Netarts Nature Walk Time Travels Through Oregon Coast Geology

Published 9/24/24 at 6:25 a.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Netarts, Oregon) – The smallest of details you find on the Oregon coast can have the most epic of stories. The tiny things here can be the big finds.

So it goes with the rocks of the north coast, even around the Netarts Bay near Oceanside. If you want to dive headlong into just such a time-traveling sojourn, Friends of Netarts Bay WEBS (Watershed, Estuary, Beach, and Sea) is hosting that kind of event on Sunday, September 29. Reading The Rocks Of Netarts Bay: a Time Traveling Adventure takes place in and around the bay area, starting at 10 a.m.

From lava flows to ancient fossils to modern environmental crises, this event takes you around the north coast – geologically.

You'll join up with expert and outdoor environmental geoscience instructor Margery Price on this temporal excursion, which will comprise of walking around various locales in and near Netarts Bay, from Cape Lookout to the little village of Cape Meares. There will also be a presentation.

Participants will explore the geological wonders of this striking natural area, uncovering the hidden history inside the rocks. You'll delve into the what's preserved in the layers of stone around the area, and hear some wondrous stories.

Be ready to travel between various spots in that stretch of Cape Lookout to Cape Meares, and maybe carpool there and back.

WEBS Director Chrissy Smith said there is much to gawk at in this section of the Oregon coast.

“Working on the bay or walking on the beach, I often marvel at how they came to be,” Smith said. “Exploring the geologic story of this place through time brings together all the different puzzle pieces that led to the creation of Netarts Bay, our sand beaches, tidepools, and headlands. The rocks and formations can tell us so much about this place.”

If you want a hint at what surprises this area can yield: it turns out there are remnants of a ghost forest some 80,000 years old here, and an Oregon Coast Beach Connection reader recently discovered a new set of ghost forest stumps not yet documented (dating back 300 years). See Ghost Forest Found at N. Oregon Coast's Happy Camp a Chilling Reminder

Price is in the middle of researching how pumice can be used as a filter for wastewater, and she's spent time with the US Geologic Survey in Yellowstone and as an undergraduate teaching assistant at a field school in Montana. One of her favorite activities is discovering cool and interesting rocks wherever she goes – something she promises to do with this walkabout event.

Registration is required for this event. For more information and to register on their website, follow the link to Reading The Rocks Of Netarts Bay.

Explore Nature is a series that offers a delightful array of outdoor activities - hikes, walks, paddles, and other adventures - guided by a collaborative effort among volunteer community groups and non-profits. These immersive nature experiences shine a spotlight on Tillamook County’s exceptional beauty while emphasizing ongoing efforts to safeguard its natural resources and sustain the local economy. Notably, this event is cross-listed through Explore Nature Tillamook Coast.

Friends of Netarts Bay WEBS (Watershed, Estuary, Beach, and Sea) is a non-profit organization dedicated to sustaining the Netarts Bay area through education and stewardship. www.netartsbaywebs.org.

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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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