Blog Post

Northern Oregon Coast

We recently visited the Pacific NorthWest. I was really excited because I always wanted to photograph the coast of Oregon. Unfortunately, I had only a couple of days, so I am by no means an expert. But for many of you, that’s all you are going to have too. So this article is for those of you who are going there and want to focus on the most important spots. Another confession before we get started. The weather was conducive to photography only part of the time. So while my main points will be first hand, others will be gleaned from my own research, relying on the experience of others. I debated whether to do this. In the end, I decided to include 3rd party information to give you one resource that you can work from. I have included links to some of external resources. You may decide to follow one of these links and leave my article. I am OK with that because my goal here is to make your trip to Oregon as painless and profitable as possible.

Cannon Beach

We headed straight for Cannon beach. Not only is this town the center from which many of the great spots can be reached but it is also a very quaint town. It is the kind of town I wish more American towns would be like. There are many city ordinances that constrict building and commercial activities. In fact the nickname for the town is Cannot Beach. All that said, I like the outcome. The town has no billboards or signs that are ugly. It is full of beautiful hanging flower baskets. (See this post for more on Cannon Beach)

The beach part of Cannon Beach is beautiful. Wide open beaches with interesting rock formations at the north end of the beach.

The south end of the beach is home to Haystack Rock.

Depending on the time of the year, parking can be a real hassle in this town. Many people parked on the side of the road leading to Haystack Rock, but they were ticketed. There are a few public parking areas. I would advise you to find a parking and then walk the rest of the time.

Ecola State Park

Within a short drive or walk of Cannon Beach there are a number of key spots. Some of these are within Ecola State Park. From Cannon Beach, you can drive to this area within 10 minutes. Actually at low tide, you can even walk to some of the beaches in Ecola State Park. Let’s assume you drive. Head north out of Cannon Beach and before you hit the main road, there is a left turn to Ecola State Park. If you are entering the area from the north, you actually hit Ecola State Park first.

Entering the park costs you $5 per car (in 2016), paid at an automatic vending machine. As you enter, there is a car park to the left. From this car park, there are a number of paths that lead in different directions and get you down to the beach.

About 1 ½ miles further down the road is Indian Beach. This is a really popular surfing spot.

I thoroughly recommend that you use an app like LightTrace or PlanIt to determine where the sun is going to be. This will help you determine where and when to set up.

Oswald West State Park

South from Cannon Beach you will find a great beach in an area known as Oswald West State Park. You need to park in one of a number of designated parking areas on the US 101 and then hike in. The hike in itself is pleasant and an opportunity to do some photography. There are multiple trails to the beach from the different parking lots. This shot is of the stream that terminates on the beach.

For other spots in this area, see the Nomadic Pursuits blog

Southern Oregon

As you will see below, there is an abundance of places that you can photograph along this coastline. I never got this far south, which is sad. I will have to go back but when I do, I will take a couple of weeks if I can.

Gold Beach Oregon

Check out this Gold Coast Pinterest Board Pinterest Board to see all the amazing places you can choose to photograph.

Bandon Beach Wizard’s Hat

Another really interesting place to photograph is the place called the Wizard’s Hat, situated on Bandon’s Beach.

View it at our Pinterest Board.
Samuel H. Boardman State park

This is a stretch of about 12 miles of forested park with a rugged coastline with small picturesque beaches. This park is found south of the Pistol River.

Here are a few links to our Pinterest board where you can see some of the possible scenes.

The Churn at Samuel H. Boardman State Park
Samuel H. Boardman State Park
More of the Churn