Migrating gray whales are visible from Yaquina Head observation decks in winters and springs.īecause the beach is considered to be one of the best tidepool areas on the Oregon Coast, observing multiple tide pools here is a popular pastime during low tides. Pacific harbor seals reside here year-round and often haul out on nearby rocks. When mighty waves come in during high tides, cobbles are moved and shifted creating a unique musical sound you can never confuse for anything else!Ĭobble Beach has multiple sea stacks, offshore rocks, and islands that boast abundant wildlife including colonies of California mussels, seabirds, and harbor seals. The cobblestones become smooth and polished from the constant tides and storms. Over the years, powerful erosion processes break down beachside cliffs releasing basalt cobbles. Take a walk down a long stairway from the parking area and beach observation deck and enjoy the ancient ocean shore covered by polished round black rocks, a rare natural wonder of the Oregon Coast! The cobblestone beach was created roughly 14 million years ago as a result of the Columbia River basalt lava flow. Sitting right below the famous Yaquina Head, this site is a must-visit location to make your Oregon Coast experience complete. Whether you want to see raging winter storms batter the Oregon coast, learn about the role lighthouses played in the westward expansion of the United States, or watch peregrine falcons at play, visit Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area and experience something wild.A part of the 100-acre Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, Cobble Beach is a small cove sheltered by basaltic headlands near Newport featuring a dramatic and beautiful intertidal area. Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses, a non-profit organization, offers site-related books, maps, and postcards in their interpretive store. Visit the Interpretive Center and discover 140 years of lighthouse history and thousands of years of natural and cultural history. Rangers are at hand to answer questions and point out all of the amazing plants and animals that call the tide pools home. When the tide is low a vibrant ocean floor is revealed-pools of colorful animals including orange sea stars, purple sea urchins, and giant green anemones. Cobble Beach is compiled of millions of round basalt rocks that produce an applause-like sound as the waves roll in. During the summer months some gray whales take the opportunity to feed in the shallow waters around the headland. Gray whales can be spotted during their annual migrations to Mexico (late fall-early winter) and Alaska (late winter-early spring). The offshore islands are a year-round refuge for harbor seals and a spring-summer home for thousands of nesting seabirds. Standing 93 feet tall at the westernmost point of the basalt headland, the lighthouse has been a bright beacon of the night, guiding ships and their supplies along the west coast since the light was first lit on August 20, 1873. Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area extends out from the Oregon coast, one mile into the Pacific Ocean. From exploring tide pools teeming with life to witnessing Oregon's tallest lighthouse, there is something for every visitor at Yaquina Head.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |