Portland is often renowned for its progressive atmosphere and “Keep Portland Weird” mantra, but with its close proximity to the mountains and coast, many Portlanders are also devoted outdoorsmen. The land here is dense, green and largely undeveloped, leaving the explorer’s mouth agape and eyes wide open. In order to gain a deeper appreciation for this city and the Pacific Northwest, I believe you must travel outside of city limits and experience the natural environment in which it is enveloped. From my time living in the area, I’ve found I am continuously drawn back to where the mountains greet the sea, the Oregon Coast.
The nearest beach is a little over an hour drive from town, on a narrow winding road through the coastal mountains. From downtown, join highway 26 W on its journey through forests of the deepest green, lonely rivers, and forgotten logging towns. For a quick pit stop, pull off in Elsie, Or and check out Camp 18, a restaurant and logging museum. If you’re the slow-paced daydreaming type, like myself, you’ll have to wander the back roads of this rural scene for a while, taking in the hidden cabins and rotting barns still untouched by the twenty first century.
Route 26 W ends when it hits highway 101, at which point you must decide if you’re to journey north or south. A few minutes north is the bustling beach town of Seaside, equipped with a giant hotel on the sand, superstores and fast food. While it is not the quaintest town in the area, there are plenty of accommodations for tourists, great seafood, and a popular surf spot called Seaside Point. Heading south, 101 will shoot you down to Cannon Beach, a charming little town that could be the poster boy of the Oregon Coast. With its kite shops, bakeries, surf shops, and mom and pop stores, Cannon Beach attracts quite a bit of visitors in the summer and weekends. Portlanders flock here for relaxing walks along the beach, and to be humbled under the ancient eye of Haystack Rock.
If you’ve come to the coast to get your heart pumping, just north of Cannon Beach is Ecola State Park , a protruding bump in the coast with several hiking trails and insane views of the coastline. For surfers, check the waves at Indian Beach, a small cove in the state park that is protected from the winds, offering a decent beach break if the swell is right. About 20 minutes south from Cannon Beach is Oswald West State Park, where you can find even more hiking and even better surf. Park in the lot on the side of the highway and hike the trail along the stream for ten minutes. For a moment you might mistake your life for a fairy tale, until the trees open up to a gorgeous slice of beach populated with surfers, families, bohemians in beach attire, and a ton of dogs. Bring a packed lunch, a couple beers, and a frisbee, stay for sunset and build a bonfire- this is Short Sands, the greatest beach in Oregon (in my humble opinion).
Yet, aside from quaint beach towns and surf spots, what truly allures people to the Oregon Coast is it’s rugged beauty and promise of solitude. To be completely immersed in the silence of the old growth forest, or watching the sunset alone on a beach where yours are the only footsteps in the sand, is a treasure unfound by most urbanites. The magic of the Oregon Coast lies in its untouched, unspoiled tranquility. There is a vast amount of gorgeous terrain, mountains and beach, to explore, discover, camp, and return to. I would gladly tell you about my own secret spots, but that would defeat the purpose of them. You have to get out there and find your sanctuary for yourself.
