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

(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

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