Haystack Rock

Haystack Rock, rising 235 feet from the surf at the south end of Cannon Beach on the northern Oregon coast, is the most recognizable natural landmark in Oregon — a massive basaltic sea stack, the third-tallest intertidal structure in the world, accessible at low tide by a walk across the hard, flat sand of Cannon Beach, its base surrounded by the richest and most accessible intertidal habitat on the Oregon coast.

Haystack Rock is a designated Marine Garden and bird sanctuary, managed by the City of Cannon Beach in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — its tide pools support an extraordinary array of intertidal life (ochre sea stars, purple sea urchins, giant green anemones, hermit crabs, chitons, mussels, limpets, and an abundance of fish), and its upper ledges and Needles (the two smaller sea stacks adjacent to Haystack Rock) support a nesting colony of tufted puffins (one of the largest and most accessible puffin colonies on the Oregon coast) from April through August. Haystack Rock is simultaneously one of the most photographed landscapes in the Pacific Northwest and one of the most important intertidal marine education sites on the West Coast.

Spring through early fall (April through September) is the finest season for the full Haystack Rock experience — the tufted puffins are nesting (April through August; peak puffin viewing is May through July), the intertidal zone is most active, and the beach is at its most pleasant for walking and photography. The key to the tide pool experience is timing your visit to coincide with a low tide of -1.0 feet or lower — check tide tables (tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov) before planning your visit; the finest tide pools are accessible only on the lowest tides. Summer mornings (before the coastal fog burns off, which is usually by 10-11 AM) provide the most dramatic photography conditions — the rock silhouetted in fog against the brightening sky. Fall and winter bring dramatic storm light and pounding Pacific surf but cold, wet conditions. The puffin season (April-August) is the primary draw; combine with a minus low tide for the complete experience.

Haystack Rock is a remnant of the Columbia River Basalt Group — the same massive flood-basalt flows that formed much of the Oregon Coast Range and coastal headlands. The basalt was erupted 15-17 million years ago in eastern Oregon and Washington, flowed west, and in some cases reached the Pacific Coast, where coastal erosion subsequently isolated the harder basalt remnants as sea stacks. Cannon Beach (the community surrounding Haystack Rock) was a 19th-century coastal resort community; the beach was accessible only by a cannon-shell debris trail before road construction, giving the town its name. Haystack Rock achieved international recognition when its silhouette appeared as a filming location in the 1985 movie “The Goonies” (the rock is prominent in several sequences) and “Kindergarten Cop” (1990), making it one of the most recognizable natural film locations in the Pacific Northwest. The Marine Garden designation (protecting the intertidal zone) was established by the Oregon Division of State Lands.

Haystack Rock is a basaltic sea stack — a remnant of the Columbia River Basalt formation isolated by the wave erosion of the softer surrounding rock. The Columbia River Basalt flows (Miocene, 16-15 million years ago) poured from fissures in eastern Oregon and Washington, traveled west across the Columbia Plateau and through the Columbia River Gorge, and in some flows reached the Pacific coast. The basalt is extremely resistant to wave erosion compared to the surrounding sedimentary Coast Range rocks; as the coast eroded, the basalt remnants were isolated as offshore sea stacks. Haystack Rock’s 235-foot height reflects both the original thickness of the basalt flow and the degree of coastal erosion that has exposed and isolated the stack. The intertidal zone around the base of the rock (exposed at low tide) is carved in the basalt, creating the rocky substrate necessary for the rich sessile intertidal community (mussels, barnacles, anemones, chitons). The Columbia River Basalt and the differential wave erosion created Haystack Rock.

Haystack Rock’s intertidal Marine Garden and sea stack support some of the richest marine wildlife on the Oregon coast — tufted puffins (nesting in burrows in the soil on the upper ledges and Needles, April-August; one of the largest accessible puffin colonies in Oregon), Brandt’s and pelagic cormorants (nesting on the rock ledges), pigeon guillemots (nesting in rock crevices), western gulls (nesting and resting), peregrine falcons (hunting along the beach), brown pelicans (migrating and loafing on the rock in late summer), harbor seals (hauling out on the rock at low tide), and the extraordinary intertidal invertebrate community — ochre sea stars (recovering from sea star wasting syndrome), purple sea urchins, giant green anemones, California mussels, barnacles, limpets, chitons, hermit crabs, tidepool sculpin, and the brilliant purple and pink encrusting coralline algae. The tufted puffins and the sea star community are the most celebrated wildlife encounters.

Haystack Rock’s intertidal Marine Garden is one of the best-studied and most carefully protected intertidal ecosystems on the Oregon coast. The intertidal zone is organized in classic zonation bands — the high-intertidal splash zone (barnacles, limpets, periwinkles), the mid-intertidal zone (mussels, barnacles, sea stars, anemones, chitons), and the low-intertidal zone (exposed only on the lowest tides — the finest tide-pooling area with sea urchins, nudibranchs, and fish). The ochre sea star (Pisaster ochraceus) is the keystone predator of the Haystack Rock intertidal community; its decline during the 2013-present sea star wasting syndrome epidemic (caused by a densovirus) disrupted the mussel-dominated mid-intertidal community. The USFW and citizen scientists have monitored the recovery closely; sea star populations at Haystack Rock have begun recovering. The Marine Garden designation prohibits any collection of intertidal organisms or rocks, protecting the ecosystem from human disturbance.

Haystack Rock holds a treasured place at the center of Oregon’s coastal identity — the most iconic single image of the Oregon coast (the 235-foot basaltic silhouette against a Pacific sunset is one of the most photographed landscapes in the Pacific Northwest), a film location of international recognition (“The Goonies”; “Kindergarten Cop”), a beloved family destination and intertidal education site, and the anchor of Cannon Beach, one of Oregon’s most charming and vibrant coastal communities. For Oregonians and for the millions of visitors who travel the northern Oregon coast, Haystack Rock is the definitive symbol of Oregon’s wild, dramatic, and beautiful coast.

Haystack Rock is at the south end of Cannon Beach, Oregon, on the northern Oregon Coast. From Portland, drive US-26 west to US-101, then south approximately 10 miles to Cannon Beach (about 1.5 hours from Portland). Cannon Beach has multiple public parking areas (the Cannon Beach downtown lots and the dedicated beach access lots on Hemlock Street; parking fills quickly on summer and holiday weekends — arrive early or use the Haystack Rock Awareness Program shuttle from the satellite parking area). The beach is accessed by several public accesses on Hemlock Street. Haystack Rock is visible from the beach access and is a 5-10 minute walk south along the beach. Cannon Beach has excellent resort services (hotels, restaurants, galleries, and gear shops). No fee to walk the beach or explore the tide pools (the Marine Garden is public land). Check tide tables before visiting (tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov, station 9437540).

Haystack Rock is designated a Marine Garden by the Oregon Division of State Lands and a federal seabird sanctuary. The primary conservation rules are absolute — do not touch, move, collect, or disturb any intertidal organism (sea stars, anemones, urchins, shells, rocks, or sand) in the Marine Garden zone; do not handle or approach nesting seabirds; do not disturb nesting tufted puffins (approach the rock no closer than 50 feet from the base at low tide). The Haystack Rock Awareness Program (HRAP) volunteers are present at low tides in season to provide interpretation and enforce the Marine Garden rules; support their work by asking questions and following their guidance. The sea star wasting syndrome recovery at Haystack Rock is being monitored closely; never remove sea stars from the pools. Pack out all trash from the beach.

The intertidal zone around Haystack Rock is covered with slippery wet algae and barnacles — wear water-resistant footwear with traction (rubber-soled shoes or water shoes; not sandals or flip-flops) to avoid falls on the slippery rock surfaces. Sneaker waves (unexpected large waves generated by offshore swells) can surge well up the beach and into the intertidal zone at Haystack Rock without warning — always face the ocean, stay aware of wave activity, and keep children close and above the wave wash zone; never turn your back on the ocean at the base of the rock. Hypothermia is a risk in the cold Pacific surf (water temperature is 48-55°F year-round). The beach can be windy and cold even in summer — dress in layers. Respect the sneaker wave hazard above all else at Haystack Rock.

Marine Garden rules: no collection or disturbance of any intertidal organism, shell, or rock within the Marine Garden zone (state law; enforced; fine). No approach within 50 feet of the rock base during seabird nesting season (April-August). Dogs must be on leash on the beach south of a posted boundary marker (the Marine Garden boundary). No glass containers on the beach. No driving on the beach (Cannon Beach does not permit beach driving). Check tide tables before visiting (the best tide pool experience requires minus tides). Pack out all trash from the beach. Respect HRAP volunteers and their instructions at low tide.

Cannon Beach, Oregon (adjacent — one of Oregon’s most charming coastal towns, with the Coaster Theater Playhouse, exceptional art galleries, Hemlock Street shopping, and excellent restaurants), Ecola State Park (2 miles north — one of the finest coastal headland parks in Oregon, with the stunning Crescent Beach viewpoint and Tillamook Rock Lighthouse visible offshore), Hug Point State Recreation Site (4 miles south — a sheltered beach with a small waterfall and sea cave accessible at low tide), Seaside (10 miles north — Oregon’s classic seaside resort town with the Prom and aquarium), and Oswald West State Park (10 miles south — one of Oregon’s finest coastal parks, with Short Sands Beach in Arch Cape) define the northern Oregon coast corridor. Haystack Rock and Cannon Beach anchor the finest section of the northern Oregon coast.

Check tide tables at tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov (station 9437540, Astoria, then adjust south) and plan your Haystack Rock visit for a low tide of -1.0 feet or lower for the finest tide pool access — the lower the tide, the more of the intertidal zone is exposed and the more diverse the marine life you will see. Bring binoculars for the tufted puffins (May through July is the best window — watch for the birds flying back and forth from the ocean to their nest burrows on the upper rock, bills crammed with small fish). Arrive at the beach at sunrise (especially in summer, when morning fog is common) for the most dramatic and crowd-free photography — the rock silhouetted in fog and pink morning light, with the wet sand reflecting the sky, is the finest Haystack Rock image. The HRAP volunteers at low tide are the best guide to what you are seeing in the pools — always ask them for help identifying species.