Cascade Head

Jay Adventure!, Day Hiking, Oregon Coast , , 0 Comment

Over Presidents Day weekend this year, Dawn, Hayden and I traveled to Lincoln City Oregon to stay in a beach house our friends rented to celebrate a birthday. We had a great time. Beautiful house. Beautiful area. The weather happened to be pretty nasty this weekend but there were a few occasional breaks and the kids still got to enjoy the beach. During a break on Sunday I drove down to see the Devils Punchbowl. It was very windy out.

On our last day there, the weather finally turned decent and I stole away for a few hours in search of a hike. I had my eye on some of the bluffs overlooking the ocean to the north. I left Lincoln City and got on the 101 northbound and looked for any turn-offs that looked promising. I ended up turning left on 3 Rocks Rd to see what was there and saw a trailhead sign. I parked at Knight County Park and started walking. I didn't have a backpack or even any water. I was just thrilled to be outside after being cooped up in the house all weekend. Turned out I was hiking the Cascade Head trail which I had heard of before, but I had no idea it was this far south. It turned out to be a very rewarding hike. Saw a big herd of elk and got some nice wide open views up near the top. It was a tad chilly but at least the wind from the previous few days had calmed significantly. It was a very nice but short hike. I highly recommend it if you ever find yourself staying in the Lincoln City area.

Short clip of Cascade Head I took with my cell phone.

After a nasty drive all the way from Silverdale to Lincoln City, we were greeted with this lovely sunset on the beach at the rental house.
Last of the day's rays.
It was then time to celebrate. We had 3 birthdays to celebrate this weekend.
Walking the beach that evening
Full moon that night
Hilary and the kids - night beach walking.
The beach house.
Beach the next morning.
Saw this flock of seagulls along the road while driving to the Devils Punchbowl.
Coastline near Devil's Punchbowl.
Coastline near Devil's Punchbowl.
Coastline near Devil's Punchbowl.
Devil's Punchbowl.
Surfer near Devil's Punchbowl. I was impressed. The weather was quite nasty. Very windy.
Surfer near Devil's Punchbowl.
The kids getting their picture taken on the beach.
The view from the rental.
Herd of elk near the start of the Cascade Head hike
Cascade Head Trailhead
Cascade Head Trailhead
Boardwalk portion of the trail
Boardwalk portion of the trail
Trees n' ferns - or - ferns growin' on trees
The trail leaves and re-enters the National Forest in one place
Well loved trail
Another trail sign. This one greets you as you leave the National Forest and enter the preserve.
Out of the trees and into the open.
Looking south towards Lincoln City which is just past that outcropping.
Embattled shoreline.
Embattled shoreline.
I survived, but then again I didn't go over the edge either.
Benchmark for Cascade Head
The view from the very top.
Panorama from just below the top.
Heading down the trail.
A look back at the top.
Trail as it enters the trees on the way down.
From one of the bridges on the trail.
The trail crosses to road in one place near this condominium complex.
The elk were still laying around on the return hike.
They didn't seem to be too bothered by me.
Elk
If it weren't for the moss and the ferns, there wouldn't have been much green to look at. Spring had not yet arrived.
I loved these ferns.

Click here for guidebook author William Sullivan's description of the Cascade Head Trail.

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