Oregon Coast

A trip down Highway 101 on the Oregon coast is sure to be a memorable journey! Our route brought us through quaint historic seaside cities, past beckoning lighthouses to wide sandy beaches strewn with gigantic driftwood and  Agates. We visited farmer’s markets, picked wild blackberries, and shopped seaside towns filled with souvenirs and great art galleries. We drove on high seaside bluffs with fantastic, seemingly endless views, crossed a number of bridges, including draw bridges, and even traveled through a tunnel along the way. I thought this mural in Lincoln City fittingly summed it up as the Magic of Oregon!

Astoria

Leaving the Washington side of the Columbia River we drove over the 4 mile bridge, (the last connector of the US 101 on its route from the Mexico Border into Canada) to enter the town of Astoria.

This city, at the mouth of the Columbia River, reminded us of San Francisco on a smaller scale. Wharfs and docks line the river’s bank while Victorian homes take advantage of views provided by the bluffs. Driving up the steep streets was like riding a roller coaster with no line of sight at the crest of the hills!

We explored the Flavel House set high on a hill  with views of the river.
 As one of the best-preserved examples of Queen Anne architecture in the Northwest, the Flavel House survives today as a landmark of local and national significance. The house was built in 1884-85 for Captain George Flavel and his family. The Captain, who made his fortune from his occupation as a Columbia River bar pilot and through real estate investments, had the house built as his retirement home at the age of sixty-two. The Flavel House has been restored to accurately portray the Victorian period’s elegance and the history of the Flavel family.

Also of interest in this town is the Astoria Column, built in 1926. The brochure calls this monument “an artful summary of the triumphs, conflicts, and turning points of the frontier”. The murals on the facade of the column recount key events from the 1792 arrival of white people on the ship Columbia, the namesake of the River,  to the arrival of the Railroad in the 1880’s. Set on Coxcomb Hill, which is 600 feet high, the monument rises 125 feet. Inside, a circular stairway of 164 steps takes visitors to the viewing platform atop the column, providing views in every direction! 

Of course a central part of the area's history can be explored at Fort Clotsop, the location where Lewis and Clark built a fort to winter over, before their return journey to the East. The Corps of Discovery is illustrated on the column in a prominent position just above the door!

An Unexpected Meetup 

While our travels were bringing us south toward home, our son Chris and daughter in law Briana were traveling northward. They had traveled to San Francisco so Briana could run a half marathon across the Golden Gate Bridge, (woo hoo) and they were now in Oregon. We discovered that we were only a short distance away from them, as they were arriving in Cannon Beach, which we had also planned to visit. 

The four of us, and one of their pups, were able to enjoy a late afternoon walk on this iconic beach to see the 235 foot high Haystack Rock. Our beach walk was followed by a dinner of Pizza and Gelato for dessert in the town of Seaside! What a fun and unexpected meeting!

Oregon Coast Lighthouses 

Heading South we camped for a few nights in Lincoln City. We enjoyed exploring the miles of beaches along the coast here. The location also gave us an opportunity to view and explore a couple of lighthouses and a fantastic bridge in nearby towns.

Most of Oregon’s lighthouses were designed and built by the US Army Corp of Engineers between 1870 and 1896. They are located on prominent headlands or near major estuaries to support commercial fishing and shipping along the Oregon Coast. No longer maintained by lightkeepers the stations were automated in the 1960’s.

Yaquina Head Lighthouse 

First illuminated in 1890, this sentinel rises 93 feet above the 162 foot bluff. Its tower is the tallest on the Oregon Coast!
The lightkeeper's house is no longer standing, but walking down to this remote wind battered bluff overlooking the rocky coast we could get a sense of the difficulties faced by light keepers. They sacrificed a lot to keep sailors safe from the rocks below!

Steve and I enjoyed a picnic lunch overlooking the Yaquina Bay Bridge, which was just across the parking lot from the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse. This is the second oldest standing lighthouse on the Oregon Coast. It operated for just three years from 1871-1874. 

The iconic Heceta Head Lighthouse was first illuminated in 1894. Its 56 foot tower rests 205 feet above sea level.  The strongest light on the Oregon Coast, this tower’s beam shines 21 miles from the land.

I took the picture above from just a few miles south at a view point. The Lighthouse is that tiny white dot on the farthest left bluff!  But below is a close up taken from the base of the structure!

Cape Perpetua Scenic Area

“Where the forest meets the sea!”

And what a great show the sea puts on here! Volcanic rock ledges jut out into the crashing waves. A short hike from the parking lot brought us the ocean. An area called Thor’s Well is a deep hole in the rocky ledge. From below a lava tube allows the well to fill with the sea water rising and falling between sets of  waves. During high tide and strong winds the well is a sight to see! We stood upon the rugged lava rocks about 25 feet from the well watching the rise and fall of the ocean waves. 

On particularly large waves the water would shoot upward out of the well, at one point showering the onlookers with the chilly sea spray! It was so mesmerizing to watch and experience. We highly recommend a stop here if you are in the area at high tide! Here is a short video to entice you to go see this amazing sight!

Before leaving the Oregon Coast our route took us by tall sand dunes and more forests. At Reedsport we started inland to join the 5 Freeway Southbound, heading towards Mount Shasta and Shasta Lake. We are doing our best to stay away from fires and smoke back In California.

Our upcoming planned Adventures on the Road include visiting Shasta Caverns, then staying at Lake Tahoe for a few days as we head toward a visit with our kids and grandkids in Arizona in a couple of weeks!

Psalm 145:3

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised:

And His greatness is unsearchable!