TOP TIDE-POOL AND INTERTIDAL AREAS Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area, Pacific City Roads End State Recreation Site, Lincoln City Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, Newport Seal Rock State Recreation Site, Seal Rock Cape Perpetua, Yachats Heceta Head State Scenic Viewpoint, Florence Cape Arago State Park, Coos Bay Coquille Point Marine Garden, Bandon Harris Beach State Park, Brookings EXPLORE WITH CARE Wave-washed intertidal areas may look rugged, but they’re actually fragile ecosystems that are easily damaged. Here’s how to enjoy and protect these critical habitats. DISC GOLF You can see signs of disc golf’s soaring popularity up and down the Oregon Coast, as new courses join existing favorites. Bring brightly colored discs for the challenge of Red River Disc Golf Course in Waldport, where 18 holes thread through dense Sitka spruce with plenty of elevation change along the way. In Newport put those technical skills to work at Wilder Disc Golf Course, where hilly wooded terrain rewards tight placement shots. Another Newport course at South Beach State Park is beginner-friendly, rewarding players with views of the Yaquina Bay Bridge (and free rental discs at the hospitality center). A few miles east of Newport, the newly renovated Toledo Red Dog uses massive firs and hemlocks as obstacles in a 9-hole course that is short but highly technical. On the South Coast, Gold Beach’s beloved 18-hole course in Buffington Park is tucked back in the woods away from ocean breezes, and Port Orford’s new 9-hole course has a similar setting. Azalea Park in Brookings and Bandon City Park each have scenic 18-hole courses. At the northern end of the Oregon Coast, Fort Stevens State Park is home to the Columbia Shore Disc Golf Course. Its 23 holes meander along the mouth of the Columbia and among the concrete bunkers and batteries of an early 1900s military defense installation. Coastal winds, beautifully distracting views and even grazing elk make for challenging throws at this unusual course. A rainbow of discs are for sale in the state park store. EXPLORING TIDE POOLS During daily low tides, the receding surf reveals a remarkable world in the rocky nooks and crannies of Oregon’s coastline. Look for purple and orange sea stars, wiggly anemones, and ruffly sea lettuce. Bring a tide table. Time your visit for a receding tide, and make sure you can safely return to high ground before the tide comes back in. Be careful where you step. Aim for bare rock and sand. Even sturdy- looking barnacles and mussels can be damaged or killed if stepped on. Don’t pick up or move anything living. It can injure the animal or disrupt the delicate balance of the ecosystem. It is illegal to remove any sea stars. Learn more about coastal life. Join interpretive programs and guided walks offered at many state parks and tide-pool areas. Sea stars and anemones FROM TOP: JEREMY BURKE; COURTESY OF OREGON STATE PARKS 19 VISITTHEOREGONCOAST.COM OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
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