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Past Activity

OCT: Depoe Bay to Newport

  • Start date: 07/11/2021

  • Start time: 12:00 AM

  • End date: 07/13/2021

  • End time: 11:59 PM

Description:

The Oregon Coast Trail (OCT) explores Oregon's dynamic edge, a resource-rich environment that has attracted explorers for centuries and into today. The focus is on beach walking, utilizing lesser-traveled side roads and trails. Hiking next to Hwy 101 will be avoided as much as possible. The hike is intended to be enjoyed with a daypack and then return to a central location for tent camping. We will be car shuttling between the start and end locations each day. This trip is exploratory; flexibility is a must. Obsidian Covid protocols will be in place. The trip leader is vaccinated.

This trip is a 3-day, 18-mile section hike of the OCT between Depoe Bay and Newport. Our route will explore the middle area of this section on the first day, the northern part on the second, and the southerly part on the third day. We will be camping at the Beverly Beach State Park Group Camp #2. Optional: there will be ample time for additional beach exploration of 5 miles.

SCHEDULE:
Day 1: Sunday: At least 2 miles of hiking today with an option for more. All participants should meet at the departure location and we will explore the Yaquina Head Lighthouse & Natural Area. About 3:30 pm, we will drive a short distance to Beverly Beach State Park and setup in a group camping area. That afternoon and evening, we can beach walk between Beverly Beach and an outcrop before Yaquina Head (approx. 5 miles round trip), going any further is dependent upon tides and weather.

Day 2: Monday: 7 miles of hiking today. In the morning, we shuttle north to Depoe Bay and explore a 1.5-mile section of the coast, between Pirate Cove and just south of Deport Bay, making a stop at the whale watch center, and possibly another whale-related building. Then we drive south a short distance south to the Rocky Creek State Scenic Viewpoint to park. After a few hundred feet of highway walking we turn onto Otter Crest Loop, a low-use, one-way, secondary road that offers great views of the rugged coast several hundred feet below along with coastal woods. Our route will take us to Cape Foulweather & the Otter Crest State Scenic Viewpoint area where the road descends to the Devil's Punchbowl. Near the Punchbowl we will return to the sand and walk to Beverly Beach State Park. Optional: We have the rest of the day to explore or possibly visit Newport's waterfront in the evening.

Day 3: Tuesday: 6 miles total. In the mid-morning, we will break camp. To avoid an unsightly two-mile stretch of 101 we will arrange shuttles, then start at the Agate Beach Recreation Area in Newport. We will explore north along Agate Beach, next to the Big Creek, before continuing south to the historic Nye Beach. At Nye Beach, we ascend to neighborhood streets and continue another mile and a half to the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse. We end our trip at the base of the lighthouse overlooking the beautiful Yaquina Bay Bridge. We should return to Eugene in the late afternoon.

ADDITIONAL:
FOOD: Bring all of your food (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks).
CLOTHING: Dress for the weather; it can be cool on at coast in the summer or have full sun. Plan on small creek crossings and getting your feet wet.
EQUIPMENT: Tent and a small camp stove etc.
CAMPGROUND: Our group camp is partially in the trees. We might hear some highway noise. There are picnic tables. Flush toilets and showers in the campground (check the State Park website for the current situation). Bring earplugs, shower shoes, and items that help you to be comfortable.
DRIVERS: Drivers needed, we need at least 2, possibly 3 drivers who will shuttle between start and end locations.
VEHICLE FEE: Trip fees pay for a total of 5 vehicles at the campground, any additional cars need to pay $7/night.
PASSES: Bring your state park and federal park passes (Yaquina Head is managed by the BLM)
DEPARTURE LOCATION: Participants are responsible for getting to the Newport, Oregon, area, and return transport. We will meet Sunday, noon (12pm) at the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area Interpretive Center parking lot. The Group leader will confirm with participants one week before the trip about the departure location.

PAYMENTA). Total of $25/person; $23/person to the trip leader) includes 2 nights of campground fees, firewood, and *should* cover all cars, the Obsidian trip fee is $2/person.B). Pay the trip leader on the first day of the trip.

  • Event Leader: Hougardy Mark

  • Assistant Leader:

  • Event category: Trips

  • Area Type:

  • Departure Location: See Trip Description

  • Rating: Moderate

  • Roundtrip total drive miles: 240

  • Season: 2021

  • Permits Required:

  • Event Status: Passed

  • Supplies and Equipment Required: see above

  • participant prerequisites:

  • Conditions:

  • Total Distance: 20

  • Member Fees: 2

  • Elevation Gain: 500

  • Non-Member Fees: 10

  • Committee: Trips

  • Junior member fees: —

Trip Report

Day One: The group met at the Yaquina Head Interpretive Center. Very windy. We explored Quarry Cove, the lighthouse, then rested out of the wind at Cobble Beach. We saw lots of common mures and several sea lions. Close to 4 pm we drove to the Beverly Beach State Park and stayed in Group Camp 2. The camp was the perfect size for our small group, but the site was slated to hold 25! That afternoon, we attempted a walk south on the beach to the Mooklack Beach, but the wind was unrelenting, so we stayed more inland. We hiked the Nature Trail around the park, then later spent the evening around the campfire.

Day Two: We departed camp at 9 am and drove to Depoe Bay to explore some of the small parks and hidden lookouts adjacent to residential areas. We saw several grey whales feeding close to shore. At the Big Tire overlook, we saw lots of cormorants and a great view. Some of the participants enjoyed coffee at a local coffeehouse. We departed for the Rocky Creek State Scenic Viewpoint 2 miles away. This was to avoid a dangerous stretch of highway with no shoulder. We walked the Otter Crest Loop. In one area, we saw a small group of people next to the road. Keiko decided to ask what they were doing, they coyly responded, "We're here for day recreation." A short walk down the road revealed several people on a walking a slackline suspended between two sides of the cliff and high over the ocean. If we were driving, we would not have seen them. We watched them for a time from the roadside. Several people from the group up the road walked down and disappeared down an unassuming deer trail as they headed to the area. We continued to Cape Foulweater, curiously being re-branded as Otter Crest State Scenic Viewpoint, and looked at the magnificent view. We had a short bite to eat and rest. The group walked the Inn at Otter Crest for a look-see and was almost run over by a speeding high-end car. We continued to Devil's Punchbowl State Natural Area then walked on the beach looking at fossils. We continued south, then under the Hwy 101 bridge into Beverly Beach State Park to our group site. We spent the evening around the campfire.

Day Three:
The group broke camp and drove a short way to the Agate Beach State Recreation Area and we arranged a shuttle to the endpoint. We walked north a bit, but the wind was proving to be not enjoyable so we continued south. At Nye Beach, we walked into town and the group descended upon a small bakery. Afterward, we continued on Elizabeth Street to the Yaquina Head lighthouse. We ended our trip overlooking the Yaquina Bay Bridge.

We encountered: bumblebees, grey whales, sea lions, common murres, cormorants, pelicans, humans, crows, robins, one pigeon (emerging from a small cave at the Big Tire overlook; interestingly, the bird's pigeons descended from before they were domesticated lived in seaside cliffs). We also saw deer and a ground squirrel.

Members & Guests signed-up & waitlisted

  • Number of spots on trip: 7
  • Number of spots available: 0
No. Status Full name Phone Transportation Needed? Trip Fee # Can Take?
1 Signed-Up Hougardy, Mark 541-206-9532 N 2
2 Signed-Up Hougardy, Christiane 541-914-4556 N 2
3 Signed-Up Tao, Fumiyo 703-774-6662 N 10
4 Signed-Up Bryan, Keiko 541-342-1240 N 2
5 Signed-Up Skarda, Joan 541-590-0205 N 2
6 Signed-Up Skarda, John 541-902-1450 N 2
7 Signed-Up Parks, Linda 607-244-4194 N 2
8 Signed-Up Rubenstein, Denise 248-514-5092 N 2
9 Signed-Up Masin, Rachelle 541-547-4742 N 2
10 Signed-Up Carpenter, Kathie 541-505-2370 N 2
11 Signed-Up Marks, Lisa 408-805-0361 N 10
12 Signed-Up Bloomfield, Donna 831-818-2079 N 10
13 Signed-Up Christiansen, Lynda 541-912-9952 N 2