If you travel north of Newport and use the beach access at 68th st and walk south, you will run smack into Yaquina Head. The stretch of beach you walk on is actually part of Moolack Beach but the pictures I’m using are from a trip that I only walked this particular section, so it gets it’s own post.
This section of beach is simply covered with interesting rock formations. So much so, that there might actually be more rock than sand. There are large flat sections of bedrock with deep channels cut into the rock, all covered with a variety of algae. Some of the flat areas that the bedrock forms is several feet above the level of the sand. The entire effect gives the beach a very unique feel.
You can see the Yaquina Head Lighthouse from the moment you set foot on the beach. It is the tallest lighthouse (93 ft) in Oregon, after all. Built in 1873, many believe they built it at the wrong location, insisting Cape Foulweather would have been a better choice. If the lighthouse and the jagged rocks in front of it look familiar, it may be because they were used as the lighthouse in the film The Ring.
The Yaquina Head Lighthouse
There is also a decent gravel bar covering much of this beach. If you are doing some agate hunting and find that you aren’t having very good luck, try crossing to the north side of the creek at the 68th St access. For some reason, likely having to do with most people not wanting to risk getting their feet wet, the other side of the creek has more agates.
Great post! Great tip!