Journeys: Pacific Coast - Highway 101

     I was in the trailhead parking lot for Falcon Cove, OR when a surfer pulled up beside me. I thought it was a chilly morning and wondered how cold he would be in the water. The surfer said it was not too bad and totally worth it. I hiked a short way down to the beach and found more surfers. I studied the beach for a while then decided to hike two miles or so north to Falcon Point.

     The hike was mucky. I bushwhacked down a drainage in search of a waterfall, but turned back when the vegetation became too dense. At Falcon Point I enjoyed sitting atop sea cliffs and watching the waves crash. Sea gulls swooped overhead. On my return to Falcon Cove I came upon a small waterfall down a side trail. I took a few photos there then followed the drainage until it cliffed out just above the beach. There was another waterfall crashing down to the beach's tide pools from the cliff I was standing on and I decided to take a photo of it from the beach.

Waterfall above Falcon Cove, OR.

Waterfall spilling into Falcon Cove tide pools.

     I got the waterfall photo from the beach then returned to my truck. I drove a mile or two up the road to where there was an overlook looking down on Manzanita, OR. It was a great view and I stopped to have lunch and relax from the morning's hike. While lounging, an older gentleman called out, "Whale!" from the edge of the overlook. I dashed to the stone retaining wall. Sure enough, there was a whale and her calf surfacing for air. Then they sank back into the dark sea and continued north along the coast. I packed up and continued south to Tillamook. I saw on the map that there was a lighthouse at Cape Meares State Park and thought it might make a nice photo.

     The view at Cape Meares was great, but the lighthouse was small and there were no good angles for a photo. I was content to stroll around and look down upon Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge where seals, sea lions, and tuffins hung out. I drove further south to Oceanside, OR and had a short stroll on the beach. It was late afternoon and I decided my time on the coast was up and I would head for Portland to visit a friend.

     Once in Portland and connected to the internet, I discovered I only had enough gas money to drive straight to Bozeman. I did just that two days later ending my trip to the Pacific Coast and Highway 101.