A tour of Yachats Ridge
Story & photos by Dave Powell
For the TODAY
Another year finds me in search of new adventures, new trails, new detours. And I found the perfect place to start — Yachats Ridge, a 1,100-acre property south of Yachats River and north of Cape Perpetua. View the Future (VtF), a local nonprofit is hosting guided tours with the permission of Manulife Investment Management, one of the two owners.
VtF supports environmental and cultural preservation, funding acquisitions and rehabilitating land, and helping fund certain recreational projects in the Yachats area. The group has partnered with the City of Yachats to raise matching funds for the city’s Ocean View Drive Boardwalk project — offering a safer view of the Yachats Estuary.
The Yachats Ridge tour starts with climbing into a four-wheel drive vehicle and heading through the normally locked gate and uphill, i.e. this isn’t something you do on your own.
Talk about scenic photo views. Before I came to Oregon, I had seen photos of Manzanita from Neahkahnie Mountain and Lincoln City from Cascade Head. Having hiked in Oregon since 2016, I have been at Neahkahnie and Cascade Head. They are supplanted by Yachats Ridge’s view north toward downtown Yachats and on to Newport’s Yaquina Head Lighthouse.
A view looking east shows the Yachats River Valley, some probable Marbled Murrelet habitat, and a panorama of the coastal range (on my tour I saw Mary’s Peak, which is not often visible).
A view looking south shows three wooded ridges, views of Gwynn Creek, Cummins Ridge and the Cummins Wilderness Area.
All told, “I can see for miles and miles”
Other tour stops showcase water’s importance. A quarry provided gravel for the roads until it hit a water vein and turned into a pond. There is a wetland at about 1,100 feet elevation. A short walk leads to the start of Amanda Creek. For 50 yards nothing, then a spring (first of several) provides just a trickle. Another 50 yards and it is obvious that there is the start of a creek. Additionally, there are beautiful meadowlands with more outstanding views.
As for trails, Joanne Kittel of VtF mentions a loop hike of nine miles could be available. I personally would walk out and back from Highway 101 and avoid the rough gravel, a steep five miles.
VtF hopes one day with partners to preserve and restore this property and make it available for recreation.
I could give many reasons for Yachats Ridge becoming available for recreation, but here are three of mine:
1) It would be nice to come into Yachats and not see clear cuts ruining nature’s view.
2) The concentration of scenic views
3) If Trailkeepers of Oregon gets to work on trails, keeping busy might (emphasize might) help keep me out of trouble.
If interested in the three-hour tour, contact Joanne Kittel at joannekittel@viewthefuture.org.
City of Yachats trail crews meet at Yachats Commons on the first and third Saturdays from 9:30 to 11:30 am, and then gather at The Drift Inn afterward. If interested in joining in, email yachatstrails@gmail.com.