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The Oregon Coast: Ecola State Park and Cannon Beach
Whether you're a day hiker like me who prefers exploring different portions of the Oregon Coast Trail as time allows or a thru-hiker, there's much that awaits. Compared to the modest North Terminus, rugged headlands, fun beach towns, sea stacks, tide pools, shore birds, wildlife viewing, and much more lie ahead.
From the North Terminus, the trail goes along the beach for miles. The first forested section of the trail leads to Ecola State Park, located between Seaside and Cannon Beach. This section of land which juts out into the ocean is known as Tillamook Head.
In January 1806, a small group of the Lewis and Clark expedition traveled over Tillamook Head in search of a whale that washed up on Cannon Beach. After learning about the whale from the Clatsop natives, Lewis and Clark sent this small group to find the whale in hopes of collecting blubber. By the time the group arrived on Cannon Beach however, the whale was picked clean and all that remained was its skeleton.
Today, Cannon Beach is certainly one of the most accessible and popular beach towns on the Oregon Coast. It's well known for its iconic sea stack, Haystack Rock. Sea stacks are made of basalt rock formed by volcanic activity millions of years ago. These sea stacks were once part of the shore. Over time the shore has moved back to where it is now, meanwhile, the stacks continue to slowly erode. Sea stacks along the Oregon Coast not only contribute largely to the natural beauty of the coastline but also provide nesting habitats for many species of shore birds.
Along with hiking and painting, birding has become a favorite hobby of mine. I'm intrigued by their behavior, plus birds are fun subject matter for painting. Spending time on the Oregon Coast offers ample opportunity to watch shore birds, such as this sandpiper that I saw on Cannon Beach.
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