Gwynn Creek Loop

November 28, 2021

While staying in Yachats this weekend we did this loop hike in the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area.

We parked at the Cape Perpetua Visitor’s Center and set off up the Cook’s Ridge Trail:

Cape Perpetua

We saw this beautiful fly agaric mushroom:

Fly agaric mushroom

It is so wet here that even in November it’s pretty green:

Cook's Ridge Trail

More mushrooms:

Mushrooms

Mushrooms

Mushrooms

Mushrooms

Continuing on through the lush forest:

Cook's Ridge Trail

There are some pretty big trees here:

Cook's Ridge Trail

Here’s an enormous stump from a long-gone tree:

Cook's Ridge Trail

We saw very few people as we headed up the ridge:

Cook's Ridge Trail

Cook's Ridge Trail

Cook's Ridge Trail

We reached the junction with the Gwynn Creek Trail, where we took a break:

Cook's Ridge Trail

Then we headed down the Gwynn Creek Trail:

Gwynn Creek Trail

Gwynn Creek Trail

Gwynn Creek Trail

We reached the junction with the Oregon Coast Trail:

Gwynn Creek Trail

There’s a footbridge over Gwynn Creek here. Despite hiking along it the past few miles we hadn’t actually gotten a good look until now:

Gwynn Creek Trail

We followed the Oregon Coast Trail north back towards the trailhead:

Oregon Coast Trail

This section of trail follows what was once a wagon road between Florence and Yachats. Obviously it hasn’t been used for that purpose in a century and the trees have grown up significantly:

Oregon Coast Trail

Oregon Coast Trail

We got glimpses of the ocean:

Cape Perpetua

The mileage was about 7.5 miles, although my Gaia app had a hiccup and didn’t do an accurate recording.