Hart's Cove, Lincoln City

My family, Wes and I all went to Lincoln City at the end of July. On Friday, Wes and I didn't want to go to Newport, OR with my family (because I had been there so many times) so we decided to go on a hike.

Earlier in the week Wes was reading an article about hiking to Harts Cove and how it just opened for the year. It is 2.7 miles each way, so about 5 1/2 miles total. The first 1/2 to 1 mile are steep switchbacks, the middle of the hike is up and down (but pretty flat) and the end is a huge hill with a meadow looking over the Pacific Coast.

The switchbacks were downhill on the way, but uphill on the way back. This made the last 1/2 mile of the hike the hardest. I think this hike is rated difficult only because of the switchbacks.

While hiking in the middle there were a ton of trees that fell over the trails in the huge wind storm this past winter. The forest service cut a huge chunk out of these trees, so there could still be a trail. We saw banana slugs, tons of birds, stinging nettles, a strange poisonous fruit called Oregon Manroot or Coastal Manroot. We also heard tons of Sea Lions, but never saw them at the cove. They must have been at the next cove over.

Once we got to the meadow, it was a huge hike down through weeds and flowers up to my chest. At the end of the tiny path through the meadow, we came to the end of the cliff looking down either at the Pacific Ocean and/or Hart's Cove.

Hart's Cove is located in the Siuslaw National Forest. If you are coming from Lincoln City 3 miles past the junction of Hwy 101/18, then travel north 3.3 miles to Forest Service Road 1861, west of Highway 101. The trail head is located at the end of the road, approximately 4 miles.

Here are some pics:

Pic next to the sign after we finished the hike:

The view of Hart's Cove from the edge of the cliff in the meadow.

Walking down the Meadow over looking the Pacific Ocean.

The poisonous fruit called Oregon Manroot or Coastal Manroot

Wes counting how old this tree is..... over 200 yrs old!

Me pushing the huge tree up the hill after I sawed it in half..... hehe

Can you find Waldo in the meadow... o wait I mean Wes ;)