From the previous post by Nat Coalson you folks might think you are being invaded by Coloradans! My wife and I will also be driving to Oregon from Colorado during the first two weeks in June. Most of the trip we will be photographing the coast. It will be our first time seeing the Oregon coast and we are pumped!
I have to second the kudos for Greg Vaughn's Photographing Oregon and Middleton & Barbee's Photographer's Guide to the Oregon Coast. Along with this forum, these books have been essential resources for planning. That said, a few questions:
- I have Neos overshoes that go up to my knees and are terrific in streams and knee deep snow. For photographing tide pools Will they be overkill or should I look at some other footwear?
- On the return leg of the trip we would love to photograph Proxy Falls and Scott Lake. Greg notes that the OR 242 does not open until July though it is possible to snowshoe / ski to the falls from the snow gate. Does ODOT ever open the road early or partially to the area near Scott Lake? If so, do they update the road condition recording for OR242 to reflect the opening?
- We will be car camping and staying in some hotels. Do any of you have recommendations for either option near Newport?
BIll..... Shoot me an email!!!.................. I am conducting a a workshop in the gorge & coast ( www.macroandmore.com) the 1st week in June. I scheduled the coast June 6-7. There are really LOW tides early AM---great for tide pools. I'll be at Seal Rock State Park--a great tide pool area on Sunday Am( 6/7) ( -2' tide I think )
Seal Rock SP is just south or Newport and is really great for tide pool photography. Look for us!
JG
Posted by Sean Bagshaw on May 15, 2009 at 12:14 PM
Hi Bill - your Neos sound great for tide pools. I usually get wet and then wish I had something more waterproof.
There is great camping just north (Beverly Beach?) and south of Newport in state campgrounds. Oregon state campgrounds are super cush, with showers, bike trails, gift shops, ranger led programs, kid playgrounds, etc. They book up on summer weekends, so you might want to make reservations. Newport has a range of good hotels/motels...you might try checking with the Newport chamber of commerce.
I hope you enjoy your stay on the Oregon coast. The rain is usually mostly over by June but you can never be sure in Oregon. I would try not to have your itinerary entirely set in stone just in case it is rainy on the coast. If it is just overcast then move inland just a little ways and photograph the beautiful lush green forests of Oregon which are great when the overcast skies saturate your colors. If it is just plain rainy and it is looking like it will be that way for a while check the weather for Eastern Oregon which gets considerably less rainfall and in my opinion is equally beautiful as the coast, just different. Hope I'm not scaring you too much, most likely the weather will be nice in June but it is Oregon so I'm just letting you know to be prepared for a change of plans just in case if this is strictly a photo trip.
Bill, Highway 242 is undergoing some fairly intensive construction and rehabbing this spring and summer and is apparently closed to ALL forms of traffic until August, so you probably won't be able to get to Proxy Falls at all. Normally Snow wouldn't be an issue at all, you'd just have to walk or bike the road past the gate.
During my April trip I stayed in Yachats, at the http://www.yatelmotel.com/index.html about 30 miles south of Newport. It's a small motel owned by a local couple. Very nice clean rooms with reasonable rates. Yachats is a much smaller town than Newport, which I prefer. Lots to photograph nearby.
Unfortunately, as Bryan says, almost the entire west side of the old McKenzie Highway will be closed at the time of your visit. You could drive from Sisters on the east side up to Dee Wright Observatory at the pass, but the road closures will be several miles from both Proxy Falls and Scott Lake. More info at http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/REGION4/McKenzie_Pass_Project/McKenzie_Pass_Project.shtml . Since the project starts at the snowgate, they may not allow even hiking access to the Proxy Falls Trailhead.
Both Beverly Beach State Park, north of Newport, and South Beach State Park, just south of Newport have very nice campgrounds. I'd give a slight preference to Beverly Beach. If you don't make reservations, get to the campground mid-morning to snag a site, especially on weekends.
If you want to splurge a bit on a hotel room in Newport, try the Sylvia Beach Hotel, right on the beach in the historic Nye Beach area. It's a little boutique hotel which each room decorated on the theme of a famous author. There are many other hotel choices for all budgets in the Newport area. I believe the low tides are running through about the 7th or 8th, with the lowest earlier, so if you have some flexibility, you might want to make the coast the first part of your trip. At Beverly Beach you will be very close to the tidepools (and the lighthouse) at Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area. The tidepools are great there, but at Seal Rock, where Jack is heading, you also get the sea stacks and more dramatic coast views.
Thanks everyone for your replies and all the great info! I'm sure it is going to be a great trip.
If you happen to see a silver Toyota Highlander with Colorado plates and an 'Old White Women for Obama' bumper sticker (my wife's doing), please say hi.
Discussion
7 repliesI have to second the kudos for Greg Vaughn's Photographing Oregon and Middleton & Barbee's Photographer's Guide to the Oregon Coast. Along with this forum, these books have been essential resources for planning. That said, a few questions:
- I have Neos overshoes that go up to my knees and are terrific in streams and knee deep snow. For photographing tide pools Will they be overkill or should I look at some other footwear?
- On the return leg of the trip we would love to photograph Proxy Falls and Scott Lake. Greg notes that the OR 242 does not open until July though it is possible to snowshoe / ski to the falls from the snow gate. Does ODOT ever open the road early or partially to the area near Scott Lake? If so, do they update the road condition recording for OR242 to reflect the opening?
- We will be car camping and staying in some hotels. Do any of you have recommendations for either option near Newport?
Thanks!
Bill Speaks
www.speaksimages.com
Seal Rock SP is just south or Newport and is really great for tide pool photography. Look for us!
JG
There is great camping just north (Beverly Beach?) and south of Newport in state campgrounds. Oregon state campgrounds are super cush, with showers, bike trails, gift shops, ranger led programs, kid playgrounds, etc. They book up on summer weekends, so you might want to make reservations. Newport has a range of good hotels/motels...you might try checking with the Newport chamber of commerce.
During my April trip I stayed in Yachats, at the http://www.yatelmotel.com/index.html about 30 miles south of Newport. It's a small motel owned by a local couple. Very nice clean rooms with reasonable rates. Yachats is a much smaller town than Newport, which I prefer. Lots to photograph nearby.
Unfortunately, as Bryan says, almost the entire west side of the old McKenzie Highway will be closed at the time of your visit. You could drive from Sisters on the east side up to Dee Wright Observatory at the pass, but the road closures will be several miles from both Proxy Falls and Scott Lake. More info at http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/REGION4/McKenzie_Pass_Project/McKenzie_Pass_Project.shtml . Since the project starts at the snowgate, they may not allow even hiking access to the Proxy Falls Trailhead.
Both Beverly Beach State Park, north of Newport, and South Beach State Park, just south of Newport have very nice campgrounds. I'd give a slight preference to Beverly Beach. If you don't make reservations, get to the campground mid-morning to snag a site, especially on weekends.
If you want to splurge a bit on a hotel room in Newport, try the Sylvia Beach Hotel, right on the beach in the historic Nye Beach area. It's a little boutique hotel which each room decorated on the theme of a famous author. There are many other hotel choices for all budgets in the Newport area. I believe the low tides are running through about the 7th or 8th, with the lowest earlier, so if you have some flexibility, you might want to make the coast the first part of your trip. At Beverly Beach you will be very close to the tidepools (and the lighthouse) at Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area. The tidepools are great there, but at Seal Rock, where Jack is heading, you also get the sea stacks and more dramatic coast views.
If you happen to see a silver Toyota Highlander with Colorado plates and an 'Old White Women for Obama' bumper sticker (my wife's doing), please say hi.
Bill Speaks
www.speaksimages.com