Haystack Rock, is Cannon beaches most famous sight.
We'll see it in a few minutes.
It is a unique monolith, that attracts wildlife, and tourists alike.
Haystack Rock:
Follow along with pictures...
See pictures, at, tour portland dot com, forward slash, pictures of seaside
Then, Haystack Rock
Walk out to get the best view of the massive Rock, one of the largest "inter-tidal" (meaning it can be reached by land), monoliths, (meaning a single stone rock), on the Pacific coast, and the entire world!.
It's a 235-foot volcanic sea stack. A sea stack is a vertical column of rock in the sea, near the coast, formed by wave erosion. It is a National Wildlife Refuge.
The colorful tide pools are home to many inter-tidal animals, including starfish, sea anemone, crabs, chitons, limpets, and sea slugs.
It's a bird sanctuary and a nesting site for sea birds, including terns and Tuffed Puffins.
(see pictures, Haystack Rock. Tufted Puffins).
Admire—but don’t bother—the birds and marine life that dwell in the tide pools.
Tuffed puffins form dense breeding colonies during the summer reproductive season. During the winter feeding season, they spend their time almost exclusively at sea.
Found only in the North Pacific, they nest mostly in deep burrows that it digs into cliffs with its bill and feet. These burrows can be more than 5 feet deep.
They dive, capture and hold multiple small fish crosswise in its bill, routinely 5 to 20 fish at a time, for delivery to chicks at the nest. Adults eat their own food while still under water.
The oldest recorded Tufted Puffin was at least 6 years old, when it was found in Alaska, the same state where it had been banded.
The Rock.
Composed of basalt, the rock was formed by lava flows emanating from the Columbia River Basalt Group 15 million years ago.
Over 300 separate massive flows, emanated from Yellowstone Super caldera, were some of the biggest on the planet.
The lava flows traveled hundreds of miles, and created many of the Oregon coast's natural features, including Tillamook Head (at Ecola State Park), Arch Cape, and Saddle Mountain. Included is our own Gingko Flow, which in the space of a week, traveled over 300 miles to what is now Cannon Beach, and other locations along the Oregon coast.
Burrowing into the soft ocean sediment, and in various spots, it re-erupted on the sea floor, (then 1,000 feet lower than it is now), forming secondary, or “submarine” volcanoes. The now-eroded throat of one such formation, is Haystack Rock.
Three smaller, adjacent rock formations to the south of Haystack Rock, are collectively called "The Needles".
The best way to view it is up close, & barefoot on the beach. Haystack Rock is a designated Marine Garden; therefore, do not take anything from the area, and do not climb the rock!...even though it's tempting. The sea life here is fragile, treat it with care, and do not step on them!
Use extreme caution while in this area, the tides are swift and easily catch the unaware visitor...we don't want anyone drifting out to sea, or caught somewhere high on a rock surrounded by raging sea waves. Many persons each year get stranded on Haystack Rock.
We're now going to take our shoes off, and head out there.
Ask me if you can borrow binoculars.
We'll see it in a few minutes.
It is a unique monolith, that attracts wildlife, and tourists alike.
Haystack Rock:
Follow along with pictures...
See pictures, at, tour portland dot com, forward slash, pictures of seaside
Then, Haystack Rock
Walk out to get the best view of the massive Rock, one of the largest "inter-tidal" (meaning it can be reached by land), monoliths, (meaning a single stone rock), on the Pacific coast, and the entire world!.
It's a 235-foot volcanic sea stack. A sea stack is a vertical column of rock in the sea, near the coast, formed by wave erosion. It is a National Wildlife Refuge.
The colorful tide pools are home to many inter-tidal animals, including starfish, sea anemone, crabs, chitons, limpets, and sea slugs.
It's a bird sanctuary and a nesting site for sea birds, including terns and Tuffed Puffins.
(see pictures, Haystack Rock. Tufted Puffins).
Admire—but don’t bother—the birds and marine life that dwell in the tide pools.
Tuffed puffins form dense breeding colonies during the summer reproductive season. During the winter feeding season, they spend their time almost exclusively at sea.
Found only in the North Pacific, they nest mostly in deep burrows that it digs into cliffs with its bill and feet. These burrows can be more than 5 feet deep.
They dive, capture and hold multiple small fish crosswise in its bill, routinely 5 to 20 fish at a time, for delivery to chicks at the nest. Adults eat their own food while still under water.
The oldest recorded Tufted Puffin was at least 6 years old, when it was found in Alaska, the same state where it had been banded.
The Rock.
Composed of basalt, the rock was formed by lava flows emanating from the Columbia River Basalt Group 15 million years ago.
Over 300 separate massive flows, emanated from Yellowstone Super caldera, were some of the biggest on the planet.
The lava flows traveled hundreds of miles, and created many of the Oregon coast's natural features, including Tillamook Head (at Ecola State Park), Arch Cape, and Saddle Mountain. Included is our own Gingko Flow, which in the space of a week, traveled over 300 miles to what is now Cannon Beach, and other locations along the Oregon coast.
Burrowing into the soft ocean sediment, and in various spots, it re-erupted on the sea floor, (then 1,000 feet lower than it is now), forming secondary, or “submarine” volcanoes. The now-eroded throat of one such formation, is Haystack Rock.
Three smaller, adjacent rock formations to the south of Haystack Rock, are collectively called "The Needles".
The best way to view it is up close, & barefoot on the beach. Haystack Rock is a designated Marine Garden; therefore, do not take anything from the area, and do not climb the rock!...even though it's tempting. The sea life here is fragile, treat it with care, and do not step on them!
Use extreme caution while in this area, the tides are swift and easily catch the unaware visitor...we don't want anyone drifting out to sea, or caught somewhere high on a rock surrounded by raging sea waves. Many persons each year get stranded on Haystack Rock.
We're now going to take our shoes off, and head out there.
Ask me if you can borrow binoculars.