Guided Rockhounding Tour: Short Beach

Join me on a guided rockhounding and sea glassing tour of Short Beach (now with brand new stairs!) near Oceanside. I'll provide rock, bird, and nature ID and teach you how and where to look for all sorts of treasures.

Along this stretch, I have found sea glass in snowy white, brown, and bright green; Caribbean blue chalcedony, carnelian, and agates of white, gold, cream, light green, amber, fire red, and grey; bizarre metamorphic formations; porphyritic basalt; jaspers in red, ochre, yellow, black, and the famous deep forest green Oregon Green Jasper; geodes and crystal-filled cavities; shells such as snow white whelks, sand dollars, clams, turban snails, mussels, shore crab pincers and Dungeness carapaces, three kinds of limpets; and all sorts of freaky sea creature stuff.

Great news! The long set of steep and rickety old wooden stairs is almost done being replaced by a shallower set of gravel and timber steps with a hand rail. Thanks TKO! We'll descend this carefully and slowly hike straight to the farthest northern point on the beach we can safely reach at low tide to enjoy some tidepooling. Then we'll leisurely glean our way back to the beginning for agates and sea glass.

More great news! A small rockslide has revealed a bounty of geodes and tiny crystal-filled cavities with unique formations. If you've got a rock pick, bring it.

We'll cover about 1.25 mi. total very slowly. Much of the beach is sand but we'll be walking over large loose cobble to get to it and negotiating our way around slick rocks while rockhounding, so excellent hiking footwear and trekking poles recommended. There's also a secret place where you can see sizeable chunks of Caribbean blue colored chalcedony embedded in stone but you need to scramble up and over some wet, barnacle-encrusted boulders to get to it. Again: poles.

Alternatively, you are welcome to just take it easy and relax on the big driftwood logs. Peregrine falcons have been spotted nearby and various shore birds are usually around. Short Creek, Larson Creek Falls, and a tiny unnamed creek all empty onto the beach, collecting unique coastal wildflower species at their bases. The waves always curl beautifully and photogenically in this cove, they are mesmerizing to watch. Linger as long as you like, just know that the beach gets more crowded as the morning goes on.

Afterwards, I usually head a few minutes north up the road to the Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint (for the good restrooms) and then on to the new Cape Meares Loop Road overlook for a little sea gazing and panoramic photography, you are free to join me or just head straight home. No parking fee either place. There are quite a few trails nearby if you wanna get some more miles in that lovely sea air.

WARNING: Bayocean Road is closed to through traffic for bridge construction, so you must head back to Tillamook via Oceanside and Netarts.

Bring $10 cash, sturdy hiking boots, weather appropriate clothing, trekking poles/walking stick, water, snacks, binoculars, camera equipment, and something to put your rock stash in (I like Ziploc bags). Restroom on site (seasonal portopotty) and nearby at Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint. Adults only, please, and no pets, thanks.