September 11th, 2024

Down the Southern Oregon Coast

Hilltop House Lounge and Restaurant, Coos Bay

We took a trip down the Southern Oregon Coast for Al's birthday this year, staying in Gold Beach but ranging as far down as Brookings on day trips. We passed through there on a Spring Break trip a few years ago, camping outside of Port Orford and Brookings, but we were headed for the Redwoods, and didn't spend long. That part of Oregon is really its own thing. It feels apart from the cultural presence of Portland in a way that the northern coast doesn't, for good, ill, and indifferent.

White and red sign that reads "Hilltop House" with "Lounge and Restaurant" in red neon beneath. — Hilltop House Lounge and Restaurant, Coos Bay

We rented a condo that overlooked the river on the north side of Gold Beach.

Our first full day at Gold Beach we drove up the Humbug Mountain State Park and hiked up to the top. There was a thick layer of fog and heavy mist in the forest. Once we got to the top we couldn't see a lot because the fog covered the ocean.

Trees in the morning mist on a mountain trail, with a splash of gold from early turning leaves — Humbug Mountain West Loop Trail

Trees in the morning mist on a mountain trail — Humbug Mountain West Loop

Sun through the mist on a fallen tree with a dew covered spiderweb hanging underneath — Humbug Mountain West Loop

Later in the day we went to Otter Point. The sun had broken through, so we got some great views.

A triangular rock juts out of the blue Pacific ocean — Otter Point

A woman stands on orange rock and dirt with blue and cloudy skies behind her — Al at Otter Point

Our second day was spent traveling down to Brookings. It was another foggy day, so a few of the stops were brief because there wasn't always a lot to see. Our first stop was Meyer's Beach, where there was plenty of mist, but it was still beautiful. The tide was mostly out, so we were able to get around between all the huge rocks where there were dozens and dozens of starfish, anemones, and one isopod (which was sort of alarming to look at).

A woman walks along a foggy beach, two tumbled rocks obscured by mist in the background — Al on Meyer's Beach

A woman walks up a sandy hill covered in sea grass, a yellow exit sign reads "182" — Heading up off Meyers Beach

Two women dwarfed by giant rocks in the ocean — Meyers Beach

Huge ocean rocks on a foggy beach — Meyers Beach

The pleasant surprise of the day was Chetco Point Park at Brookings. It's behind the city wastewater treatment plant, and at the very opening has all the charm of an Army Corps of Engineers recreation site. But if you keep walking down the path and past all the fencing, there's a bunch of rocks to clamor around and a trail up to Chetco Point itself.

A fisherman in the water bends down looking at his feet. A man in a red and black check flannel kneels on a rocky beach — Beachcombers at Chetco Point

Rocks in the mist in a small ocean inlet — Chetco Point, Brookings, OR

We ended the day at Harris Beach State Park outside of Brookings. More mist, and the tide wouldn't let us hike from the south to north beaches, but it was a nice beach walk all the same.

Ocean rocks in the mist — Harris Beach, Brookings, OR

Waves crash against rocks in the ocean fog — Harris Beach, Brookings, OR

The next day we took a boat ride 30 miles up the Rogue River. The tour itself was ... touristy ... with a boat pilot/guide who preferred to deliver facts about osprey and egrets in a sing-song voice, like a lounge singer. The boat we took also served as a mail boat for the tiny town of Agness.
He did eventually quiet down a little, and we spent two hours going upriver. We spotted a sea lion and a huge number of osprey, a blue heron, egrets, and vultures. We stopped for lunch in Agness, which boasts an RV park, some cabins, a restaurant/lounge and a general store holding the town's sole liquor license.

Bright red jet boats on the Rogue River — Jerry's Rogue Jets, Gold Beach OR

Dept. of Fish and Wildlife workers checking their nets

Fishermen underneath a bridge, Rogue River

Once we got back, we headed outside of Gold Beach a few miles to a scenic beach.

Looking for agates outside of Gold Beach

A fishing boat heads toward sea, a fog-covered bridge in the background — Morning view from our balcony

Our last day we got an earliest start and headed back up, taking a little time in Port Orford to walk around the Orford Points.

We also stopped in Bandon for ice cream and fudge.

Elk Viewing area, somewhere outside Elkton, OR

After a brief stop at an elk viewing area somewhere between Coos Bay and Elkton, we kept driving until we were home again.