Arcadia Beach, Oregon

Just a few miles South of Cannon Beach, a lovely forested park along Highway 101 opens up to Arcadia Beach. Unique rock formations, tidepools and beachcombing opportunities abound on this wonderful beach. During low tide, visitors can walk to an area known as Silver Point, just North of Arcadia Beach. This area is also known for yielding beachcombing treasures, and during the spring you might even see a seal pup napping along shore. However, visitors should never approach or harass these animals. The pups are not abandoned, mother seals sometimes leave their pups here temporarily while they are out hunting in the ocean.

Rough-skinned Newt (Taricha granulosa)
Seaside, Oregon

A North Coast native, the Rough-skinned newt can be found in local ponds, slow moving streams, forests and wetlands. Numerous individuals can be found in ponds during breeding season, which in this area usually begins in February and lasts several months. Although generally quite calm and tame, it is best not to handle these newts since they produce a potent neurotoxin similar to pufferfish, making them among the most poisonous creatures in North America. While they pose no threat to people (unless a person were to eat one or touch their eyes or mouth after handling one), they, like all amphibians are very sensitive to the habitat destruction and environmental pollution of humans.

Peter Iredale Shipwreck
Fort Stevens State Park
Warrenton, Oregon

On October 25, 1906 the Peter Iredale Ship ran aground on Clatsop Spit while on its way to Portland, Oregon. Just a short distance from the mouth of the Columbia River, the Peter Iredale encountered a storm with strong SE winds that pushed the ship ashore. All members of the crew escaped uninjured, but the ship had met its final resting place. Originally 287 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 23 feet deep, with massive masts and sails, there is little left of the Peter Iredale nearly 100 years later, though much of the ship's remains are buried beneath the sand. The Peter Iredale is easily accessible to visitors of Fort Stevens State Park during low tide, making it one of the most photographed shipwrecks in the world.

South Jetty to Columbia River
Fort Stevens State Park
Warrenton, Oregon

Built in the late 1800s, the South Jetty extends about 2.5 miles into the waters where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. Though the construction of the jetty was fraught with hazards, its completion resulted in a deeper, safer channel for ships navigating through the mouth of the Columbia. The changes to water currents also deposited vast amounts of sand, resulting in the ongoing transformation of Clatsop Spit. From the observation deck at Fort Stevens State Park, visitors enjoy a spectacular view of waves pounding against the rocks of the jetty. The South Jetty area is also a favorite location for birdwatching, with numerous species, including rare and unusual bird sightings reported every year.

The Beach
Seaside, Oregon

The natural beauty and pristine sand of Seaside's renowned 3 mile long, super-wide beach has attracted people from all over the world for over 100 years. During the summer months the beach is filled with thousands of fun-loving visitors, come to take part in the numerous events and activities Seaside has to offer. Yet despite the summer crowds, individuals desiring peaceful solitude or a romantic stroll never have to walk far, and with the beautiful backdrop of Tillamook Head and the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse in the distance, Seaside is the perfect place for everyone to escape the stresses of daily life.

The Cove
Seaside, Oregon

At the South end of Seaside, where miles of sandy beach curves Westward and meets the rocky shoreline of Tillamook Head, sits an area known as "the Cove.". Protected from South winds, and boasting some of the best waves on the Oregon Coast, the Cove is a favorite spot for surfers year-round. Easy accessibility and a nearby park also make it an excellent location for birdwatching and viewing the spectacular waves and sunsets.

Ochre Sea Stars (Pisaster ochraceous)
Cannon Beach, Oregon

Low tide along the Oregon Coast allows visitors to get an up-close view of the fascinating and colorful Ochre Sea Stars that inhabit local tidepools and rocky crevices. Adult Ochre Sea Stars can grow to over a foot long and live more than 20 years. Though they vary in color, local sea stars tend to be a shade of orange or purple, with an intricate web-like pattern of white spines. Hundreds of tube feet allow the sea star to cling tenaciously to rocks in the face of pounding surf, as well as move about and feed on mussels, barnacles, snails and other invertebrates. Most have 5 arms, but in the event of a lost arm, these incredible creatures can regrow the lost limb.

Haystack Rock
Cannon Beach, Oregon

At 235 feet tall, the towering monolith known as Haystack Rock is one of the most distinctive and recognizable landmarks on the Oregon Coast. While it dominates the Cannon Beach landscape, it also provides a home and nesting site for many species of birds, including the colorful Tufted Puffin. Abundant sea life fills the tidepools that surround the base of the rock. Although the tidepools are easily accessible by the public, the Rock itself is a protected Marine Garden and National Wildlife Refuge, so disturbing or taking any of the wildlife is strictly prohibited. Visitors must be careful when exploring the area to stay within the designated areas and avoid trampling the fascinating sea creatures that grow on and amongst the rocks.

Mill Pond
Neawanna Natural History Park
Seaside, Oregon

Alder Mill Pond, also known as Chapman Ponds, is part of the Neawanna watershed, located in South Seaside. This interconnected series of ponds and wetlands is home to a diverse range of wildlife. Hundreds of species of birds as well as numerous species of plants, mammals, fish, insects, reptiles and amphibians are known to inhabit this vital part of the North Coast ecosystem. While visitors to Neawanna Natural History park enjoy the bountiful birdwatching and wildlife viewing opportunities, they can also bask in the picturesque beauty of the area as Twin Peaks rises above the serene stillness of the water.

Northern Red-legged Frog (Rana aurora aurora)
Seaside, Oregon

If you enjoy hiking along the Oregon Coast, chances are you've encountered this charming North Coast native. Preferring cool temperatures, Red-legged frogs are often seen near deeper ponds and amongst shady forest vegetation. Growing quite large (up to about 5") these frogs can make quite a splash as they dive into the water. Unfortunately, populations of Red-legged frogs in the Willamette Valley have seen steady decrease, and in California, the Red-legged frog is a threatened species. So while they are still a fairly common sight along the North Coast, care must be taken to control pollution and preserve natural habitat so that local populations of Red-legged frogs do not suffer a similar fate.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
Necanicum Estuary
Seaside, Oregon

Great Blue Heron are a common sight year-round along the North Coast, especially near the river estuaries. They can often be seen wading in the shallow water, stalking fish and other prey. With a wingspan of about 6 feet and a height of around 4 feet, the Great Blue Heron is quite a sight cruising through the air. Though they tend to hunt alone, Great Blue Heron breed and nest in colonies, and while they have adapted well to modern development along the coast in general, colony nesting sites, or rookeries, are particularly sensitive to human disturbances.

Western Sand Dollars (Dendraster excentricus)
Seaside, Oregon

Sand Dollars regularly wash up on the beach near the mouth of the Necanicum River in Seaside and Gearhart. Changes in the ocean currents can cause hundreds of them to wash up, many still covered with fuzzy purplish spines. Over time, the spines rub off and the sun bleaches them white, but a slight wave of movement across the spines indicates the animal is still alive and should be tossed back into the ocean. Western Sand Dollars commonly grow to approximately 3” in diameter before they wash up onto the beach, but occasionally you can find tiny specimens about the size of a small coin . . . perhaps these are Sand Pennies!