The Surreal, Intricate and Intriguing Addition to Central Oregon Coast Beach Haunts

Published 10/07/21 at 5:56 PM PDT
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Yachats, Oregon) – Almost a kind of netherworld of central Oregon coast, the stretch between Yachats and Florence feels like you've left civilization behind. It's as if you're in the middle of nowhere now. But that's a good thing: this 20-mile or so section may be bereft of people but it's thick and rich in beaches – like a big collection of hidden spots.

One that stands out is Strawberry Hill.

This spot just south of Yachats has a variety of stuff for everyone, from tidepools, bubble-like rock structures for climbing to sandy stretches and stunning high viewpoints.

A tiny, curved parking area hides behind a set of massive bushes, giving way to the stately bluff that introduces you to this unique semi-cove. Breathtaking views surround the minute you step out of your vehicle, and the winds hit your face, soon accompanied by the intoxicating smells of the sea and the sea life a little ways away.

To the south, there's a long stretch of cobblestone beach with towering cliffs directly behind you. It's a short chunk of beach and thus not always a safe one to wander, as tidal conditions may have you in their bullseye without warning. Yet in calmer moments it's a sprawling gem, with fascinating textures in those cliffs, maybe the odd fossil or three, and then tons of agates under the right conditions.

West and north at Strawberry Hill allows you access to a favorite spot of tidepool hunters, with large and small rocky blobs creating a labyrinth in the sand and providing plenty of places for starfish, mussels and other tideline dwellers to live.

It's as much fun for rough-housing and tidepool hunting as it is for a simple, hand-in-hand walk on the beach. Strawberry Hill is the perfect mix of sandy repose and rock features.

Wander to the back of this unique central Oregon coast beach and you'll discover a trippy little land full of rocky blobs, sea life colonies of striking colors, and some truly oddball structures. It's like a labyrinth here, packed with treasures. You meander in and around these ancient basalts, not knowing they're some 30 million years old or more and the result of a host of volcanoes once in this area. That must've been an astounding sight to witness back then, though most of it was well under water at the time.

The cool twists and turns come at the northeast corner of this wild little access. There's a small tower of soil and sandstone jutting up out of nowhere – a chunk of land clearly once connected to the cliffs but eroded away by raging Oregon coast tides. Looking like something out of Dr. Suess, now it has a log strangely stabbed into its interior: an example of the sheer brute force possible of the sea.

Then, at the very back, a small grouping of holes in the cliffs manage to look like big, weird eyes. They're little sea caves ever-so-slowly in the making, but for now they're a truly wacky, even amusing find.

Hotels in Yachats - Where to eat - Upper Lane County Virtual Tour, Maps

MORE PHOTOS BELOW

More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....

LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles

Back to Oregon Coast

Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net
All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted