Lewis and Clark National Historical Park

Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area

We were able to sleep in until nearly 5:30 this morning. Our room at the Coos Bay Super 8 was much quieter than we expected so we both slept well.

We started packing up after our usual breakfast of raisin bran and yogurt along with a cup of hot tea. We did our morning German lessons and watched a little of the local news then got on US 101 northbound for Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. The morning was extremely foggy on the coast, and we had a difficult time seeing so we proceeded to take it slow. Because the air conditioner in the rented Ford Fusion wasn’t working, the defroster didn’t work well either. That made the issues of the fog even worse. Overall, we do not have a very high appraisal for the Ford Fusion and will be happy to see the last of it at the end of our vacation.

Coastal Oregon beach

When we arrived at North Bend, Oregon we learning that the Headquarters for the area was closed due to COVID-19. We took a few snapshots and read the signage before getting back into the car. We stopped at a nearby beach in the Oregon Dunes area and walked along the beach, hoping to see some sea life in the tidal pools. The area we were in had a lot of volcanic rock surrounded by fine sand, but there were not many animals in the surf. We walked among the rocks and watched as people were launching balls for a dog to fetch. Since the tide had started coming in, we decided to walk back to the car before becoming stranded on a rock in high tide.

Hecata Head Lighthouse

We continued north on the 101 and stopped at a few more beaches just for a quick walk. These northern beaches are much rockier than the broad sand beaches of Southern California. Many sea stacks and large boulders line the shore. We saw hundreds of pelagic cormorants swimming and roosting on rocks. We looked for seals and sea lions but didn’t see any until we got to Yaquina Head Lighthouse. This structure built in 1873 has been protecting ships along the coast since. The lighthouse initially had a kerosene light, but it now has electric bulbs that change themselves if a bulb burns out. The lighthouse now operates completely autonomously with no keeper.

Yaquina Head Lighthouse

Because of COVID-19, we were unable to go up into the lighthouse but were able to walk around the grounds. We took a few snapshots through the dense fog then took the trail down from the lighthouse to the rocky shoreline. We watched as the powerful waves pounded and rolled the fist-sized basalt stones. When each wave retreated, we could hear the stone tumbling in the surf. It is easy to see how the stones became rounded.

As we were watching the waves beat the beach, we saw several harbor seals floating in the surf. They seemed to enjoy the rough seas and swam about as if the water was as smooth as a lake. We walked back up the many stairs from the beach, stopping to read the informative signs along the way. We made our way back to the car and ate our lunch of Ritz Crackers and peanut butter as we drove toward Tillamook, Oregon.

Lewis & Clark's Ft. Clatsop

We had intended to take the tour of the Tillamook Creamery and purchase some locally produced ice cream and cheese curds from the dairy cooperative. However, when we arrived, we saw a long line of people waiting outside to enter the building. We decided to pass up Tillamook for the day and move on to the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park near Astoria, Oregon.

This is the site where the Lewis and Clark expedition overwintered from December 1805 until March 1806, after reaching the Pacific Ocean. This site, only seven miles inland from the Pacific, had access to fish from several streams, wild berries, abundant game and friendly natives. Structures have been reconstructed at the same site as the originals using the carefully drawn renderings from the expedition party. We purchased the National Park Service’s Senior Pass for $20, allowing us unlimited access to all National Parks through October 2021.

Elk herd near Astoria, Oregon

We took the short trail out to the site of the camp then walked a longer trail to canoe launches along the river. Signs along the trail gave information on many of the plants and how the expedition used them. There were few noticeable invasive plants in the area but were mostly plants that would have been seen and used by the Lewis and Clark party.

Just outside the historical site, we saw a herd of wild elk. We counted at least 70 animals grazing and resting in a field. There was one large bull elk and all of the others appeared to be females or juveniles. We had never seen that many wild elk congregated in one place.

We left the historical site a little before 5 pm and stopped at the Walmart in Astoria. I needed to replace the sunglasses that had broken on the trip, and we picked up grocery items that we would need for Saturday’s trip along the western side of the Olympic Peninsula. We continued driving north on 101 into Washington for nearly two hours until we arrived in Aberdeen, Washington. Before going to our room at the Aberdeen Travelodge, we stopped at Arby’s for a couple of turkey reubens. We were both hungry, and there were few choices in Aberdeen. We took the sandwiches to our room and prepared for bed.

The room was typical of motels in this price range. It was a bit noisy, and the television didn’t work. At least, the outlets in the room worked so we could charge our phones and other devices. Since we only needed the room for a place to sleep and shower, we couldn’t really complain.