Summer School ~ Hobbit Trail to Hobbit Beach

This week’s hiking destination: The Oregon Coast!

We had a much smaller group this past Tuesday (just Holly, Char, and me with our seven kids), a longer drive (2.5 hours each way), less hiking distance (maybe 3 miles all put together), three locations (Hobbit Trail and Beach, Heceta Head, and Cape Perpetua), more play (hello, beach!), and a gazillion photos (that still don’t do justice to the scenery).

I’ll break up my photos into two posts, beginning with Hobbit Trail to Hobbit Beach, located between Yachats and Florence on the Oregon Coast.

Magical!

It was misty/raining and around 50 degrees when we arrived, but that added to the haunting atmosphere of the secluded trail. The trail was lined with huge, pink rhododendrons, often in a canopy over the trail.

The trail is only a mild half mile long, and it ends at Hobbit Beach.

This was our foggy view at the end of the trail.

I love the sandstone cliffs on the Oregon Coast.

The weather was surprisingly mild—no wind at all—and we explored the beach. I loved this little area. Water was rushing over the rocks on the left, making a beautiful waterfall sound.

Why, yes, we did have the beach to ourselves. That’s Heceta Head in the background—more about that in the next post.

The tide was low and we explored the rocky tide pools. [Apparently, gooseneck barnacles are a delicacy.]

We saw sea anemones and sea stars.

And more barnacles.

As I breathed in the air and the view and the experience, all I could breathe out was a prayer of gratitude.

Thank you, God, for allowing me to be alive on this day, in this place, with these friends.

Are you tired of barnacles, yet? I couldn’t choose a favorite picture.

The fog began to lift.

We combed the beach for shells.

And found sand dollars.

The kids found Hobbit tunnels up to climbing trees. Can you see them in the limbs?

It was Luke’s 13th birthday. I have two teenagers in the house. Yikes!

So green and lush.

Moss and rocks are my favorites.

Holly wore Ivy’s twig crown because Ivy was wearing her silver hooded cloak. Crowns and cloaks are perfect attire for Hobbit trails.

Hobbit shelters. I’m sure of it.

Speaking of teens, this teen has recently obtained a driver’s permit, a job, and a checking account. Times are a-changin’.

We returned by the same half mile trail. We chose to skip the additional trail to Heceta Head Lighthouse from this trailhead, and opted to drive a little farther and take the shorter hike. More pictures in the next post.