Our Oregon Coast exploration introduced us to an incredible wildlife preserve -- the Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge. Hiking in the refuge took us through an old growth forest and landed us at the beach. The refuge was established in 1938 and has remarkable cliffs that mark a drop off from the forest above to the beach below.
The hike down from the forest atop did have some challenging sections. I recommend using hiking sticks and proper hiking shoes. We found some of the paths muddy and slippery. Plus, there are two sections where you will need to use a already supplied rope to move forward. The forest is breathtaking but be prepared for a little challenge here and there and go slow if necessary. From the minute we stepped into the forest, we were swept way by the lofty canopy and mist:
Here you can see the muddy trail and the lush, green forest:
We did see what I think is a Pacific Banana Slug which was pretty cool:
The beach area did have some rocky sections. Here you can see bits of the rocky shore:
We found tide pools with sea anemones:
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| Sea anemones in a tide pool at Cape Meares. |
After sometime on the beach, we hiked back up through the forest. There is a lovely brook to pause at -- it is bubbling in the thick of the greenery if you can see it:
By the time we made it to the car, it was a bit later than we had planned so it was time to head to Tillamook Creamery for dinner. We just had to return before leaving Oregon the next day! Our hike at Cape Meares was one of our favorite experiences of the trip. We were entirely captivated by the natural beauty around us and enjoyed the bit of challenge in the hike. I would love to return for another hike!
Nearby to explore:
- Cape Meares Lighthouse
- Octopus Tree
- Oregon's Oldest Sitka Spruce
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