Shore Acres Loop Hike

Overview

A series of state properties, four in all, run together on a section of rugged coastline southwest of Charleston in Coos County. The hike described here begins at Sunset Bay State Park but soon crosses the boundary into Shore Acres State Park. This section of the Oregon Coast Trail passes through forest, deposits you in a couple of small coves, and travels along colorful clifftops with spectacular views. The botanical gardens at Shore Acres are a highlight of the outing as are views to the Cape Arago Lighthouse on Chief's Island. This hike can be combined with the Cape Arago Loop Hike for a longer excursion. Dogs are not permitted in the Shore Acres Botanical Gardens. At Sunset Bay State Park, a sign on the east side of the parking area commemorates the beginning here of the first transcontinental balloon journey on October 4th, 1973. The balloon, piloted by billionaire Malcolm Forbes and his son Bobby, ended at Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, on November 6th. At low and minus tides, Sunset Bay itself offers premium tide pool exploration, and colorful nudibranches, multi-legged sea stars, sea urchins, and abalones may be discovered. Tread only on bare rock, and look but do not touch. Cross the footbridge over Big Creek to the right of the restrooms. A short spur leads to the mouth of the creek, where you can see the sprawling roots of ancient spruce trees, the remains of a forest that dropped to sea level during one of the great Cascade earthquakes 1,200 years ago. Switchback up through a forest of Sitka spruce, salal, evergreen huckleberry, sword fern, and deer fern. The trail passes along the edge of the Norton Gulch Group Camp. At half a mile, you will reach an unsigned T-junction. Turn right on a short spur trail to visit a viewpoint with a bench and a view across the mouth of Sunset Bay to Qochyax Island, formerly Squaw Island, with its forest of dead trees. Retrace your steps back to the main trail and continue south. Numerous little viewpoints allow you to see the ocean, coves, rock formations, and eventual

Trail Stats

Photos

400px-ShoreAcresMap

400px-ShoreAcresMap

250px-Old_mansion_driveway%2C_Shore_Acres_State_Park

250px-Old_mansion_driveway%2C_Shore_Acres_State_Park

250px-Fountain%2C_Botanical_Gardens%2C_Shore_Acres_State_Park

250px-Fountain%2C_Botanical_Gardens%2C_Shore_Acres_State_Park

250px-Honeycomb_ledge%2C_Shore_Acres_State_Park

250px-Honeycomb_ledge%2C_Shore_Acres_State_Park

250px-Looking_to_Cape_Arago_Lighthouse_and_Qochyax_Island%2C_Sunset_Bay_State_Park

250px-Looking_to_Cape_Arago_Lighthouse_and_Qochyax_Island%2C_Sunset_Bay_State_Park

250px-Cove_near_Norton_Gulch%2C_Sunset_Bay_State_Park

250px-Cove_near_Norton_Gulch%2C_Sunset_Bay_State_Park

400px-Shoreacres1

400px-Shoreacres1

TKO put tools to trail here.png

TKO put tools to trail here.png

Tags