With the sun shining upon us and the weather forecast calling for an absolutely perfect day on the Oregon Coast we hopped in the car and began to head South toward… well… whatever adventure we could find. We had a loose plan that would take us to the Cape Perpetua area but with such a gorgeous day at hand we would end up exploring much more than we had intended. It was early enough in the day that we had US Highway 101 nearly to ourselves! This was such a wonderful treat after experiencing the hell that was Interstate 5 the afternoon before. The drive South would take us along what has to be some of the most beautiful coastline in the country. Sandy beaches, rocky coves, tidal areas, and lush forests sprinkled with freshly blooming wild Rhododendron. Taking in all the coastal beauty to the music of Gregory Alan Isakov was making us sigh with relaxation and contentment at regular intervals as we buzzed down the highway.
The first little town we would come upon on our adventure was Waldport, Oregon. Waldport is a charming little town that offers up a wide variety of recreational activities for explorers of the Oregon coast. Excited to get to Cape Perpetua and having only been in the car for a short while, however, we continued on while noting places that we might want to come back to in the future. Soon we were passing through another great little Oregon coast getaway spot the town of Yachats, Oregon. We spotted a couple of intriguing antique stores while passing through town and hoped to perhaps go treasure hunting on our return trip through town. But once again the lure of only being minutes from our goal of Cape Perpetua made us press on. We both agreed treasure hunting could wait for a bit because we wanted to savor the beauty of such a rare warm Spring day on the Oregon coast.
Just a couple of miles past Yachats we entered the Siuslaw National Forest and were soon in the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area. Almost immediately we came upon the Devil’s Churn Day Area so we pulled on into the parking lot to check things out. After looking around for a bit we found a hiking trail to go explore called the Restless Water Trail. We paid the totally worth it $5 day use pass fee for the entire scenic area (I HEART big government!!) and our adventure began. The trail is an easy peezy paved trail that hugs the coastline offering views of crashing waters, volcanic terraced tide pools and wind sculpted spruce. The trail also offers up great views of the Devil’s Churn itself which is a deep chasm formed over many thousands of years under the constant pounding force of ocean waves. One could stand over Devil’s Churn for hours just mezmorized by the waves crashing in time and time again and at the same time be zen’ed out by the repeated sound of the pounding surf as it breaks against the ancient lava stone. Truly a feast for the senses…oohhmmm. As we continued down the hiking trail we would find lovely little flowers and shrubs of which we could take endless pictures. At the end of the trail there were tidal rocks to explore from which we spied other structures that were within the scenic area. Bonus!! It was decided to go seek out these other attractions so we made our way back up the trail hand in hand thoroughly enjoying the scenery and the romance of the location we had discovered.
In a short while we were back up at the parking lot of Devil’s Churn which houses a structure with a little café in it of all things! I got a map at the café where I found our next destination to explore-The Whispering Spruce Trail-and what would arguably be one of the top highlights of this day the Stone Shelter at Cape Perpetua. If you are a very hearty soul you can hike your way up to the Whispering Spruce Trail via the mountainside trail but it has an elevation gain of close to 800 feet over the course of a very short distance. Translation… we would be driving the leisurely winding road up to the trail and the utterly gorgeous views it offers. Once at the top of Cape Perpetua the trail that leads to the Stone Shelter is only feet away! Like I said, the trail offers stunning views but if you are not fond of heights you might not want to make the trek as there are no guardrails along its path. I happen to be a little heights averse but I made it just fine. On the National Register of Historic Places, the Stone Shelter at Cape Perpetua was built in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The West Shelter, as it is sometimes called, was used as an observation post during World War II and a coastal defense gun was installed here. On a clear day, (like the day we were there) the shelter offers a 70-mile view up and down the central Oregon coast and the horizon some 40 miles out on the Pacific Ocean. Observation indeed! It was difficult to pull ourselves away from such natural magnificence but we manged to and found our next area to explore by sitting on a bench drenched in sunshine overlooking the vast expanse of the central Oregon coast at our feet. Literally!
Our next adventure on this day would be to go check out the Giant Spruce Trail. On occasion we also like to go glamping (glamour-camping) so we decided to pick up the trail at the back of the campground which would allow us to check that out too. We found it quite easily and drove through the campground on our way to the point where we wanted to access the Giant Spruce Trail. A bit rustic for our taste but I’m absolutely sure heartier souls would find it a great place to set up camp. We found the section of the Giant Spruce Trail that we wanted to explore and set off not knowing quite what to expect. What we found was a beautifully maintained trail in the midst of an old growth forest. A babbling brook provided background music as we took in all the sights before us. Lovely Ferns, moss formations, wild flowers, and lucky shamrocks were but a few of the sights to be had along the trail which was spotlighted by a beam of warm sunshine that penetrated the dense forest canopy every so often. Such a romantic stroll through the woods with my honey by my side to share it with! At the end of the trail we came upon the trails namesake the Giant Spruce of Cape Perpetua Heritage Tree. What a behemoth! We’d never seen anything quite like it. The tree, which is said to be nearly 600 years old, stands in at 185 feet tall and has a trunk circumference of 40 feet! We marveled at this natural wonder for a time, craning our necks skyward barely being able to make out the upper reaches of the tree, laid our hands on the ancient bark but stopped short of giving it an actual hug. It was too big! After enjoying this magnificent tree it was decided to make our way back down the trail as it was time to check out the main visitors center of the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area which again was a short drive down the highway.
A hop, skip, and a jump later and we had arrived at the Cape Perpetua Visitor Center. The Cape Perpetua Visitor Center has an incredible view of the ocean from inside and a deck that surrounds the center. The center is lucky enough to have enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff on hand for visitors to ask questions of. In addition, daily programs and activities are offered at the Cape Perpetua Visitor Center that include films and guided hikes. For our final activity at the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area we decided to explore the rocks and tide pools across the highway from the visitor center. The Cape Perpetua Special Interest Area is a short walk brings you right up to the rocky shores of the Pacific Ocean where tide pools, crashing waves and an abundance of ocean driftwood await you. Be sure and find Thor’s Well while there. Thor’s Well is a cavern where waves will crash into and their energy will be channeled up through a large hole in the rock formations. If you don’t mind ocean spray lightly misting you its a perfect spot to hold hands and perhaps get some photos taken.
The Cape Perpetua Scenic Area is a truly hidden gem along the Oregon Coast and a must see if you happen to be in the area. We were awe struck by the sights, sounds, and feelings that we experienced on this day and we made memories as a couple that will never be forgotten. Thank you US Forest Service and the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area for providing a day that we will look back on with delight and a contented sigh and say… “I’d like to go back to there now”.
-to be continued
–Mike
