DESTINATION: Cape Creek (Cape Perpetua) - Pacific Ocean - River Origins, Destinations and Confluences on Waymarking.com

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Like many small creeks along the Oregon coast, Cape Creek flows from the the mountains to the east. Here Cape Perpetua, the highest point on the Oregon coast rising some 800 feet, thrusts out into the Pacific Ocean. On the north side the 12-mile Yachats River has its destination, and this smaller creek joins the ocean on the south side.

There are several creeks on the Oregon coast bearing the name "Cape Creek," and the best known of these is further south where it joins the ocean just south of Haceta Head, with its famous lighthouse, and is spanned by the stunning Cape Creek Bridge at Devil's Elbow.

This creek passes through the Cape Perpetua Campground, then passes through a culvert under the scenic Coast Highway, U.S. 101, and through piles of drift logs, then hugging the lava rocks on its northern bank as it enters the Pacific Ocean.

The small beach here is perfect for relaxation while listening to the surf without the crowds of people. The rocks to the south can be traversed all the way to Cook's Chasm, with many excellent places to hunt for agates. The trail north leads through sitka spruce, over the rocks to Devil's Churn.

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So, there are several ways to access the mouth of Cape Creek. The easiest access is via a trail that leads from a classic wind-swept sitka spruce down a winding trail through salal bushes on the south-bound side of U.S. 101, where there is a small unpaved parking area.

The second common access is from the trail that starts at Devil's Churn to the north where there is a larger paved parking area with facilities and a visitors center. Access from the south is difficult as there are no real tails from the highway above down to the surf side rocks. It is possible, for the adventuresome, to reach here from the Cape Perpetua Campground by wading along the creek and through the culvert, then scrambling over the drift logs.