Page 102 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Pacific Northwest

100  P A CIFIC NOR THWEST REGION B Y REGION

to platforms near the floor of Environs
the 12-story cavern. Some 200 At nearby Darlingtonia
animals live in the cave during State Natural Site, a short trail
fall and winter; in spring and loops through a bog where
summer they breed on rock Darlingtonia, also known as
ledges just outside the entrance, cobra lily, thrive. These rare,
where they also bear and nurse tall, carnivorous plants are
their young. Burly bulls weighing reminiscent of the human-eaters
up to 2,000 lb (900 kg) boister- of horror films. Their sweet smell
ously guard groups of 15 to 30 traps insects, which fall to the
cows and the newborn pups. bottom of the plant stem, where
they are slowly digested.
Y Heceta Head State Park
Hwy 101, 19 miles (30.5 km) south Y Darlingtonia State
of Yachats. Tel (541) 547-3696. Natural Site
Open dawn–dusk daily. Lighthouse: 5 miles (8 km) north of Florence,
& 8 Memorial Day–Labor Day: off Hwy 101. Tel (800) 551-6949.
11am–5pm daily; Labor Day– Open dawn–dusk daily. 7
Heceta Head Lighthouse, near Cape Memorial Day: call for times.
Perpetua, in operation since 1894  Sea Lion Caves
91560 Hwy 101 N, 11 miles (17.5 km)
9 Cape Perpetua north of Florence. Tel (541) 547-3111.
Scenic Area Open 9am–dusk daily. Closed
Thanksgiving, Dec 25. & =
Road map 1 A4. Interpretive center: ∑ sealioncaves.com
2400 Hwy 101. Tel (541) 547-3289.
Open dawn–dusk daily. Closed
Christmas, New Year’s Day. & 8 0 Florence
Part of the Siuslaw National Road map 1 A4. * 8,200.
Forest, Cape Perpetua is the n 290 Hwy 101, (541) 997-3128.
highest – albeit often cloud- ∑ florencechamber.com Dune buggy, Oregon Dunes National
shrouded – viewpoint on the Recreation Area
coast. A road ascends to the top It is easy to speed through
at 800 ft (245 m), but those with Florence en route to the nearby q Oregon
time and stamina may prefer sand dunes. The historic old Dunes National
to make the climb on trails that town, though, tucked away
wind through the old-growth along the banks of the Siuslaw Recreation Area
rainforests from the interpretive River, warrants a stop. Many Road map 1 A4. n 855 Highway 101
center. An easy hike of about of its early 20th-century brick South, Reedsport, (541) 750-7000. Open
a mile (1.5 km) along the Giant and wood buildings now dawn–dusk daily. & ∑ fs.fed.us
Spruce Trail leads to a majestic, house art galleries, and a sizable
500-year-old Sitka spruce. commercial fishing fleet docks Massive sand dunes stretch
From Cape Perpetua, Highway alongside them. The fishing south from Florence for 40 miles
101 descends into Heceta Head boats not only add a great deal (64 km). The desert-like landscape
State Park, where trails offer of color to the surroundings but has been created over thousands
spectacular ocean views. Birds also provide the bounty that of years, as winds, tides, and
nest on the rocks and sea lions appears in the riverside fish ocean currents force sand as far
and gray whales swim just off- markets and restaurants. as 2.5 miles (4 km) inland and
shore. High above the surf rises sculpt it into towering formations
Heceta Head Lighthouse, first lit that reach heights of as much as
in 1894 with a beacon that can 300 ft (90 m). Not just sand but
be seen 21 miles (34 km) out streams, lakes, shore pine forests,
to sea. Guided tours are likely to grasslands, and isolated beaches
include imaginative accounts of attract a wide variety of recre-
hauntings by the wife of a light- ation enthusiasts to this area.
keeper; despite this ghostly Boardwalks make it easy
presence, the lightkeeper’s house to enjoy stunning vistas from
is a popular bed-and-breakfast. Oregon Dunes Day Use site,
A herd of Steller sea lions about 20 miles (32 km) south of
inhabits the Sea Lion Caves, the Florence, whereas the 2.7-mile-
only rookery for wild sea lions (4.3-km-) John Dellenback Dunes
found on the North American Trail, 35 miles (56 km) south of
mainland. An elevator descends Fishing boats in the harbor at Florence, Florence, leads to a beach over
208 ft (63.5 m) from the clifftop on the Siuslaw River some of the area’s largest dunes.
For hotels and restaurants see pp286–8 and pp296–8

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