Oregon: Tillamook

We left the coast and rushed towards Portland since we had dinner reservations (at Bamboo Sushi, very good). But we had to make another stop in Tillamook because a massive and vivid rainbow was stretching across the road in front of us.



Tillamook was incorporated in 1891 and has a population of about 5,000 people. The town is nicknamed "The land of Cheese, Trees and Ocean Breeze," and is home to the Tillamook Cheese Creamery (I wish we had time for cheese tasting). We did have time for one quick shot of the rainbow over the Tillamook County Courthouse, which was built in 1933.

Oregon: Cape Meares

From Cannon Beach we headed south, following the coast as the road curved up and around mountains and forests. It was a slow drive, since there were many scenic viewpoints to stop at and take pictures.



We drove to Cape Meares State Park, which sits on a headland over 200 feet above the ocean. There are some great views at the park, including this one looking towards these massive cliffs. The cliffs highlight the geologic activity that long ago created the Oregon coast. Here you can spot dark lines in the rock, which are basalt that was formed from lava flows about 15 million years ago. The lava came from a massive volcano that was located hundreds of miles away in what is now Idaho, and amazingly that volcano is still active (it has shifted over time thanks to the continental drift - it's now the volcano that sits underneath Yellowstone).



There is a small lighthouse at the end of Cape Meares, which was built in 1890. It's only 38 feet high and is the shortest lighthouse in Oregon. It operated until 1963, but it is still open for tours during most of the year (except when we were there, naturally).



And the view looking south from Cape Meares, as the waves rushed towards the shore.



One of the beaches you can see from that picture is called Short Beach, so we headed down that way to explore. There is a trail to Short Beach that is short, but it is steep as it drops down the hill. It's a neat little spot, the beach is covered with stones that have been made smooth and curved after being exposed to the relentless waves of the Pacific.



Short Creek flows into the ocean here, passing by a nearby rock that is part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge.

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.

Oregon: Multnomah Falls

Towards the end of the day we were finally able to make a stop at the mighty and majestic Multnomah Falls. There are over 90 waterfalls just on the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge, and Multnomah ranks as the tallest and most popular. It also easily ranks as one of the most iconic waterfalls in the country. If you do a google image search for waterfalls, chances are you'll find several pictures of Multnomah Falls in the search results.



The falls drop in two steps. The upper falls plunge 542 feet, and the lower falls drop 69 feet (with a 9 foot elevation drop between them), creating a waterfall that is 620 feet tall total. Multnomah is the tallest waterfall in Oregon, and is credited as being the second-tallest year-round waterfall in the US. It creates a pretty stunning view to see in person.



A picturesque stone bridge crossing between the falls was constructed in 1915. On our last visit here in 2014, the bridge was temporarily closed after a falling boulder smashed through part of the bridge.



Since it is such a beautiful spot, it's no surprise that this is an insanely popular place. Over 2.5 million people visit the falls every year, making it the most-visited natural recreation area in the Pacific Northwest. It was pretty crowded when we were there, but I joined the masses and made the short but steep walk up the hill to the bridge between the falls. This is the view looking back down at the base of the falls.



And the view looking at the upper falls, as mist and spray coated the camera with water.



Near the base of the falls is the Multnomah Falls Lodge, which was built in 1925. The lodge and the the falls just barely escaped the flames of the massive Eagle Creek wildfire.

Oregon: Horsetail Falls & Gorton Creek

We drove further into the Columbia River Gorge and attempted to stop at Multnomah Falls, but it was packed with people so we drove on. The next stop was Horsetail Falls, which was also busy but at least we found a place to park. The falls are 176 feet tall and they produce significant amounts of spray. So much spray that it was almost impossible to get good pictures of the falls without the camera getting completely soaked. So I retreated further back from the falls and got a shot from the bridge, which like most things here was coated with moss.





As we drove further through the Columbua River Gorge we began seeing more evidence of the devastating Eagle Creek Fire, which was caused by a careless teenager playing with fireworks. The fire took three months to contain, and cost nearly $40 million to extinguish. It also completely devastated many places in the gorge, causing irreparable damage. Many areas are still closed to hiking, with no clear timeline as to when people will be allowed back in. It's another reminder of how one foolish decision can have such drastic and negative consequences.

We continued on and drove through the town of Cascade Locks and stopped at the Bridge of the Gods. The bridge opened in 1926 and gets its dramatic name from an old geologic feature on the Columbia River that was also called the Bridge of the Gods. According to legend, a landslide sometime in the 1400s sent massive amounts of debris into the river which caused the formation of a natural dam that was 200 feet high and 3.5 miles long. The river eventually broke through the dam, which resulted in the creation of the Cascades Rapids (which were submerged underwater in 1938 when a modern dam was built nearby).



From there it was a quick drive to Wyeth State Park and to a short hike along the scenic Gorton Creek. After dealing with the crowds on a busy holiday weekend it was a refreshing break to make a hike in a spot where there weren't any other people (besides the nosy Oregon state police officer who gave me a warning for parking in the wrong place).





There were a few places where you could see evidence of the recent fire along the creek, but fortunately it didn't look like there was much damage here. The creek was beautiful, with colorful moss coating the rocks in the creek.





The trail headed up the hill along the creek, and it must look gorgeous here in the Spring.



It was raining when I made it to Emerald Falls, which is about 10 feet tall (It's definitely not the tallest waterfall in the Columbia River Gorge, but it was a pretty little spot).



And one last shot from here, of the creek has it flows by moss-covered rocks below Emerald Falls.