The Salmon River at Three Rocks
Getting There: Map and Directions to Knight County Park/ About 1 hr and forty-five minutes from Portland
Camping/Lodging: Camp Nearby / Lodging in Lincoln City, Neskowin
Food and Supplies Nearby: The closest place for food and supplies is Neskowin, about 8 min. north of Knight County Park. Lincoln City is about 10 min. south of Knight Park and has more to offer in the way of sundries and food options.
Nestled underneath the imposing southern flank of Cascade Head on the Oregon coast, the beautiful Salmon River flows lazily into the Pacific Ocean and out past the lazily named Three Rocks. I had been meaning to explore this waterway ever since my family bought a beach cottage in the quaint little village of Neskowin, a short distance to the north on the other side of the jutting land mass. My put-in (and probably the best access for a short trip) was at Knight County Park, a popular river access area for crabbers and fishermen, complete with a boat ramp that made my launch a breeze.
I launched at low tide, primarily to see if the river was navigable at that level and how much the ocean draining out influenced the flow. I had at least two feet of water in the shallowest spots, although you could easily end up on a sandbar or hit a concealed rock if you weren’t paying attention. All in all, it was no problem, plenty of water for a SUP with a foot long fin.
From Knight County Park, the Salmon River meanders around a couple bends for about a half of mile, and then the Three Rocks and the end of Cascade Head appear.
Though it looks as though the sandy bank gradually dips into shallow water, it is quite a drop off, some four to five feet almost immediately! I saw crabs scuttling along the sandy ridged bottom, looking for rocks to hide under.
I put ashore on the left bank and gazed to the south. An unbroken expanse of wide beach stretched out for at least a mile, ending in another rock outcropping and massive bank. I began walking south and then turned around to snap the photo below, looking back towards Cascade Head.
I knew from studying the map of this area that to the east was over 500 acres of protected land owned by Camp Westwind. But there were no campers or people of any sort for that matter on the beach this day. It was a welcome change from the crowds one can experience at the beach in Neskowin or Pacific City. I had the beach completely to myself.
I venture further south and came to the next headland. Skipping over a large tide pool during a lull in the waves, I came to an outcropping that had a massive cave bored into it. Its almost symmetrical appearance made it look man made, but I knew that was impossible.
Knowing the tide was coming back in, I decided going too far into the cave was not prudent, as it was obvious that the water would flood this chamber at high tide. The cave seemed to go on forever, and my curiosity was peaked. I wondered if there was an exit on the other side of the embankment.
I crossed back through the tide pool and made my way around the outcropping. At first it seemed there was no way to the other side except up and over, but I spotted a crack in its armor. A small keyhole was letting the afternoon sun stream through…it was my gateway to the other side!
Passing through the opening, I was surprised and delighted to find myself on a strange and rocky hidden beach. The jagged rocks had an otherworldly appearance, especially with the smokey sky and orange sun (from the recent forest fires) illuminating them.
I looked back and up at the embankment, it was massive, rising up like something you’d see on Tatooine (please excuse the nerdy Star Wars reference).
I noticed a small opening to my left, it looked like nothing more than a crevasse that went a few feet into the wall and then terminated. Upon further inspection I realized it was another cave! All at once I knew that this had to be where the cave on the other side went to. I scrambled into the small opening and wound my way around in the dark, hands outstretched. After about twenty steps I noticed a glint of light, and around the next bend it all became clear: I was looking out at the tide pool and the entrance of the cave I had explored on the opposite side. It was a fun discovery, and I felt like I was the first one to have explored this passageway. Of course, I have no doubt that this cave has provided many people (and hundreds of campers!) with that same enjoyment of imagining being the first to discover it. Not to mention all of the other wonders of this fascinating hidden beach.
I walked back to my board, feeling satisfied with my afternoon’s adventure. I will definitely be returning to my “secret beach” soon!
