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NEAHKAHNIE MOUNTAIN
Neahkahnie Mountain rises 1,631 feet from where rock meets sea. Sometimes clouds hide the top. At other times, the rocky spine glistens with sunlight, inviting people strolling along the beach to hike the mountain trail.
The mountain began 17 million years ago when volcanoes 300 miles east poured basalt rock that forms the headlands of today's Oregon coast.
Some say that Neahkahnie means "Mountain of Fire." Others claim that it means "Place of the God." Still others argue that the name grew from the Spanish word "carne" for meat. Whatever its origin, the name brings notions of adventure, romance and mystery to the thousands of people who experience the mountain each year.
The community of Neahkahnie lies on the mountain's southwest slope. Most of the rest of the mountain lies within
Oswald West State Park, whose southern boundary cuts across the south face at about 600 feet above sea level. |
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NEHALEM
The city of
Nehalem is named after the Nehalem Indians, one of the Salish tribes that lived along the river and bay. Post office established in 1884. |
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NEHALEM BAY
The Nehalem River estuary forms the fourth largest bay along the Oregon coast. During the 19th century, when Caucasians first settled the area, Nehalem Bay was a deep water inlet more than twice its current size. Ocean-going schooners could sail to the site of today's town of
Wheeler. Dikes to create farmland and topsoil runoff caused by logging, agriculture and forest fires have made the bay shallow and shrunk it to its current size. |
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NEHALEM BAY STATE PARK
The state park on the south half of the spit between Nehalem Bay and the ocean includes facilities used year round by visitors and locals. For details, read about biking,
boat launches,
camping,
meeting halls,
photography,
picnicking and
rollerblading. |
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NEHALEM RIVER
The third longest river in the Coast Range, the Nehalem starts east of the town of Timber and runs almost 100 miles into its bay. Highway 26 from Portland to the coast crosses the river twice - once running north at the Timber Junction and once running south at Jewell Junction.
The Nehalem River often runs chocolate brown as flood waters drain from farms and logging sites. During the winter, a strong ebb tide, combined with heavy run-off, draws the plume from the jetties far into the ocean. |
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LOCAL NEWSPAPER
Local publishers product
The North Coast Citizen every two weeks to serve north Tillamook County. Call 503-368-6397. |
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NORTH FORK NEHALEM RIVER
Dozens of tiny streams east and south of the town of Hamlet give birth to the North Fork, running 24 miles to its marriage with the main river. |
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OCEAN FLOOR
When you stand on the beach looking over the ocean, the sand at your feet slants gently into the water. This gentle grade forms the continental shelf that extends about 30 miles from shore. There the slant becomes steeper, becoming the continental slope. In another 40 miles, the ocean floor drops from 500 feet to six or seven thousand feet to the bed of the Cascadia Basin. |
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OLD GROWTH
Also called "ancient," old growth forests on the Northwest coast consist of trees in four stages that help create many layers of vegetation. The features are:
Large living trees, usually Sitka spruce or Douglas fir. These trees are 150-200 feet high, three to four feet across at chest height and 500-1,000 years old. The tops of these trees form the upper layer of the forest.
Smaller living trees, usually cedar and hemlock. These trees are 25-100 feet high, six to 18 inches in diameter and 20-100 years old. Their tops form a multi-layered canopy below the spruce and fir.
Standing dead trees, called snags.
Fallen rotting trees,, called nurse logs.
A true old growth forest requires all four features to provide habitat for a full range of wildlife, generate new soil and vegetation, and protect itself from fire and wind.
Old growth forests may dominate huge tracts or exist as groves within first or second growth forests. Walking any trail from the Oswald West parking lots to
Short Sands Beach takes you through a classic stand of old growth. You experience pockets of old growth on the trails over
Neahkahnie Mountain and around Cape Falcon. |
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OREGON COAST TRAIL see also
HIKING
The Oregon Coast Trail stretches 360 miles from the mouth of the Columbia River to the California border. When possible, the route follows the shoreline. When headlands interrupt passage over the sand, the trail enters the forest. The Coast Trail includes routes within
Oswald West
State Park that lead over Arch Cape, around Cape Falcon and over
Neahkahnie Mountain. |
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OSWALD WEST STATE PARK
The state park north of
Manzanita has 2,474 acres facing the Pacific and spanning Highway 101. The park includes
Neahkahnie Mountain and
Short Sands Beach, outdoor treasures used year round by visitors and locals. For specific information, read about biking, camping, photography, picnicking and surfing. Staff for Oswald West are based at
Nehalem Bay State Park. |
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OWLS
Careful listening in the nocturnal forest may reward you with the hoot-hoot of a great horned owl. Hikers sometimes see these large birds silently watching them from the security of a high limb. Their smaller cousins, the pygmy owl, may perch right on the top of a small tree. When you say, "That looks like an owl, but it's too small," you're seeing a pygmy. |
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PHOTOGRAPHY
The area offers infinite rewards for snapshots and for photographers who feel challenged by light and form.
Tips for snapshots. Lots of light reflected from sky or water often results in underexposed foregrounds. Photos are especially likely to have this problem when taken on the beach or at a viewpoint on
Neahkahnie Mountain. Photographers on those locations typically face over the ocean and into bright sky.
To compensate, compose with the sky or water out of the picture, then recompose to include the background. Or switch from "flash optional" to " flash required" to add light to the foreground. Also, use fill flash when you want foreground details in a forest scene, such as people or flowers next to trees.
Exploring the challenge. The two state parks offer photo opportunities that test your creative abilities.
In
Oswald West State Park, carry your equipment along any trail from parking lot to beach. Shoot scenes of monster trees backlit through the mist. Near the beach (itself a classic post card shot), compose patterns of driftwood, rocks, cliffs or waves. For action photos, watch
surfers master their waves or children playing in the sand.
In
Nehalem Bay State Park, carry your equipment across the dune at the end of Glenesslin Street in Manzanita or from the south parking lot. Capture patterns in the driftwood or, an even tougher assignment, among the
dunes. For images involving stunning color, hang around the boat ramp as the bay fills with wind surfers.
In addition to state parks within our area, Hug Point State Park just to the north offers exceptional rock formations and colors where the point meets the sand. Easy parking means you can carry even heavy equipment onto the beach.
About sunsets. If you're lucky enough to have your camera handy during a great sunset, remember to close your shutter about two f-stops. Even close to the horizon, the sun puts so much light through your lens that colors wash out at standard settings. And don't forget to look away from the setting sun to capture the vivid color on hills, clouds and water.
Seasonal opportunities. Early on cold winter mornings, watch the light play across the valley onto snow-covered peaks. During winter storms, capture the power of waves bursting against the Neahkahnie headland. From late April to mid-May, catch the dense yellow of Scotch broom painting hillsides and etching roads. All summer, put the color of kites and sails against the blue of sky and ocean. In the fall, use the rich conifer green to frame yellow alder leaves. All year long, watch the setting sun tint the hillsides gold. |
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PICNIC AREAS
Both state parks include several picnic areas. In addition, there are tables in the City Parks in
Manzanita and
Wheeler.
Nehalem Bay State Park
- Three locations in addition to the
camping areas:
- around the meeting hall next to the main parking lot
- near the parking lot at the boat ramp
- near the south parking lot
Oswald West State Park
- Two locations in addition to the camping area:
- on both sides of Highway 101 next to the northern parking lots
-
overlooking
Short Sands Beach 1/2 mile from Highway 101.
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PINE GROVE COMMUNITY CLUB
A group of local residents owns the Pine Grove building on Laneda Avenue in
Manzanita. In addition to club functions, the building hosts parties, public meetings and sales. Call 503-368-7651 for rental information, or 503-368-7643 to contact the hall directly. |
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PLAYGROUNDS
Manzanita City Park has play equipment. There is also equipment near the two main restroom buildings serving the camping areas of
Nehalem Bay State Park and on the grounds of the elementary school in
Nehalem. |
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