Cape Meares Rocky Shore



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About the Cape Meares Rocky Shore Area

Description
Cape Meares is located to the north of the small town of Oceanside, Oregon and is accessible via the 3 Capes scenic route (which begins off Hwy 101 near Tillamook or by going north from Oceanside). This rugged section of coastline is jointly managed by USFWS and Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) as both a state park and Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge.
  Designation
Offshore rocks are part of the USFWS Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge and access is prohibited, as they are important habitat for birds and marine mammals. Intertidal areas are part of Oregon’s Ocean Shore Recreation Area.
     
Key Resources
Seabird nesting areas, including a large common murre site. Bald eagles and peregrine falcons also sometimes nest here. There are viewpoints within the NWR that sometimes afford views of the nesting falcons.
  What can you do here?
Typical uses include hiking, whale watching, sightseeing, and bird watching.

Educational Opportunities
Interpretive panels at Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint highlight seabird nesting on offshore rocks.

Getting to the Rocky shore at Cape Meares

Access to shore level in this section is difficult; however, some access is afforded to the north at Cape Meares beach (in Cape Meares) via various small Tillamook county managed access points. There is also a hiking trail from a trailhead near the Big Spruce off the Three Capes Scenic Loop.

Public Access Option 1 for Cape Meares Rocky Shore
Public Access Option 2 for Cape Meares Rocky Shore

Who Owns this Site?
Submerged and intertidal lands: Division of State Lands; offshore rocks above Mean High Water (MHW): USFWS (National Wildlife Refuge); the beach and upland are owned by Oregon Parks and Recreation Department as Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint.
  Who Manages this Site?
The majority of the headland upland area is managed by OPRD as Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint, which is part of Nehalem Bay Management Unit, OPRD Area 1. The area is also managed by USFWS as Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge. Beach and intertidal areas are managed by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department as part of the ocean shore.


Data for the Cape Meares Rocky Shore
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Cape Meares Rocky Shore GIS Data
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Information compiled by Laurel Hillmann, NOAA Coastal Management Fellow, OPRD
 

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