Oregon Coast - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 624

Shore Acres State Park PARK
( 541-888-3732; www.shoreacres.net ; Cape Arago Hwy; day use $5) Beautiful rehabilitated
gardens are the highlight of this unusual state park, 4 miles southwest of town on Cape
Arago Hwy. Louis Simpson, an important shipping and lumber magnate, was exploring
for new stands of lumber in 1905 when he discovered this wildly eroded headland. After
buying up the 320 acres for $4000 he built a three-story mansion here, complete with
formal gardens. It burned down in 1921. A trail leads to a glass-protected observation
building on the cliffs where the mansion once stood, and then continues on to the beach.
Cape Arago State Park PARK
( 800-551-6949; www.oregonstateparks.org ; Cape Arago Hwy) A mile beyond Shore Acres
State Park is Simpson Reef Viewpoint , where you can spot shorebirds, migrating whales
and several species of pinnipeds. Head another 0.5 miles to Cape Arago State Park and
the terminus of Cape Arago Hwy, where grassy picnic grounds make for great perches
over a pounding sea. Trails lead down to the beach and fine tide pools, while the Oregon
Coast Trail heads back north to Shore Acres and Sunset Bay.
South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve MUSEUM
( 541-888-5558; www.southsloughestuary.org ; 61907 Seven Devils Rd; 10am-4:30pm Tue-
Sat) Charleston sits at the mouth of South Slough, a tidal river basin that turns into a
vast, muddy estuary full of wildlife. Four miles south of Charleston on Seven Devils Rd
is this excellent interpretive center, which has exhibits on estuarine ecology, also show-
cased in a 12-minute video. It runs events and programs all year long.
Several walking trails , ranging from 0.25 to 3 miles, offer glimpses of the local eco-
logy. Canoeing is also possible in the area, but you'll need your own canoe.
Sleeping & Eating
Captain John's Motel MOTEL$
( 541-888-4041; www.captjohnsmotel.com ; 63360 Kingfisher Dr; d $69-79; ) Popular
with anglers, Captain John's keeps room smells down by providing an outside crab-cook-
ing facility for guests. Some rooms have a kitchenette ($15 extra). It's a bit run-down,
but tolerable for a night. It's right near the boat docks.
Sunset Bay State Park CAMPGROUND$