being the location for Google's data center.

Stocks also noted that the entire gorge is very historic. For example, The Dalles boasts 10,000 years of being a trading destination among Native Americans. The Indians still fish on the nearby Deschutes River.

Hiking and biking are also popular in The Dalles area and Bonneville Dam has a visitors center that's not to be missed. White water rafting is also a popular summer activity.

If you prefer short, easy hikes, head to the western gorge. After all, it is almost sea level here, and that, combined with the cooler temperatures, means hiking is easier here than in the high-altitude, dry Beehive State.

But there's so much to see from the roadside that even visitors who never leave the roadway will not be disappointed.

The historic Columbia River Highway, Route 30, is the heart of this lush, spectacular place. As brief as a two-hour excursion here will let you see a sampling of this treasure. In a stretch of nine miles, this narrow paved road passes by six major waterfalls — only one of which you can't see from the roadway and have to hike to.

                                      Crown Point visitor center/gift shop.

Starting at the Crown Point Vista House (containing a gift shop, observation room and exhibits), you will have sweeping, panoramic views of the gorge. Then, you'll feel like you're traveling back in time on a narrow vintage roadway.

When at Multnomah Falls, take more time and walk about 400 yards to the Benson Bridge overlooking the falls from a slightly higher vantage point than the lodge area. Go another one-mile, one-way and hike on a paved trail to the observation point near where the water goes over the top.

The lodge, with a restaurant, gift shop and U.S. Forest Service office, was built in 1925 of natural stone. At Christmas time, there's a brilliant outdoor lighting display here, too.

But be warned — on weekends and holidays in particular — open parking spaces can be in short supply. Multnomah is very popular, and even getting a photograph without other visitors in it can be a rarity.

Still, Stocks said, the dining experience at the Multnomah Lodge "is out of this world," with an all-glass enclosure and a great menu. She also recommends the many excellent campgrounds the historic waterfall area boasts.

As awesome as Multnomah Falls are, having the time to go elsewhere in the gorge is well worth it just to get away from the heavy crowds.

                                             Bridal Veil Falls.

For example, it's a good half-mile round-trip walk to the bottom of the 140-foot Bridal Veil Falls (the only major falls you can't see from Highway 30), but having the solitude on the picturesque bridge below is very satisfying.

With plenty of picnic tables along the Columbia Gorge, taking a lunch along is a natural.

If you're visiting in spiring or fall, you need to be prepared for misty or wet weather. Don't let a little rain halt any plans you have made — it's tolerable if you are dressed for it.

Stocks said summer is the most popular season here, but winter has skiing at Mount Hood and spring has a short wildflower season. In the fall, the autumn leaves create their own colorful spectacle.

                                  Mount Hood.                                                          Photo by Roger Arave.

If Mount Hood, Oregon's tallest peak at 11,239 feet above sea level, isn't encased in clouds, it's a spectacle of its own.

Here's a sampling of some of the lesser visited attractions in the gorge:

• Oneonta Gorge. Just two miles east of Multnomah. Here a 600-yard walk in water inside a Zion Narrows kind of green gorge ends with an 80-foot waterfall.

In recent years, you have had to scramble over a logjam or wood to access this, but it's well worth the water walk. The water is cold, but you get used to it after several minutes. Young children need lots of help here.

                                   Weisendanger Falls.

• Above Multnomah: If you keep walking above the limits of this paved trail and go off on dirt, the crowds thin and you may find some solitude. An extra 500-yard walk, and you will see Weisendanger Falls, a small but outstanding drop. Double your walk and spot Ecola Falls. The lone drawback is that after rainstorms, this trail gets very muddy.

• Triple Falls: Trailhead No. 424, just east of Multnomah, switchbacks up the gorge and 2.1 miles later reaches Triple Falls, where the water splits three ways. Little crowds here, but it's steep. If you're up for a several-hour hike, it is also possible to wade one stream and cross over to the Multnomah trail and complete one big loop.

• Elowah Falls: Located at the extreme east end of Highway 30, an easy path leads to this 289-foot water drop. Family friendly, this hike is just 1.4-mile round-trip and climbs a modest 600 feet.

                                          Punchbowl Falls.

• Punchbowl Falls: A 4-mile round-trip is required here, and it seems to appeal mostly to locals. Although a modest 20 or so feet high, it's the bowl setting that stands out. The trail follows Eagle Creek (I-84 exit No. 41) and is pretty gradual. However, it's a steep walk down the falls, and there are some long drop offs and cliffs along this trail. Children need careful supervision here.

                                     The trail to Punchbowl Falls.


There's an upper viewpoint to see Punchbowl, but you have to wade in the water to snap the classic photograph at the bottom. Also, in recent years a big, fallen log obscures that view.

                     Punchbowl Falls' best views are from walking in the cold water.

ACROSS THE COLUMBIA RIVER -- In Washington State:

• Beacon Rock: It will cost $1 one-way per vehicle to cross the "Bridge of Gods" and get to the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge. However, this hike is a man-made classic up an 848-foot-tall ancient volcano remnant. The trailhead is well-marked off Highway 14. Almost half of the path is a delightful series of bridges, stairways and platforms. It's about 0.8 of a mile to the top (750-foot vertical climb) and well worth it with a sweeping vista view. It can be very windy on top and children love this hike. It includes lots of railings, but, again, young kids will need to be supervised.

                               A section of the artificial trail up Beacon Rock.


• Hamilton Mountain: Just to the north of Beacon Rock is a picnic area/trailhead to more waterfalls. They aren't just on the Oregon side of the gorge! It will take a 1.5 mile walk to reach the first falls. You have to pass under some power lines and you won't see or hear the water until you're almost there. Hardy Falls, the lowest, is pretty tame, but Rodney Falls is much more exciting. The "Pool of Winds" lives up to its name, though photographing it is a challenge, given the wind, mist and steep angle.

                                            The "Pool of Winds."

There's even a replica of Stonehenge, England, in Maryhill, on the Washington side of the eastern half of the gorge. Located on a lofty perch, this Stonehenge is a monument to World War I soldiers but is not nearly an exact replica. 

With free admission, it is worth a visit, a short jaunt off I-84. Vineyards, a new trend in the gorge, are nearby, as well as the Maryhill Museum of Art.

(-Distilled from a story by Lynn Arave in the Deseret News. All photographs by Lynn Arave, unless otherwise noted.)

The North Oregon Coast -- A Sightseer's Delight

                                Ecola State Park View.                                

                                                                                                                          

There's only one Oregon Coast.
 Follow Highway 101 — and with numerous rocky headlands, rugged geography, countless nooks and crannies and oodles of public access, you'll find that this is a sightseer's delight.

There's so much to see and absorb here, you won't have the time or energy to enjoy it all, but that's the beauty of this place — it will beckon you back for future visits.

This is a place where you can wear a car's brakes out, with numerous stops along a coastline that boasts more public access than you can imagine.

Indeed, Diane Reading, spokeswoman for the Oregon Coast Visitors Association in Newport, said, "'The People's Coast' is how the Oregon Coast is going to be promoted in the future. Only Hawaii has as much public access along its coastlines.

"The Oregon Coast is one of those magical places where you can stay for days and spend little money," she said. "There're so many different things to do, tons of stuff."

                                   Devil's Churn, photographic heaven.

Reading laughed when I first asked her about the Oregon Coast. She didn't know where to start, she said, there's so much to highlight.
 So, I said, the "northern half," and that's what this story will focus on — the 170 miles from Florence north along Highway 101 — though rest assured the southern half has just as much to see and do.

The months of September and October might be the best time to visit the Oregon Coast. That's what Reading recommends, because it is still warm, drier on average than just about any other month, and all the crowds are gone.

But she stresses, "in the height of the summer season, you can still find a place along the beach not crowded with people."

With so much public access, people can just spread out.

Notwithstanding, Reading said it is commonly accepted as a rule of thumb that you can drive the entire Oregon Coast — nonstop — in 12 hours. She said that doesn't apply during the months of July and August when many vehicles crowd Highway 101 — the lifeline highway.

To have a truly worthwhile visit, she suggests getting a hold of a free copy of the "Mile-By-Mile Guide to Highway 101 Oregon Coast." Just as the title states, this tells exactly what there is to see or stop at each mile of the entire 363-mile coastal drive.

Reading recommended the Sea Lion Caves, 11 miles north of Florence, as a "must stop" along the north part of the coastal drive. This is the world's largest sea cave. There is an admission fee for the elevator ride down and inside.

                                 The South view from the top of Cape Perpetua.

Cape Perpetua, just south of Yachats, is the highest point for Highway 101 along the coast, and another great place. There's also Devil's Churn and Cook's Chasm, places to see the power of the restless Pacific Ocean up close and personal.

                            Walking up from the south end of Devil's Churn.


The Devil's Churn has a popular hiking trail that descends to ocean level. Here, visitors can see the Pacific transformed into a kind of chocolate syrup state as it crashes into numerous rocks and is sandwiched in a narrow corridor. Exploring tide pools here on low tide is great, too; though children need careful supervision here.

The Aquarium in Newport is also a gem of the coast. Reading notes that this is a world-class facility and once home for the late "Free Willy" killer whale.

Whale watching is a popular sport at Depot Bay, and both kite flying and outlet stores are highlights in Lincoln City.

Tillamook has one of the west's best cheese factories, and it offers tours and a gift shop. Reading said the "Three Capes" drive also should not be overlooked, though you have to leave Highway 101 inland just past Neskowin to access it from the south.

Hug Point is another great coastal stop. At low tide, visitors can explore tidal caves and a waterfall — all along the remains of an old pioneer roadbed.

                         The view from Ecola State Park,looking to Cannon Beach/Haystack Rock.

Next up, Cannon Beach is an upscale by-the-sea community that has many art galleries and its coast line is dominated by Haystack Rock, a 235-tall monolith — the third tallest such natural structure in the world.

"It's a little Carmel (California)," Reading said of Cannon Beach.

A few miles north of Cannon Beach is the access to Ecola State Park. 

"I've seen it thousands of times, and it still makes me smile," Reading said. Ecola has a great view looking down on Crescent Beach and Cannon Beach, plus rocky headlands to the west and north. If you only saw one lookout on the Oregon Coast, this is perhaps the best.

                                 The swings on the Seaside Beach.

Seaside is a "super family friendly place," according to Reading. It has a huge sandy beach and a long "Broadway" street that is lined with arcades and touristy shops and other attractions. The west end of the street is a "turnaround" with a Lewis and Clark monument.

                                       Shipwreck at Fort Stevens

Astoria on the extreme north end of the coast is famous for Fort Stevens and lots of shipwrecks, which can sometimes be spotted in the sea.

                                         Astoria Column

There's also the 125-foot-high Astoria Column, a man-made tower built in 1926, that details the area's history and provides a commanding view of the northern Oregon Coast.

Reading said the Oregon Coast also has an impressive number of historic metal bridges lining it and also a lot of historic lighthouses. Essentially, every lookout is worth a stop, though you probably won't have time to see them all.

"You could take one week going 10 miles here," she said.

                                 "Spout," just south of Devil's Churn.


Gasoline prices are a little higher than inland, but no more outrageous than elsewhere, Reading said.

Florence, Newport, Lincoln City, Seaside and Astoria are among the busiest cities along the northern coast, but the smaller communities also have their own down-home flavors.

Beachcombing is another great activity along this stretch of Oregon's Coast.

(Distilled from a story by Lynn Arave in the Deseret News, Aug. 31, 2008. All photographs by Lynn Arave, except the top picture of Ecola State Park, by Roger Arave.)