FIVE-MILE POINT (Whiskey Run Creek) Halfway between Bandon and Coos Bay, reached by turning off Highway 101 onto the Seven Devils' Road, 13 miles south of Coos Bay. Parking is limited (no buses). Best suited for smaller groups in cars, the point consists of two distinct areas. The main area is best studied at minus tides. It consists of numerous cliffs pushing out of the sand with some bedrock and boulders strewn about the cliff. Directly shoreward is a stretch of sandy beach and beyond this, large boulders and sandy tide pools. COQUILLE POINT (Bandon) South of the Coquille River and west of Bandon. CAPE BLANCO Approximately 10 miles northwest of Port Orford. This, the Western-most point in Oregon, has a large intertidal area that is relatively undisturbed. Intertidal zone is best reached on the north side of the cape, before entering the Coast Guard Station. Parking is limited and buses must park and turn around at the station. The intertidal area is a combination of steep headland reaching out into the sea and expanses covered with boulders and bedrock. Tide channels and pools are common. Cape Blanco is an excellent study site and may be used by many more school groups. NORTH of HUMBUG MOUNTAIN STATE PARK (Rocky Point) About three miles south of Port Orford, just inside Humbug State Park. Access is from a dirt side road and parking is limited. No bus parking. This excellent intertidal zone consists of boulders scattered about on a gently sloping beach. HUMBUG MOUNTAIN STATE PARK Four miles south of Port Orford. Along the north base of the mountain there is a small intertidal region that is easily accessible from the Humbug Mountain State Park camp grounds. The rocky area consists of several cliffs projecting seaward with smaller boulders scattered at the base. Although the intertidal zone is not very diverse, a beginning group will find much of interest. NORTH of SAMUEL BOARDMAN WAYSIDE At and just beyond the northern boundary of Boardman Wayside 14 miles north of Brookings. From a gravel turn-off at the state park sign, a trail leads to the shore. The intertidal zone forms a half-moon and consists of an accumulation of boulders of varying sizes on a sandy beach. This is another good intertidal site that is not used by many school groups. LONE RANCH STATE PARK Five miles north of Brookings. There is ample parking and easy access to the beach. The sandy beach has a large number of rocks, varying from a diameter of less than a foot to small cliffs. Tide pools in the extensive intertidal zone are few but open spaces among the rocks provide several quiet locations. NORTH of HARRIS BEACH Less than five miles north of Brookings. From the large parking lot at the main picnic grounds it is but a few yards to the beach. The sandy beach is divided by a rocky point that has been broken down to varying levels. Isolated sea stacks and boulder fields are scattered. (Collecting by PERMIT ONLY.) HARRIS BEACH Harris Beach intertidal zone is found directly west from the camp grounds. Rocky areas are accessible from the picnic grounds parking lot by walking south along the beach or from a trail that leads to the beach from the main park road. On the north, a massive rock reaches southward into the sea. A small tunnel has been carved in the rock and waves surge through onto the boulder fields that lie landward. To the south, the boulder field is again replaced by a smaller cliff with another scattering of boulders at its base, interrupted by small stretches of sandy beach. The beach continues south with a series of steep cliffs or out-croppings with boulder areas adjoining the larger cliffs and separated by sandy coves. (Collecting by PERMIT ONLY.) Turn Turn right again at the MILL BEACH The southern-most part of the Harris Beach permit area. |