Cape Falcon & Smuggler's Cove - Oswald West State Park - Oregon Coast

Cape Falcon & Smuggler's Cove

Oswald West State Park

Oregon Coast

a view of Smuggler's Cove from the Cape Falcon trail - Oregon Coast

Back in early February 2012 (Super Bowl Sunday, in fact) my wife and I made a day trip out to the Oregon Coast on a surprisingly warm and sunny day. Our intent was to visit Oswald West State Park's Smuggler's Cove (aka Short Sand Beach), hike out to Cape Falcon, eat some chowder and Fish & Chips at Ecola Seafood, and watch the sunset from Cannon Beach. We did all of these things BUT hike out to Cape Falcon. Hiking in the wet Oregon Coast during the rainiest time of the year (winter) can leave you ankle deep in mud; and my wife and I encountered some of the gnarliest mud bogs we've ever seen on a hike. Not wanting to spend the rest of the day with mud caked all over our shoes, we decided to save that hike for a later, drier day. And that day was today, Saturday September 8, 2012.

The first thing I noticed when driving out to the coast today was the climate. Oddly enough it felt colder today, in early September, than it did seven months ago in early February! A lot rides on the presence of the sun when dealing with the climate on the Oregon Coast. If the sun had been out today, the temperature probably would have been about 5-10 degrees warmer. But without the sun, you can feel that damp bite in the air from the ocean breeze and that flannel shirt stays on. I brought my swimsuit with me today to take a dip in the ocean after my hike. No sun? Probably not happening.

Trail to the beach starts under the bridge

I arrived at the Oswald West parking area just off Hwy 101 at around 10:00 a.m. At that time the parking lot was only three-quarters of the way full. Most of the people in the lot were either unstrapping surfboards from the roofs of their vehicles or unloading coolers-on-wheels and beach blankets from the beds of their pick-ups. There is a short trip along the Short Sand Creek through a forest of massive old-growth spruces until both you and the creek spill out onto Short Sand Beach at Smuggler's Cove. This area attracts surfers and beam bums alike. The beach is large enough that even if the parking areas where packed to capacity, there would still be enough beach to give people their own space if they so sought it. The further you get from the path that leads down to the beach, the more space you're going to find.

Here are some photos of Smuggler's Cove's Short Sand Beach.

Short trail leading down to the beach

Smuggler's Cove's Short Sand Beach

Smuggler's Cove's Short Sand Beach

Rocks on Smuggler's Cove's Short Sand Beach

Bonfires and Beach Bums on Smuggler's Cove's Short Sand Beach

Smuggler's Cove's Short Sand Beach

View down to the ocean from the Cape Falcon trail

Now if you want a great view of Smuggler's Cove and Neahkanie Mountain, a easy-to-moderate, relatively flat hike will bring you to Cape Falcon, which you can see from the beach.

You'll find the trailhead to Cape Falcon right at the top of the path leading up from the beach to the picnic area. Within moments you'll feel as if you're miles away from the beach's crowds. You'll travel through some dark forest on your way out to the cape, especially if it's an overcast day. The forest was so dark at certain parts that my camera almost didn't want to take photos without the flash. The dark forest, mixed together with the thick and towering spruces lend a very surreal, fantastical element to this hike, as if at any moment you're going to happen upon a troll guarding a bridge or something.

Once you're about half way to Cape Falcon you'll begin to see the ocean down below to your left through the spruces. Such a beautiful sight! And it only gets better! Resist the urge to stop and take photos of the forested cliffs across the cove at every opening along the hike. The best views come at the very end.

Here are some photos of what scenery to expect along the trail:

Cape Falcon trail

View of Smuggler's Cove from Cape Falcon trail

Cape Falcon trail

Giant Sitka Spruce on Cape Falcon trail

Cape Falcon trail

Cape Falcon trail

Cape Falcon trail

Cape Falcon trail

Cape Falcon trail

Bizarre fungus along the Cape Falcon trail

Bizarre fungus along the Cape Falcon trail

When you're almost to the end of Cape Falcon you'll find yourself winding up through what appears to be a narrow natural hallway carved out of thick, twisted, gnarled shrubbery. I'm not entirely certain what this plant is that covers the earth out here on the cape, but my goodness it's thick. I give props to whomever carved the path through this stuff. There's no straying off the path here- you couldn't if you tried. You'd just be stuck like a mosquito in a spider web.

Here's what I'm talking about:



When you exit this hallway of shrubbery you'll come out upon the end of Cape Falcon. A sloped cliff drops away down to the ocean below, where the surf blasts against the rock on a wavy day. There are a few great places to sit and take in the scenery and eat that granola bar you're packing. I spent nearly a half hour just sitting out here staring out into the ocean and the forested cliffs across the cove. I remembered why this place is called Smuggler's Cove and tried to imagine a seventeenth century ship anchored hundreds of yards out while members of its crew took the ship's booty ashore aboard a dingy to have it buried in a safe place somewhere in the state park, a place so safe that apparently nobody to this day has found it (if it even exists, of course) although hundreds per year still look. Although it is more than likely a mere fable and legend, the kid in me wants to imagine it anyway.

Here is the view from Cape Falcon. If it were a clearer day you'd be able to see Neahkahnie Mountain, which I will return to photograph in the future.

Afterward:

I had multiple motives for heading west to the coast today. Not only did I want to finally complete the hike to Cape Falcon, but I also wanted to start exploring the stretch of the Oregon Coast between Cannon Beach to the north and Tillamook to the south- primarily targeting Oswald West State Park and the coastal towns in the Nehalem Bay area. I want to further acquaint myself with this stretch of coastline. I have spent a lot of time in the northern-most portion of the coast, including Cannon Beach, Seaside, and Astoria, but I really haven't explored the Nehalem Bay area as much as I'd like to.

View of Manzanita and the Nehalem Bay area from a Hwy 101 scenic turnout

I am in search of that beach town that I return to year after year, that I know like the back of my hand, where I can sample the life of a local. Having grown up in a small town myself, I long to have a small coastal Oregon town that I become a regular at; a particular beach, restaurant, pub, coffee shop, used bookshop etc. Could take me years to find, and countless trips out to the coast. But I'll find it.

When traveling via automobile to an uncharted place I have one main rule: Never return the same way you came. I'm also firm believer that if you really want to experience a new place try hard to leave the main road through town. While headed westbound on Hwy 26 (the main road connecting Portland with the Oregon Coast) I decided to enter Nehalem Bay via the twisty Hwy 53 which links Hwy 26 to the town of Nehalem to the south. On my way home I exited Nehalem via Miami Foley Road, which connects the eastern outskirts of Nehalem with the town of Garibaldi to the south. From here take Hwy 101 down into Tillamook and Hwy 6 back home to Portland.

I had a blast driving down Hwy 53 and Miami Foley Road. They are, in my opinion, more scenic and more exciting to drive than Hwy 101. You get to see a different, more residential, side of the Oregon Coast if you travel these roads. If you're looking for a change of scenery, I highly suggest taking them. That is, unless you're prone to car-sickness. Then I would not recommend these roads at all, especially Hwy 53, the top one-third of which is like a rollercoaster.

It took great effort for me to pull myself away from Smuggler's Cove. I kept telling myself, "just a little while longer, then I'll get going." The sound of the surf, the squawk of gulls, the smell of driftwood campfire smoke mingled together with that salty, briny eau de la mer, watching surfers fall down and dogs catching frisbees, feeling that sea breeze on your face. Especially if my wife and our pets had been there too, I could've spent a month on that beach, not paying any mind to my obligations, possessions, and duties as an adult- to laundry, cleaning, working, errands, bills, pin numbers, bank accounts, emails, etc. Just paying attention to the things I love about my life- my family, the beach, the mountains, the sea, the old-growth spruces, the smell of burning driftwood, a good book, a swim, a hike, etc. I think this very wish to spend a little eternity within a brief moment but knowing that it's merely a wish is what Robert Frost had in mind when he wrote the following:

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

Bald Mountain Lookout - Mt. Hood

Bald Mountain Loop

and photos of McNeil Point Trail

from Top Spur Trailhead

2.2 mile loop | 400 ft elevation

Mt. Hood as viewed from Bald Mountain

If you want a crystal clear, unobstructed, grandiose, breathtaking panoramic view of Mt. Hood from a wide-open hill blanketed with wild flowers, I have the hike for you! In fact, the view of Mt. Hood from Bald Mountain is so magnificent that I cannot fathom how it could get much, if any, better. I mean look at this view!

By the way, that massive river valley way down there is the Muddy Fork of the Sandy River.

One benefit to the Bald Mountain lookout is that it is a short, easy distance from the trailhead. If you're not up for the long and tiresome hike up to McNeil Point (see below) no worries- just park the car, do the quick loop to the lookout at Bald Mountain, and you'll be back at your car in no time at all. The lookout was covered in various, multicolored wild flowers, which made the view even better! This is perhaps the greatest view of Mt. Hood that you can get for such little effort. You do not have to be a seasoned hiker to make it to the Bald Mountain viewpoint.

The viewpoint is also a great place for picnics. Now, don't sit right in the center of the viewpoint and set up a smorgasbord. Make sure others can get in there and see the views as well without having to step over your cheese and crackers. Further up on the slope are large rocks which make great seats. Pop a squat and throw some groceries down your neck and soak in the view.

Here are photos from the Bald Mountain Loop trail:

So that is what to expect if you just do the Bald Mountain Loop...

But I didn't come here today just to do the Bald Mountain Loop...

In fact, what was supposed to be a long, grand blog entry on the hike up to Mt. Hood's McNeil Point shelter ended up as this smaller entry on the majestic view of Mt. Hood from Bald Mountain.

I hiked far beyond the Bald Mountain lookout and was nearly at McNeil Point when conditions forced the rational side of my brain (which decided it best to turn around) to conquer the passionate side (which wanted to push on). There are three things that kept me from making it all the way to McNeil Point: a ripping thunderstorm, snow-covered ground, and little to no visibility.

First, about half way up I encountered a flash thunderstorm. What began as a warm sunny day very quickly turned cold, rainy, thunderous. Such is the weather, especially at this elevation, in the Pacific Northwest. Now, thunderstorms happen to be one of my favorite things in nature, but I've experienced most of them from my Midwestern bedroom in Illinois growing up as a kid. To experience one on the side of a mountain a click away from the timberline is a different story. Where there is thunder, there is lighting, and at this elevation, especially above the timberline, thunderstorms can become very dangerous. As any ranger in Yosemite National Park will tell you, the last place you want to be when a violent thunderstorm breaks out in the park is on top of El Capitan.

I found the following warning on Yosemiteblog.com: "If you can hear thunder, you are within striking distance. Seek safe shelter immediately. If camping or hiking far from a safe vehicle or building avoid open fields, the top of a hill, and ridgetops." And guess what McNeil Point is? an open field on a ridgetop...

But I'll be honest, hiking in that thunderstorm was one of the most thrilling hiking experiences I've ever had. Plus I got to test the tarp feature on my new pack. The rest of me got soaked but my pack and its contents, including my camera, were as dry as the Sahara.

Seriously though, few things in this world rival the beauty of hiking through a Pacific Northwestern old-growth forest during a rainstorm.

Deep snow on the McNeil Point Trail

But it wasn't the thunderstorm that turned me around. In fact, the thunderstorm made me want to continue, because it isn't everyday that you get caught in a roaring and pouring thunderstorm on the side of a mountain just below the timberline. Quite frankly, it was, for lack of a better term, bad ass. I pressed on past Bald Mountain nearly making it to the pond below McNeil Point when I hit snow, first in patches and later covering the entire ground. If they were to continue, hikers were to leave the trail and step up onto snow banks, most of them around 3 feet deep. I could make out footprints in the snow, but mainly because of the contrast in the color- the path was browned with dirt from hiking boots and the rest of the snow, for the most part, was whitewashed. The rain had stopped and the sun was blaring but I could still hear thunder rumbling loudly in the distance.

It was then that the cloud cover rolled in. Suddenly, the sun disappeared and a dense cloud swallowed up all the scenery around me. I could see about 10 feet in front of me, and being that I was standing on snow, every direction I peered in looked exactly the same. Only the faint trail of dirty bootprints in the snow ahead of me and behind me told me where to go. THIS was the point at which the rational side of my brain overcame the passionate side. It was time to turn around.

McNeil Point before the clouds rolled in

Clouds rolling in and will soon saturate the higher parts of McNeil Point Trail

Clouds rolling in and will soon saturate the higher parts of McNeil Point Trail

Just underneath the cloud cover on the lower parts of McNeil Point Trail

With another thunderstorm potentially moving in my direction, the inability to see more than a few yards in any direction, and my desire to refrain from getting lost on slick, whitewashed snowy ground, I decided that I should turn around. I was almost there!! In another mile I would've more than likely been standing beside the McNeil Point shelter! But then again, I wouldn't have been able to see a thing beyond it, plus the photos would've sucked. McNeil Point isn't going anywhere. I'll return in the early fall.

So although I do not have a complete blog entry for McNeil Point, let me at least show you photos of what I was able to complete. Expect a full blog entry on McNeil Point in the future. But until then, the following are photos taken from the McNeil Point trail from the Bald Mountain lookout up to where I had to turn around, just before the pond below McNeil Point

I'll be back to complete McNeil Point, don't you worry...

After the hike I sought a warm plate of food and decided to try the Skyway Bar & Grill finally for their barbeque. The Skyway had only recently been brought to my attention as having outstanding food and a great selection of local beers on tap, so I made it my destination. All I can say is this: I could not recommend this place any more for dinner and beers after a long hike!! The food here is absolutely outstanding. It is seriously some of the most delicious barbeque I've ever had, and my wife being from Kansas City, I can assure you that I know good barbeque when I taste it. I ordered a trio-plate that came with pulled pork, beef brisket, and ribs. The meat was cooked perfectly and I was given three dipping sauces: their standard barbeque sauce, a habenero sauce, and their rotating "special" sauce which happened to be a delicious blueberry barbeque sauce! I ate every morsel of my food and damn near licked the plate.

Only problem: I didn't get any photos of the food! I was so impatiently hungry that by the time the food came out the prospect of taking the 2 minutes of filming the food in its beauty on the plate didn't seem appealing. In fact, what was most appealing was the aroma coming off the food. I couldn't photographic it. Screw it. I was eating it and eating it NOW! Om Nom Nom!! (it didn't last long...)

But I did snap two photos, one of the outdoor seating area which is huge and contains several tables and well as a fire pit or two, and one of my ice cold local IPA.

Outdoor seating area at Skyway Bar and Grill - Zigzag, Oregon

a pint of local IPA at Skyway Bar and Grill - Zigzag, Oregon

Seriously, after a hike in the Mt. Hood territory, you HAVE to set your sights on the Skyway. I want to refer as much business as possible to them because not only do they deserve it, but I want them to be there, open for business, every instance I find myself out near Mt. Hood during dinnertime!

Skyway Bar and Grill
71545 E. Hwy 26
Zigzag, Oregon 97049
(503) 622-3775
Yelp: http://www.yelp.com/biz/skyway-bar-and-grill-zigzag