MT. EMILY BOMBSITE

MT. EMILY BOMB SITE The Southern Oregon, Northern California coast strikes visitors as so beautiful and untouched, they sometimes conclude that the area has somehow escaped history. That conclusion is a real part of the appeal which draws visitors and new residents to...
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SURROUNDING AREA

SURROUNDING AREA ROGUE RIVER One of only eight rivers in the U.S. originally designated by congress as a "National Wild and Scenic River", the Rogue River empties into the Pacific in Gold Beach, Oregon. Her headwaters are none other than those of Crater Lake, from...
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MCVAY ROCK RECREATION SITE

McVAY ROCK RECREATION SITE We get so much pleasure from discovering hidden treasures, it is an easy prediction that McVay Rock State Recreation Site will delight you and be one of the best memories of your visit to Brookings. A Hidden Treasure McVay is a well-hidden...
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CHETCO POINT PARK

CHETCO POINT PARK Do you like unexpected treasures? Would you like them to be stunning? Brookings offers the spectacular gem you will always remember. Chetco Point Park is one of the most beautiful locations in Oregon, on the west coast . . . . in the world! Chetco...
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WINCHUCK RIVER

WINCHUCK RIVER One mile north of the California State Line and six miles south of downtown Brookings, lies the mouth of the southernmost of Oregon's rivers, the Winchuck. The Winchuck courses along the Oregon side of the common border of the two states. Where the...
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CRISSEY FIELD STATE PARK

CRISSEY FIELD STATE PARK Crissey Field State park offers a sandy ocean beach for a peaceful stroll, a run with your dog, surfing and fishing. The picturesque Winchuck River can be accessed via the nature walking trails or the beach access. Native plants, wetlands,...
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HARRIS BEACH STATE PARK

HARRIS BEACH STATE PARK Your first impression of Harris Beach State Park will be a locale with marvelously varied terrain. You can walk the beach and run from the waves. Climb to the top of a large rock for a great view, while resisting the temptation to add your...
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LOEB PARK

LOEB PARK Just a fifteen minute drive north east of Brookings lies one of the most beautiful areas in Oregon. It runs beside the Chetco River which rises inland and flows fifty leisurely miles down to the Pacific and the Port of Brookings Harbor. The gateway to this...
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SALMON RUN GOLF COURSE

SALMON RUN GOLF COURSE Salmon Run Golf Course is a golf retreat unlike any other in the Pacific Northwest. Located in beautiful Brookings Harbor and set in a maturely wooded area, this course is accented by panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. Golf Digest...
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LONE RANCH BEACH

LONE RANCH BEACH Lone Ranch Beach is located 4 and a half miles north of Brookings. Once there, you will take in the collection of sea stack jutting from an ocean whose color changes from hour to hour as the sun, clouds and lighting varies. This part of the Oregon...
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WHALESHEAD BEACH

Whaleshead Beach is one of the most gorgeous locations along the Oregon Coast. Offshore there is a sea stack that looks like the head of a Whale. The sea stack is cut with a rock channel and when a wave hits it, it spurts a spray that actually looks like a whale spouting, hence the name Whaleshead Beach.

Whaleshead is located about 7 miles north of Brookings. First you will come to the Whaleshead Trail Viewpoint parking area on the ocean side of the road. It is a good place for a photo of the ocean over the salmonberry bushes, but the trail down to the beach is steep here. There’s a safer access about a half mile north at Whaleshead Beach Road.

You have two choices when you turn off Highway 101; you can drive down to the beach, a lovely crescent of sand cut by several creeks or park just off 101 and look for an undeveloped trail head on the right. The beach choice gives you an ocean walk. The trail choice gives you a forest walk. The trail to the top is only a quarter mile, but rises some 250 feet.

Along the shaded trail you will pass a lot of mushrooms and a low rock face that is covered with moss at least five hundred years old. Be careful of a few patches of poison oak growing close to the trail. When you get to the first sunny patch, stop breath deeply and look at the wild roses. A second rest gives you a view of the ocean. Looking south back toward Whaleshead Trail Viewpoint, you can see the beach parking area and an absolutely stunning curve of beach. Continue along the trails to a knoll with an amazing ocean view thick with wild strawberry and huckleberry bushes. You will hear the ocean before you see it. If you thought the world lacked wonders, think again.

If you decide to drive down to the beach, you will find picnic benches and toilet facilities. There is a bridge that crosses Whaleshead Creek just where it meets the beach. The beach is cut by several small ‘wet sneakers’ creeks. A nice feature along the beach is a small cave children will enjoy exploring.

Whether you are a hiker, a camera buff, a kid at heart, a nature lover or an artist you can’t go wrong at Whaleshead Beach.

LONE RANCH BEACH
WINCHUCK RIVER