Secret Beach

During our Arch Rock hike (see previous post), we were lucky enough to come upon Secret Beach at low tide, allowing us to scramble down some rocks to enjoy our picnic in a delightful almost hidden alcove, replete with a waterfall and trailing stream which trickled out to meet the waves. Twice each day this beach is re-sculpted, with the incoming tide washing up the shore and swallowing the stream, and the newly formed stream re-carving its path with each low tide. One wonders how "secret" this tiny beach really is, since we found it not only on the trail map, but also along the trail itself. Still, we were the only ones there that day, and it isn't all that easy to access. You have to be comfortable with a scrambling short climb down, and back up the rocks that separate the trail from the beach. Well worth the effort, but watch the tide! You don't want to get stuck at high tide waiting for the waves to recede before getting back on the trail. 

Arch Rock Hike (Oregon Coast Trail)

Once again, and to our delight, we found ourselves hiking along the Oregon Coast Trail (OCT), this time on a stretch of Highway 101 between Gold Beach and Brookings. This particular hike centered around Arch Rock, obviously named for its distinctive shape, and identifiable the minute you lay eyes on it. But Arch Rock is just one of many impressive rock formations along this stretch of the OCT, including Natural Bridges and countless other unnamed rock sentinels rising from the sea that don't seem to warrant their own notoriety. Our hike started form a parking lot trailhead and wound in and out of old-growth forests, taking us to cliff-side views of the coast, and at times right along the edge of Highway 101. Along the trail we were treated to many varieties of wildflowers and mushrooms, along with the ever present fern that blankets the forest floor. We packed along a picnic and when it was time to break for lunch, we were lucky enough to find ourselves at Secret Beach at low tide…but that's the subject of my next post.

Tide Pools (Gold Beach)

One activity high on our list of "must-do's" while in Gold Beach was Tidepooling along the ocean beaches at low tide, and there is no better place to do this than the Oregon Coast. After studying the tide tables for the low tides, we selected the best day of the week and set out to explore. This, to me, is much better than any zoo or aquarium. Nothing can surpass the pleasure of viewing sea life in their natural habitat. I find the variety of sea creatures, with their colors, shapes, and sizes endlessly fascinating. Here are some pictures of what we discovered on our tide pool escapade.

Rogue River Trail Walk (Gold Beach, Oregon)

July 20, 2013. Our stay in Florence came to an end, with our next stop further south on the Oregon Coast in Gold Beach. Although we have always enjoyed our Florence visits, this time around seemed to be especially windy and cold, so we were more than ready to continue south. Of course, staying along the coast as we have been all summer, there were no guarantees Gold Beach would be any warmer or less windy than where we had been. And as luck would have it, the day we arrived was even windier and colder than Florence, even more noticeable since our RV Park was on the jetty, which just accentuated the wild weather. Our original plan was to stay 12 days in Gold Beach, but we both agreed 7 days would be enough to do the things we wanted to do here before moving on. One of the attractions on this part of the Oregon Coast is the beautiful Rogue River where hiking trails follow the river route, set back just a bit in the woods. However, at any time you can take one of the many spurs that lead to the beaches and river banks along the way.  Not quite the stunning coastal hikes as in Cannon Beach and Florence, this hike still had much to offer, if nothing more than getting out for a day in nature.

Oregon Coast Aquarium (Newport)

Since The Oregon Coast Aquarium is touted as a world-class marine educational attraction, and only 50 miles north of Florence on the Yaquina Bay in Newport, we decided to take the drive up to see for ourselves. Although the facility was a lot smaller than we anticipated (we were thinking it would be more along the lines of the Monterey Bay Aquarium), the exhibits they had were top-notch and we enjoyed our visit very much. The outdoor exhibits were the most interesting to me; especially fun was watching the playful sea otters at feeding time, and the seabird aviary with the puffins, oystercatchers, and even the vultures. Although I am not a big fan of the "zoo" concept anymore because I don't like seeing animals penned up for our amusement, this aquarium does have a philosophy I can appreciate with their dedication to education, preservation, and conservation of marine life and the Oregon coastal environment.