Mystical Even Mythical at One Oregon Coast Beach: 'Hairy' Rocks and Other Surreal Finds

Published 10/19/2026 at 5:55 a.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Cannon Beach, Oregon) – You've seen it, you just don't know it. Indeed, if you've ever been to Cannon Beach at all, there's very little chance you have not been to this spot on the north Oregon coast. It's that popular. Undoubtedly you have stopped and gazed out at arresting views of Haystack Rock, glimpses of Tillamook Rock Lighthouse on the far horizon, and probably darted your eyes downwards to this mysterious beach. Silver Point, near Cannon Beach, Oregon Coast: Complete Guide to Silver Point Beach

The viewpoint is called Silver Point and there's – very literally – layers and layers of stuff below it you can't see. It's unique on its own, if you finally get a good glimpse. There's a striking sea cave, a small handful of seastacks you don't normally get to see, some odd wave action, and then those weird little hairy “creatures.” The beach at Silver Point has a number of other wild things going on slightly beneath the surface, really just staring you in the face. You have to know what you're looking at, however. Above Cannon Beach - Silver Point Overlooks

And then you can't unsee it.

Silver Point is a remarkable mix of the the new, mystical / mythical and the wonders of geology. There's a wildly colorful sea cave and bizarre creature-like features – sure. But those rocks are whispering millions of of years of wowing history, too.

First, you find it by heading southward from the southernmost Cannon Beach access (which is a ways south of the Tolovana area). About a half mile down, you come to the cliffs below the Silver Point Overlooks. Yes, all that lookie-loo action is happening right above you.

You'll encounter a strange little beach covered with boulders that are in turn covered in green sea goo. These slime-covered boulders look like mythical, hairy, whimsical creatures all their own: like super slow-moving goblins in the sand. Remember Cousin It from the Adam's Family? It's like a herd of those.

The stuff resembles hair, but it's just seaweed of various kinds. These rocks are underwater a good deal of time. They can get awfully slippery, so try not to walk on them.

Waves do some interesting things nearby. They bounce off the seastack that looks like a column from the northern angle, and instead of heading inward they head north. During heavier surf, it can cause them to look like some big life form is zipping back and forth just beneath the waves.

Visually, the center of everything is this large sea cave in the middle of what's called Jockey Cap Rock. You can't ever get inside, and only on the rarest of extreme low tides can you get near it. Tiffany Boothe of Seaside Aquarium has done just that and taken some absolutely striking photographs of the place. Inside are all sorts of colorful marine life that sit completely untouched by humans. It's thick with bright shades, like an explosion of hues; a sizable city of critters with an alien look. Confessions of an Angry Sea Cave: Colorful Silver Point on N. Oregon Coast

Jesse Jones / CoastWatch

However, the most spectacular parts require some knowledge. You need to be able to read the landscape. Then, it's pure amazement. When sand levels drop dramatically in winter along the Oregon coast, sometimes Silver Point's beach lets you see bedrock – the 18-million-year-old foundation of much of the north Oregon coast called the Astoria Formation. This is actually what runs underneath just about all of Cannon Beach.

The photo above is from Jesse Jones of CoastWatch, showing that ancient foundation visible for a brief period one winter.

It looks like Jockey Cap is made of the same stuff. Certainly those rocks at its base do (the ones that sometimes have the hair). Your seeing the material that's underneath much of Cannon Beach. Oregon Coast Storms Reveal What's Beneath Cannon Beach at Silver Point 18-million-year-old bedrock that's underneath all of Cannon Beach

The cliffs of Silver Point are also a trip – back in time, that is. See what one geologist told Oregon Coast Beach Connection about them. Cannon Beach's Silver Point: N. Oregon Coast Cliff Speaks Volumes of Geologic History

A stern word of warning about the area below Silver Point: it's an extremely narrow section of beach and therefore potentially quite dangerous. Don't go there except under the calmest of conditions. If there's sneaker waves at all nearby, stay out of the area.

See the colorful cave below.....

 

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