Cape Perpetua-Amanda Trail

Cape Perpetua is around ten miles south of my new house. It is another place with miles and miles of exploring potential. The forest service has made miles of trails, some include parts of the Oregon Coast Trail. I have driven past the Amanda trail many times; the access is right off the highway. I figured we have been driving enough (although I am doing it now, because I know I won't be able to afford it again once it goes up to $4/gallon) so we decided to tackle the north accent of the trail. On the Cape Perpetua map that I got from the visitor center, it states that the trail is 2 miles long. Jered looked up the trail in our hiking Oregon book, and it stated that it was 2.2 miles, that was moderate to strenuous. That wasn't going to scare me at all! So off we go......



We get there, and there is no parking anywhere around that trailhead! I thought that was strange, but hey, it is part of the Oregon Coast Trail, so people are supposed to be hiking in. I suppose that is fine. So we park kinda by someone's driveway, and off we go. The trailhead marker stated that it was 3 miles now to the rock shelter. I was a little nervous now that the hike was up to 6 miles (it was an up and back), but I knew I was going to be okay. It wasn't like I was carrying the backpack or anything. These are some of the first wild flowering plants I have seen this spring. I think the flies are confused, and think they are bees......

We came across our first viewpoint. We are still very close to the ocean. At that time I was thinking, "800 feet can't be that hard to climb."

Next overlook gave us a great view of the great hippie town of Yachats. Crazy why anyone would build a house that close to the waves.

This particular rainforest was covered with a blanket of moss, lichen, and fungus.

Here is part of the trail that is not uphill.

Not very far into the hike, we came across a memorial bench. The view was of two beautiful houses (still very close to the water though) and all of these seagulls. It does mean there is "a-storm-a-commen" when they sit there on the rocks like that. We will totally ignore that, and continue up the mountain.

This, apparently, is Amanda. She is one of the creepiest statues that I have come across in the forest. I didn't get it that close up, but she is holding a black rose. I don't get it, but she kinda scared me. She was set right by the creek, so we can only guess that she is tied to the tree to prevent her from floating away (since she is made of cement). I think she may be tied up because she likes to haunt people that go on this hike.

Daisy is not scared of any statue. She is having a great time, less than 1/2 of a mile into the hike.

Spring is springing!!!

Crazy wood patterns everywhere!!

Another flower, yay!

I don't think a rainforest hike would be the same without a salamander picture!! I was glad I had just made Daisy get behind me (she likes to be in the lead) or this little guy could have been smashed all over the bottom of her foot!

This part of the trail actually had a little down slope to it. It was a nice break.

A little butterfly!

That cave was too big to make Daisy go and stand by it! So just take my word for it, it was really big!!

This was a haunted tree where Amanda hung out and haunted people until they tied her up down at the creek. Thank goodness, it was very creepy :)

We had just climbed up a giant hill, practically the whole mountain, then there was a steep drop off. I couldn't even walk down it, I had to run. Daisy was very confused as to why, after all of that work, we were going to go back down the hill, just to go back up again. I was beginning to wonder myself.

Another viewpoint, this time much farther up!! There was so much fog, it was really difficult to see the ocean anymore. Any normal person would deduct that there may be "a-storm-a-commen" but not us, just keep on truckin!!

Last picture before the incredible downpour started!! We managed to make it up to the rock shelter (with a magnificent view) but have no pictures to show for it. I have managed to drop my camera a few times, so it has some dents and scratches in it, but I still didn't want to see how waterproof it was. We had made food for a picnic, but we didn't enjoy it like we would have had there not been sideways rain in our face the entire time. The rock shelter does have a roof, but no windows, which just invites the coastal rain in.

We packed up our stuff and headed back down the mountain. We thought once we got back in the forest, the rain wouldn't be as harsh. We were wrong, and with each gust of wind, any water captured by a leaf or needle was dropped onto our heads. The way back was more downhill, so there were times we broke into a full run just to get to the bottom faster. I think I weighed at least 10 pounds more by the time we got to the bottom of the mountain. I was completely soaked from head to toe. One Cape Perpetua hike down, quite a few more to go!!