Hart's Cove
7/28/2021: Over the years we have tried multiple times to do this hike. It is always closed when we try to do it, but not this time 😊. It is a wonderful hike through Sitka Spruce/Western Hemlock rainforest. The trails ends at a grassy prairie headland with a gorgeous view of the Pacific Ocean. You can hear sea lions barking in Hart’s Cove. Wildflowers abound during the right time of year. This is a must-do hike on the Oregon coast. Note that the trail is often closed for nesting birds. Check with the Forest Service before you plan your trip.
Forest to Hart's Cove
Marg’s Notes: Stay @Beach. Hart’s cove (6.03 miles). Started hiking 8:43 am. Headed out after breakfast ~8:15 and drove to Hart’s Cove trailhead. This trail is closed much of the year because of Falcon habitat*. So we finally made it. A 3 mile hike through the forest out to a meadow with a great view of the ocean. Heard lots of sea lions down in the cove. We had a snack & headed back. Not many people on the trail. Lots of skeeters at the beginning! The hike was downhill on the way out. Muggy day so we got hot on the way back.
Niagara Falls-Pleasant Falls (1.89 miles). Drove to Niagara Falls trailhead for our lunch. Headed out on hike. Again, started by going down. A nice little hike thru forest again. Unfortunately, the water was low so falls were not too impressive. Did not meet many people. Hot & muggy again. We were tired!
Pub Fish & Chips for dinner.
More notes: *We have discovered it is not falcons habitat that causes the half-year closure. Hart’s Cove provides habitat for the Oregon Silverspot butterfly, and the forest is home to spotted owls and nesting marbled murrelets. The trail is closed for half of the year to protect these threatened species.