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while we didn't have the best weather, the Designated & protected marine garden and wildlife refuge habitat , aka the haystack rock was a site to see. So many birds flying around and hanging out in thier natural element. definitely recommend checking it out if in the area!
% must go! The ability to walk out onto the to the ocean at least for half of the day is covered in water. I'd be able to see sea life crustaceans and get up close and personal with Haystack rock is something most people never experienced in a lifetime. If you're there, take the time wait for the tide get out in it!!!!
The "Goonies Rock" is no where near Astoria like the movie makes it out to be. No matter what, it is absolutely worth the drive. Parking is non-existent because you have to walk down a pathway between two houses to get to there, I mean of course there are probably areas North or South of the actual rock but I am not aware of them myself. We were lucky and able to find a spot directly across the pathway that just happened to have someone pulling out. Walking down that pathway, I took a video and love how it shows the beauty of the area just opening up. It was more than I could have wished for after growing up loving the movie Goonies and was delighted that we got there when we did. Tide was out, so the dreamy tide pools that you see associated with the northwest coastlines were accessible and all the wonderful wildlife that live within them. Also, we were able to watch the sunset, which was cloud covered but who cares. While walking around, it first started with just rolling up my pants, so then having a misstep and one of my shoes getting soaked so then I was like, oh well, off with the shoes and walk around freely to be able to go rock to rock or wade around to get to the numerous tidepools. All worth the super cold feet later on in the car. There is just something about seeing everything in the wild vs in various zoos or aquariums. It was by far my favorite part of our trip to Portland and something I'd love to revisit again, regardless of the distance and drive back.
Haystack Rock is one of those major landmarks of the Oregon Coast. The ancient monolith has been seen in films, media, etc. and is surrounded by a few smaller sea stacks nearby. Haystack itself is 235 feet tall and when the tide is low, you can walk out all the way to the rock. The reason you want to do that is because there are tide pools surrounding it where you'll see all kinds of sea life such as starfish, anemones, crabs, and more. It's also a popular spot for birding because of the varieties of birds who make a stop around here too. If you visit the tide pools, you MUST learn the etiquette of doing so to ensure that the delicate ecosystem is maintained. Check the tide charts to find when it'll be low and make for good viewing. There's an organization called the Haystack Rock Awareness Program that does events throughout the year, so check out what they're up to. There are parking lots around town but none right here (as there might be at other costal lookouts, like Devil's Churn or something). You might get lucky finding a spot on the street but there are residential streets around here so be cognizant of that, and respectful.
Five fabulous stars for a fabulous place! As a tourist from California what struck me the most, apart from of course the immense Rock, was one morning at low low tide (I think -2ft on the tide chart) it felt like you could walk all the way around the rock, the beach was so level and smooth out into the ocean! Sunsets are marvelous, golden hour lights up the rock so beautifully. Maybe dock 1/3 star for how stinky it it up close tho, those beautiful birds do make a stinky mess!
No trip to Oregon is complete without seeing Haystack Rock. It's honestly breathtaking, having such a massive rock jutting out from an otherwise serene coastline. At low tide you can basically walk (wade?) right up to its base and have a look around tide pools nearby. Really cool and very photo friendly activity!
Iconic Oregon coast. Just go. Enjoy nature at its finest. You will get different views for different seasons and the tides.
An iconic landmark on the Oregon coast. The beach is beautiful, large, and sandy - I am sure it is quite crowded in the summer, but I came in September and there was hardly anyone on the beach in the morning and evening. Parking was not an issue but I can imagine parking/traffic may be really terrible in the summer. Of course September is the off season and it was a little windy, but nothing that is unexpected from a Pacific Northwest beach. Some day I will come back in the summer, as I heard there are puffins there at that time! Loved that this beach was dog-friendly as my pup got to enjoy time in the sand and water.
Haystack Rock is one of the most recognizable landmarks along the Oregon Coast. It's located on Cannon Beach and it's free to visit. If you arrive early enough, there's parking available in Cannon Beach's charming town. By mid to late morning over summers, parking lots usually fill up and then you may have to pivot to find where to leave your car. Depending on where you enter Cannon Beach from, Haystack Rock will be visible from any distance. It's 235 feet tall and according to Wikipedia it's..."a monolithic rock that's accessible by foot during low tide" (mornings). I had to Google what monolithic meant, lol, and it's just a massive, single stone rock formation. That definitely epitomizes Haystack Rock. I visited on a quiet Saturday morning at the end of August and the beach wasn't crowded. It doesn't take long to experience what makes this rock such a fascinating attraction. You can get real close to it, practically within footsteps of looking straight up to its peak. Rules forbid you from climbing on it and it's roped off to protect seagulls, puffins and their nesting sites. Interestingly, the seagulls peck at the starfish who consume the mussels attached to the rock. Haystack Rock is a host for the circle of life between birds and fish. It's captivating just standing so close and watching nature and wildlife coexisting together. There were volunteer guides who hung out beside the rock and offered their expertise if you had questions. Around 9am they had introductions/demonstrations to learn what makes the beach shores here so unique. The Haystack Rock surroundings are also famous for being showcased in iconic 1980's movies...The Goonies and Kindergarten Cop. I could definitely envision One-Eyed Willie's pirate ship setting sail in the distance. Lastly, the town of Cannon Beach has authentic shops and stores to grab souvenirs and mementos. In the end, if you are driving the Oregon Coast, there are so many incredible natural wonders along the way to get yourself outdoors and start exploring. I believe Haystack Rock makes for a worthwhile stop that shouldn't be missed.
This was a destination I had been looking forward to visiting for years after seeing pictures and hearing stories of other peoples' experiences at Cannon Beach ! First, the drive here along Route 26, from Portland, was just stunning as you drive through the forested areas. On this occasion a blanket of fog enveloped the valley and the pictures just don't do it justice as to how it looked in person. I went during the "off-season" right at the end of October and for me this was a great time to visit, as there were not too many people on the actual beach and it also made parking much easier. You can park in areas off the street, however, be careful as much of it you are not allowed to park on. If you park at "Haystack Rock" Public Parking it's just a short walk to the Cannon Beach Access. On this particular day a big storm was moving in and it really created a great atmosphere to photograph in with the moody skies and the ocean getting a bit more turbulent as the waves crashed into the seastacks. Would have loved to catch a sunset here, however, will have to do that on another visit and maybe a different time of the year to compare experiences. The trip didn't disappoint and highly recommend stopping here and exploring other parts of the Oregon Coast!
If you're a fan of the Goonies, you probably recognize Cannon Beach's Haystack Rock as the geographic feature the kids use to navigate their map. Haystack Rock and surrounding rocks have been in a ton of other films too, like 1941, Point Break, and Twilight. Obviously it's a very iconic piece of Oregon's coastline. You will definitely want to snap a few pics when you get there, because the water, the rock, and the beach are gorgeous. I do recommend getting there quite early though, if you want to get some serene photos, or if you're not a fan of crowds. It can get pretty intensely crowded around the rock in the later morning/afternoon. It's about an hour and a half drive from downtown Portland, so you can hit the road early, pack a lunch, and make a day of visiting Haystack Rock and Cannon Beach. You definitely will not regret it!
Haystack rock is something that the locals have been talking about since we first crossed into the Oregon border so of course we had to check it out. Cannon Beach, on a holiday weekend, in the middle of the afternoon was not wise, however. Packed with people and the way the streets are set up with not a lot of 4 way stops made it white knuckling to drive through the area. I am sure it would have been very cool on an off day. If you want just views of the rock without all the people, there are pull offs on the driveway just past Cannon Beach.
11 years ago
11 years ago
I felt like I was in the goonies! This is the spot they came to in the movie. The rock pools are really neat too. Be sure not to step on the rocks! They are their own little ecosystems. Next time I hope we see puffins. read more
10 years ago
Rain or shine this place is heaven. Very wide beach so it never feels crowded. Be sure to get here early to enjoy getting up close to the rock during low tide. read more
8 years ago
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11 years ago
Such a beautiful feature! The beach is wonderful, everyone brings their cute dogs here too! Definitely a must see! read more
8 years ago
10 years ago
Really amazing to see this in person. The town of Cannon is fun, too. Walk around to the small beach shops! We stopped at Mo's for clam chowder after exploring. read more
8 years ago
10 years ago
Very special place for us. Friends and Family traveled 6 hours for our wedding. Very special thanks to Julie Adams for one of the best wedding shots I've every seen. Every Labor day weekend this is our place. read more
9 years ago
Loved it! I do recommend heading down to the second public parking lot for parking if you are getting off the 26 highway from Portland since it is a busy summer with tourists all over. Everybody was trying to catch a parking spot asap but I decided to keep driving down. Best choice since it was a quick walk to the beach. read more
19 years ago
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9 years ago
This was a beautiful beach, although we did have a bit of trouble finding the stairs between the residential homes. We ended up following a small family that looked confident in where they were going, and luckily they knew right where to go! My bf and I aren't into sports, so we came on Super Bowl Sunday and it was perfect. Not too many people, but enough for it to not seem deserted. I was so happy that there were large areas of unoccupied sand so that we could play fetch with our two dogs, while also keeping them far away enough from other people with dogs so they wouldn't try to run off with them. Also got to experience the low tide, and saw some lady's giving some kind of informational tours to families with kids. A very nice beach overall, but it was disappointing to find some trash and beer bottles on the rocks only a few steps away from the stairs that led to a trash can. I would suggest placing trash bins at the bottom of the stairs, not just at the top. I had to run up the stairs with used doggie bags just to toss them in the trash. Perhaps this would encourage people to not leave beer bottles in the sand. read more
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Amazing natural wonder, came here for the last day of 2013 and it is truly amazing. My gf did a good job finding this place, I like Oregon more and more.... If you come by here, check this out and drive on the 101 to Astoria to Seattle, such an amazing view and it's so beautiful yet creepy... Like horror movie in the most beautiful way. Or if you are a twilight fan, you would like the area. read more
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