Oregon: Cannon Beach

The next day we headed out from Portland and drove west towards the coast. Along the way we stopped at a little rest stop, which was built alongside this scenic little creek. One of my favorite things about this area is how there is always moss coating the trees.



The first place we wanted to visit, Ecola State Park, was unfortunately closed due to a landslide. So we headed on to Cannon Beach, a quaint little town right on the ocean. The beach is beautiful, and was busy with people (and seagulls) even though it was a little chilly outside. Cannon Beach is actually named after a cannon. In 1846, a cannon from a Navy ship washed up on the shore nearby. It was from a shipwreck, along a notorious stretch of water dubbed the "Graveyard of the Pacific."



The beach is home to the iconic Haystack Rock, which is one of those places that you see in a bunch of pictures but it is breathtaking to see in person. The massive sea stack looms over the beach, looking much larger than it does in photos.



The rock is 235 feet tall, and some claim that it is third tallest intertidal structure in the world. During low tide, the rock is home to animals like starfish, sea anemone and crabs. In the summer, terns and puffins nest on the rock.





If it looks familiar, it's because Haystack Rock and Cannon Beach have appeared in lots of movies, including Kindergarten Cop and The Goonies.



Haystack Rock is made of basalt, and was formed by lava flows that poured out from the Blue Mountains and Columbia Basin about 15-16 million years ago. Next to Haystack Rock are some smaller rock pillars, which are called "The Needles."



And one last shot from Cannon Beach, as the sky was reflected in the sand below.