Stay Eat Events Weather Beaches

A Tale of Two Oregon Coast Blobs and Their Past: One You Know, One You Don't

Published 06/16/22 at 7:25 PM PST
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

A Tale of Two Oregon Coast Blobs and Their Past: One You Know, One You Don't

Latest Coastal Lodging News Alerts
In Seaside:
Includes exclusive listings; some specials in summer
In Cannon Beach:
Includes rentals not listed anywhere else
In Manzanita, Wheeler, Rockaway Beach:
Some specials for summer
In Pacific City, Oceanside:
Some specials for summer
In Lincoln City:
Some specials for summer
In Depoe Bay, Gleneden Beach:
Some specials for summer
In Newport:
Look for some specials
In Waldport
Some specials for summer
In Yachats, Florence
Some specials for summer
Southern Oregon Coast Hotels / Lodgings
Reedsport to Brookings, places to stay; summer deals

(Neskowin, Oregon) – Up on the north Oregon coast, at two different ends of the Three Capes Tour, there sit two almost-twins. Two rocky blobs, almost thirty miles apart, look like each other and they share some unique characteristics. Neskowin and a hidden cove-like beach below Cape Meares host these eyebrow-raising dollops of former lava. The tales they could tell if they could only talk. But we know a little about them. (Above: Short Beach with Cape Meares in the background. Photo Oregon Coast Beach Connection)

One of the Oregon coast's most enthralling hidden spots lies right next to Oceanside, just west of Tillamook. Look for Radar Rd. along the back road between Oceanside and Cape Meares, and you'll find the refurbished entrance to this stunning beach.

First, you'll spot the bulbous blob at the tideline, resembling the sea stack at Neskowin to the south. Wander here a bit longer, and you may see the waterfall coming from the side of the cliff which hosts the lighthouse. This large, indistinct structure sports a small patch of trees on top. This could well be its own little mini ecosystem, at least with certain plants.

The patch of green up top makes it look like some fantasy moment out of a video game or movie – or perhaps Roger Dean's album covers for Yes in the '70s.

Look closely and you'll notice a big crack that runs a little diagonally through it: evidence of some geologic movement way deep in its distant past. What is its geologic story? See Cape Meares Lava Flows - it's part of that structure.

This distinctive north Oregon coast spot didn't used to be so accessible. Until about 20 years ago, the way down here was precarious and slippery, causing many injuries. But locals got together and created this "stairway of 1000 steps."

Legends abound here. It's said that at extreme low tides, there is yet another tunnel visible (like the one through the cliff in Oceanside). One version of the legend says there may be two tunnels here. Hotels in Oceanside - Where to eat - Oceanside Maps and Virtual Tours

At Neskowin, one of the main features is Proposal Rock, an intriguing blob-like structure that also boast a small forest sitting on top. There's a sizable creek between you and it, however, and to get to the structure means crossing this cold body of water barefoot.


There's a giant hole here, like the big keyhole at the end of The Goonies movie. Nearby, the famed ghost forest stumps reside, 2,000-year-old remnants of a forest slowly engulfed by a change in the landscape.

There's a lot to this photogenic Oregon coast landmark, more than meets the eye.

Atop the rock, there are some hidden trails meandering through the forest where the views are somewhat legendary. Watch the tide closely or you could get stranded, and be careful of the trail's slippery entrance.

Near the entrance, look for a small, round brass plaque, an oddity embedded there early in the century.

Proposal Rock was named after Charles Gage proposed to Della Page on it around the turn of the century. Della's mother, Sarah Page, so named the rock.

Going back even farther, Neskowin’s Proposal Rock is an orphan. It's made of the same basalt that Cascade Head is made of. It was once part of that headland (an extinct volcano some 30 million years old), and once upon a time it was much larger than it is. Now it's separated from the headland by a quarter miles and it is a mere tiny fragment left over from the larger rock. Imagine how much time and oceanic forces it took to destroy that much of the headland? Hotels in Lincoln City - Where to eat - Lincoln City / Neskowin Maps and Virtual Tours


MORE PHOTOS BELOW





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

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


Coastal Spotlight


LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles

Constant Killer Views at One Cannon Beach Legend: Oregon Coast Travel Tips
There's also deep history at this popular, luxury hotel. Cannon Beach hotel reviews, Cannon Beach lodging, Tolovana Inn
Pink Floyd on Oregon Coast? Pigs on the Wing Brings Visual, Sonic Punch to As...
At Astoria's Liberty Theatre this Saturday, September 30
UPDATE: Coast Guard Ends Search for Woman Swept Away at Rialto Beach, Washing...
Witnesses said she was sucked into the surf by heavy waves
Chonky, Orange Moon, Planets and Meteor Showers Coming: Washington / Oregon C...
Larger-than-usual full moon and some meteors coming later. Sciences
U.S. Travel Tips: Rugged, Remote to Chic at Tierra Del Mar on Oregon's North ...
From elegant to surfing, hiking, hang gliding. Pacific City hotels, Tillamook, Oceanside
Cannon Beach Hotels, Lodging, Motels - N. Oregon Coast
Updated weekly: hotels in Cannon Beach, Arch Cape, lodging, motels, inns, lodging deals
Oregon / Washington Coast Alerts: Flood Watch, First Big Waves of Season
Floods, lots of rain, high winds and some rather good storm watching, beach safety
Sea Lions Sick with Leptospirosis on Oregon Coast: Keep Pets, Yourselves Away
Stay clear of sick or dead sea lions. Marine sciences, beach safety

Back to Oregon Coast

Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection
All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted