Quality experiences await at Rockaway Beach. Whether you like action and adventure or something a little more relaxed and low-key, there's plenty to do for every taste.
Beachcombing is fun for all ages. It may start when you’re a child and you find your first shell or polished fragment of glass. Over the years, it may evolve into a passion, leading some to invest in metal detectors. Either way, it’s a great source of enjoyment and a way to find precious keepsakes of your trip to the beach or even larger pieces to decorate your home.
Oregon’s 395-mile coastline is both rugged and varied. Approximately 234 miles are sandy beaches, but the remaining 161 miles (41 percent) are rocky. The rocky areas that are alternately exposed and submerged by the tides are referred to as rocky intertidal zones, and they support a rich and varied community of plants and animals. It is in these rocky areas you can find tide pools.
Tide pools are pockets of water left by the receding tide. They provide shelter for animals and plants that cannot tolerate exposure to air.
Regulations for collecting marine animals may change from time to time. Consult the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Sport Fishing Regulations for the most current information. Be kind: Although the animals may seem to be very rugged, many are sensitive to disturbance so here are some guidelines:
The massive, stately rocks at Garibaldi signal great tide pooling on the shoreline at Tillamook Bay. You’ll have to cross the train tracks and the massive riprap. These pools only show during fairly low tides.
There are no more tide pools to be found until you get to Oceanside, some 10 miles south of here, on the other side of the bay. Some may be found at Bayocean, at the beginning of the spit going through Tillamook Bay, but only at really low tides.
This rocky area is located just inside the mouth of Tillamook Bay. The intertidal area is small, but offers large boulders, which provide habitat for many common intertidal species. Parking is limited, and visitors must cross a railroad right-of-way to access the intertidal area.
Whether fishing for salmon, crab, trout, bass or a host of other species, Rockaway Beach is an anglers’ paradise. With the ocean, lakes, reservoirs, rivers and creeks right in our backyard, the fishing is always fantastic. Anglers will find diverse and abundant opportunities, but be sure you have a fishing or shellfish license before you go. Click on the link below and visit the Oregon Department of Fish and Game for detailed information.
All kite experts agree: The best place to fly a kite is on the beach, where there are no obstructions and you have lots of room to run. And there is no better beach for this than Rockaway Beach. As evidence of this, each May Rockaway Beach celebrates its Kite Festival.
If you’ve never flown a kite before, here are some tips to get you started. These instructions assume you will be flying with a buddy.
If you decide to invest in a metal detector, here are some tips from Treasure Facts magazine: Find the high-tide mark and the low-tide mark, then identify the middle section between these markers and draw a mental line down the center of the beach. Your search zone should be 10 to 12 feet on each side of this imaginary line. Start a zigzag search pattern, walking up the beach with your metal detector, then back.
Tillamook County is a bird-watching paradise. The coastal areas are home to or visited by all manner of sea and shorebirds, and the inland forests are home to migrating songbirds. Eagles are seen often, as are hawks.
According to the Portland Audubon Society, Tillamook Bay supports nearly 25 percent of the northern- and central-coast wintering waterfowl population in Oregon. During the annual Christmas bird count, upward of 140 different resident species are counted here, putting the county among the leading areas for bird populations. During the summer, even more birds pass through on their migrations, raising the total number of species to around 200.
Among waterfowl, it’s common to see American wigeon, northern pintail, surf scoters and buffleheads. Brown pelicans use the bay from May through December and peak in September. Western sandpipers, least sandpipers, black-bellied plovers, semipalmated plovers, whimbrels, sanderlings, dunlins and short-billed dowitchers also can be seen. There are two rookeries around Tillamook Bay that host great blue herons. The rookery in Garibaldi is quite large with up to 50 nests. The herons are year-round residents. The bay also provides an important habitat for many birds migrating on the Pacific flyway.
Besides the beach, an excellent place to spot birds is around Rockaway Beach’s lakes. Lake Lytle, in particular, is the largest and has excellent access, so it is one of the prime lookouts. There, depending on the season, you can see many different types of waterfowl and migrating shorebirds, including herons and ospreys. Eagles also are often seen.
Bird-watching can be done from the shore or the water. For water viewing, you can get close to more remote areas in a kayak or a canoe. Either way, beginners are advised to bring a good pair of binoculars and a field guide to help identify what you see.
Gray, humpback, and sperm whales begin their annual migration from the icy waters of Alaska to the mating and birthing grounds in the warmer lagoons of Mexico in December. Their return to the Arctic waters starts in March.
Although fall and spring present the greatest opportunity to see whales, it’s possible to see gray whales year-round on the Oregon coastline. Grays are the largest species, reaching at least 35 feet long and weighing more than 30 tons (10 times the size of a large elephant); they are a bluish-white color.
Be prepared for stormy weather and wear appropriate clothing. Binoculars will help you spot the whales.
Some charter boat services offer whale-watching trips. Sightings from the beach are possible, but watching from atop scenic vistas greatly increases the chance of seeing these magnificent creatures. The following locations have proven to be excellent whale-watching sites:
Dive into adventure! For the water enthusiast, there is jet skiing, scuba diving, kayaking, windsurfing and more.
For kayaking adventures, click on either of the two links for detailed paddling information.
The official Rockaway Beach, Oregon Travel Guide. Come Explore the Ocean's Edge!
Look for the Red Caboose!
103 S. 1st Street
Rockaway Beach, OR 97136
(503) 355-8108