Discoveries and Layers of Central Oregon Coast Chaos: Subtleties of Yachats

Published 7/09/24 at 5:25 a.m.
By Andre' GW Hagestedt, Oregon Coast Beach Connection

(Yachats, Oregon) – About 40 minutes or so south of Newport, one little town keeps yielding discoveries. There is much about this central Oregon coast wonder that's fairly obvious right off the bat, but then there's more than meets the eye. (Above: Brubacker St. access at the northern end - all photos Oregon Coast Beach Connection)

At quaint, teensy Yachats, the idea of a quintessential seaside town is quite real. That's the first thing you notice. Then there's that crazed shoreline where rocky basalt structures coax the waves into a constant state of crashing, or the scenic platform allowing pleasant, long stare sessions at the wild waves. There's the 804 Trail where even more such wonders lie in wait. Then, however, things get a little more complex.

If you spend just a bit of time wandering Yachats you'll soon start to discover the discoveries keep coming. The delights are sometimes in the details here.

The viewing platform at Yachats State Rec Area

Case in point: it's actually chock full of hidden spots, many of which are really kind of in plain sight.

About a mile or so north of where Yachats gets rocky and jagged, it's comprised of the soft sands typical of South Beach, Waldport and those nearby areas. Look for Brubacker St. at the very northern edge of Yachats, near MP 162. You'll find a nondescript little patch of gravel by the side of the road with the telltale sign of a tunnel dug through the thick brush.

Here is a nice little getaway during your getaway, with funky colored cliffs and even a tiny bit of a cove carved into the rockface by the natural forces of air, sand and water that rule this place.

The photo at the very top is the same spot at this particular summer moment, looking west. A crescent moon hovers above, with its reflection in the wet sands below. This is actually blue hour: one of the best times to photograph the Oregon coast. The human eye sees little of what the camera sees with a good, long exposure.

A tad south, the 804 Trail and Smelt Sands never ceases to amaze. A little over half the time the tides are manic and wild here, creating some awe-inspiring spouting horn action. Sometimes, it's not too wild and you can get surprisingly close to these otherwise very dangerous watery pryotechnics.

Closer to the main access of Yachats State Recreation Area – where the platform is – there are some funky stairways heading down to this northern side of Yachats' rivermouth. This section is full of all sorts of finds, but the stairways themselves sometimes hold the most scenic interest. They seem a bit otherworldly and whimsical, as if they may lead you to some sort of magical wonderland.

On the southern side of the bay, foot traffic is much less. It's a hidden spot that's really quite popular as far as hidden spots go, if that dichotomy makes sense. Unlike most of Yachats, it's a slightly more traversable section of this central Oregon coast sparkler with its mix of sandy areas and labyrinth-like rocky slabs.

The tides kick up lots of surprises here. You may find yourself surrounded by a forest of ghostly white trees laying around in all sorts of angles, as if gravity forgot what it was supposed to do. It all makes for even more fascinating exploration.

Above: the platform at night

Wander even farther south and you'll find yourself at a hidden cove of more wild waves and wonders. There's much more about this section of the central Oregon coast at the Yachats Virtual Tour, Map. Hotels in Yachats - Where to eat - Yachats Maps and Virtual Tours

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Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast.

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