The Southern Oregon coastline is one of the most beautiful parts of the Oregon Coast. Being close to California, the water color is different tones of blue and full of unique sea stacks to explore.
Nearly 6 hours from Portland, Brookings is quite the drive, so be sure to adventure all of the spots while you are in the area. Even being 4 hours away, this is only my second time exploring the area, and my first time with a full camera set up of my own. Last time I was here I was using my gifted GoPro and iphone 6.
It was quite pleasant to be in Brookings with more knowledge of my camera, the area, and being in a completely different place in life. Gold Beach to Brookings is a 30 minute stretch of coastal highway with endless places to hike and take photos.
In this blog you will find information about the treehouse we rented in Gold Beach, hikes we did, and additional ideas to plan your trip.
I met my friends Melissa Rover and Hannah Hendrickson. All of the content you will see here is in collaboration with the both of them.
Where is Southern Oregon?
Treehouse Gold Beach
I have had this treehouse in Gold Beach on my list of unique rentals, so I booked “The Bluebird House” on Airbnb a few months back. Typically I have been passing through Gold Beach and Brookings, so it was nice to have a place to stay for the weekend.
The treehouse was 5-10 minutes from some of the best coastal hikes in the area.
The treehouse sits on a farm where the owner Cynthia will be sure to come greet you, as well as her two dogs and donkeys. The treehouse is listed as dog friendly however because of ‘muddy season’ I wasn’t allowed to bring mine.
Overlooking the coastline their is a giant deck in front of the treehouse. A toilet tree sits outside of the main treehouse with a shower and toilet. This area is not heated-so it was quite cold making trips to the bathroom. However, it was quite nice having it in a separate area. I would call this one elevated glamping.
Inside the treehouse you will find a loft with 2 small mattress’ and a queen size futon downstairs. After sleeping here for two nights we suggest bringing your own added cushion as the upstairs beds could use an updating. Unlike the photos show in the listing, she has installed a propane wall heater, which kept us warm. Be sure to crack a window while running this to release carbon monoxide.
In the kitchen you will find everything you need for basic cooking; a convection oven and hot plate along with everything you need to cook from the comforts of the treehouse. There aren’t many places to eat in Gold Beach, so I would suggest coming prepared with what you enjoy. However we did go out to eat at Barnacle Bistro one night and had delicious fish and chips!
Although we didn’t do the hike, there is access down to the beach via a trail the homeowner gives you directions for. Being with two female photographers we opted for hiking locations we wanted to re-visit, along with a new beach that brought an unreal sunset.
Secret Beach Brookings
Although not as secret as the name leads on, there isn’t a roadside sign indicating that there is a beach trail here.
Using the All Trails directions will take you to the pull off where you will see a trail on the ride side of the parking area. Take that about .05 miles down to the beach were there is endless places to explore. We spent the better part of the morning after sunrise climbing on sea stacks. I headed down to the beach area as tide was safe for exploring.
While you are in these coastal areas, check the tide prior to doing some beach hikes. Especially in the wintertime sometimes the tide is too high for beach hiking. I use the Saltwater Tides app to check prior to planning my hike for the day.
When the tide is low, you are able to hike close to the sea stacks and witness tide pools-full of sea creatures like starfish and anemone. Be sure to follow Leave No Trace Principles when visiting the area, and stay on established trails along the coastline. Use caution when hiking on wet sea stacks.
Meyers Beach to Pistol River
Just five minutes from the treehouse is Meyers Beach. There are numerous seastacks to hike around and see, with endless beach access. We were the only ones here when we arrived on a winter weekend.
As we pulled into the parking pull off for sunset, I said to Melissa and Hannah that I felt the clouds were going to be a big sky of pink. They hoped I didn’t jinx it! As we hiked around and sunset time approached, we didn’t think anything was going to happen with the sky. as we looked back we saw the pink illuminate the sun and continue to grow up the skyline. Truly one of the best sunsets I have seen in my life!
Natural Bridge Brookings
Although I didn’t visit Natural Bridges on this trip, I have in the past. It is close to Secret Beach, and arguably one of the most photographed areas in Brookings.
You can choose your own adventure here, view the bridges from the top viewpoint or hike down to the natural bridge and walk over it. I would only advise this part of the trail for experienced hikers as you are hiking on cliffs along the coast with some climbing included.
Depending on the time of year, this viewpoint will embody different tones and colors of the sky and water. If somebody asks you to visit a place a second or third time, go.
Revisiting this iconic place brought me perspective on how far I have come with my photography and content creation journey. And no I am not talking about number of followers. It is about how much I have learned along the way, including the friendships made.
I used to be afraid to step in front of anybody else’s camera but my own. I knew nothing about shooting manual or editing. I still have a lot to learn, and I know that will never end.
Beach Trail
South of Gold Beach is the ‘Beach Trailhead‘ which I consider to be more of a locals trail as there is no parking area, it just looks like a pull off but there is a trail sign.
This hike meanders through the forest and down into sand dunes onto the beach where there are giant sea stacks to hike around. Depending on the tide, you are able to hike further down the beach seeing a more unique perspective. The hike is 1.5 miles down to the beach, be sure to follow the ‘beach’ signs. We did not do this portion but you can also make it a loop by seeing Lola Lake. Find more trail information here.
In this area there is Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge. It is imperative that you stay on the beach area and do not hike up onto the closed off bird conservation area. Many photographers have climbed up onto this section to photograph Mack Arch. Don’t be like them! Read this story here how a photographer felt awful after going on the refuge without knowing the rules of the land.
If you want to photograph Mack Arch you are better off booking a stay through Crook Point as the homes have private beach access with views that you cannot see legally without getting in a plane or renting a boat.
While we were there a storm was rolling in and I wanted to photograph myself in a dress on the coast. I had a wedding dress from a previous photoshoot for BHLDN. Hannah absolutely crushed the images below!
If you have plenty of time while you are in this area, venture south to California to see the redwood trees. You can find more information on my blog post here.
I left this trip feeling inspired and creative. Something about being with female creatives along the ocean just does that to you. This last year I have battled a lot with my path as a creative and photographer..that deserves an entire blog post in itself!
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