Day Trippin Cannon Beach & Ecola State Park.

Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach

A day trip to and around the small coastal city of Cannon Beach is always time well spent.  The streets here can get busy and are usually overtaken by tourists. Though today, a weekday, the streets are rather quiet. I decide to have lunch and then roam the charming streets of this city. Cannon Beach is most notably known for Haystack Rock and this rock formation is said to be the most photographed area on the entire Oregon Coast.

Ecola State Park is just 1 mile North of Cannon Beach’s downtown area and this State Park has some great hikes with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean.  Today I choose to hike the Clatsop Loop Trail.  This is a moderate 2.8 mile long hike beginning at Indian Beach. I followed the loop counter clockwise making a stop at the Oregon Coast Trail Hikers Camp. Here there are three small rustic cabins hikers may use while on the OCT, as well as a covered picnic table area for day use hikers.  Along the back side of the picnic area is the trail that leads to the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse viewpoint.  This lighthouse sits more than a mile out to sea and sits atop a basalt rock base. (I wish I would have brought my binoculars)

Tillamook Rock Lighthouse

Back on the loop I enjoy the thick canopy of Sitka Spruce trees. This thick canopy does not allow much sunlight through and therefore the trail is fairly muddy in places.  Tip: be sure to wear proper footwear on this hike, I spied more than one hiker trying to overcome their poor choice of shoes.  As the trail comes to an end there are plenty of flat areas to stop and enjoy the views of the Pacific Ocean and Indian Beach. Looking Southward you can see the large rock formations that have become synonymous with the Oregon Coast. It’s simply gorgeous here. This was definitely a day to appreciate.