A Memorial Day Road Trip to the Southern Oregon Coast
"Nature is not a place to to visit. It is a home" - Gary Synder
A few weeks ago, some friends and I travelled out to the southern Oregon coast, and northern California to kick-off the Summer camping season, which generally starts in the Pacific Northwest around Memorial Day. Some of the trip highlights include stacks of sea cliffs and rocks that adorned and hugged the coastlines, views of where the forest meet the sea in mossy orchestras, painted sorbet sunsets on Harris Beach, and spectacles of large redwood trees growing hundreds of feet towards the sky. Two thumbs up for a long-weekend getaway to this area. Perfect for any road-trip or if you have a long weekend. I have included below, each location visited during the trip, a collection of photos, as well a short film for you to enjoy. Happy adventuring!
Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor: Secret Beach is one of the most photographed spots in the area with picturesque sea cliffs that take you back in time. One of my personal favorites was the the hike on Indian Sands Trail. The trail has a bit of everything: you start in a forest grove, walk among small sand dunes, grazed by parades of wildflowers, and end a hike by the sea with grandiose views of coastal arches.
Secret Beach, Samuel H Boardman Scenic Corridor
Camping at Harris Beach State Park Locations: Stunning tide pools & sunsets fill the Harris Beach area. Just a tip, you can reserve campsites at Harris Beach up-to 9-months in advance. We reserved in December for Memorial Day! A short distance from the campsite, you have a stretch of stunning coastline to take a morning sunset or sunrise walk. The colors of the cotton candy and sorbet-like sunsets are some of the best I have seen!
Sunset at Harris Beach State Park
Smith River National Recreation Area: We discovered this area after stopping by the Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park visitors center to grab a map. The Smith River area is an overlanders paradise, with miles and miles of dirt roads to explore. A fun fact, the Smith River is also the only major un-dammed, flowing river left in the State of California. That's neat isn't it?!
Sprawling forests in the Smith River National Recreation area
Jedediah Smith Redwood National and State Parks: A must-do in the area, is the scenic drive through the city-like groves of of redwood trees on Howland Hill Road. But remember to start early! Heaps of people come out to play after 10am. There are many off-shoot walking trails and plenty of opportunity for tree-hugging...no...really! It is a bumpy ride, so it is not recommended for vehicles with low clearance or even RVs.
A scenic drive on the Howland Hill Road, Jedediah Redwoods State and National Park
Enjoy! Coming soon, a post on Mount St. Helen's along with a Cessna plane ride. Hope to post stewardship opportunities soon!