Oswald West State Park
Encyclopedia
Oswald West State Park is part of the state park
system of the U.S. state
of Oregon
. It is located about 10 miles (16.1 km) south of the city of Cannon Beach
, on the Pacific Ocean
. Oswald West has unique walk-in access, with wheelbarrows provided by the parks system
for transporting gear from the parking area to the 30 primitive camping sites, which are one third of a mile from the ocean. The campsites are situated in stands of old growth Sitka Spruce
. The park covers 2448 acres (9.9 km²), with many miles of hiking trails both inside the park grounds and linking to other parks and landmarks beyond.
The state park also contains Neahkahnie Mountain
, Short Sand Beach, Short Sand Creek, Necarney Creek, Cape Falcon, Smugglers Cove and the Oregon Coast Trail. The cove is a popular surf destination and is known as "Short Sands". Urban legend claims pirate treasure is buried near Smugglers Cove but has never been found.
, the 14th Governor of Oregon
and the man who led preserving Oregon's beaches for public use. A memorial marker for Matt Kramer, a journalist whose articles helped shift public opinion to preserve the beaches, sits at the trail divide between Short Sands beach and Cape Falcon.
, western hemlock and western red cedar
, as well as smaller brush including red huckleberry
, salmonberry and salal
bushes.
During the Summer of 2008, a large Sitka Spruce fell with no warning in the campground. The state immediately conducted a survey of other trees in the park and determined there were several other trees that could fall at any moment. Subsequently, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department decided to close the campgrounds indefinitely citing public safety. Although camping is currently not permitted, the park is still open with full access.
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
system of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. It is located about 10 miles (16.1 km) south of the city of Cannon Beach
Cannon Beach, Oregon
Cannon Beach is a city in Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. The population was 1,588 as of the 2000 census. The 2007 estimate is 1,680 residents.- History :...
, on the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. Oswald West has unique walk-in access, with wheelbarrows provided by the parks system
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department , officially known as the State Parks and Recreation Department, is the government agency of the U.S. state of Oregon which operates its system of state parks...
for transporting gear from the parking area to the 30 primitive camping sites, which are one third of a mile from the ocean. The campsites are situated in stands of old growth Sitka Spruce
Sitka Spruce
Picea sitchensis, the Sitka Spruce, is a large coniferous evergreen tree growing to 50–70 m tall, exceptionally to 95 m tall, and with a trunk diameter of up to 5 m, exceptionally to 6–7 m diameter...
. The park covers 2448 acres (9.9 km²), with many miles of hiking trails both inside the park grounds and linking to other parks and landmarks beyond.
The state park also contains Neahkahnie Mountain
Neahkahnie Mountain
Neahkahnie Mountain is a mountain on the Oregon Coast, north of Manzanita in Oswald West State Park overlooking U.S. Route 101. The peak is part of the Northern Oregon Coast Range, which is part of the Oregon Coast Range...
, Short Sand Beach, Short Sand Creek, Necarney Creek, Cape Falcon, Smugglers Cove and the Oregon Coast Trail. The cove is a popular surf destination and is known as "Short Sands". Urban legend claims pirate treasure is buried near Smugglers Cove but has never been found.
History
The park was named after Oswald WestOswald West
Oswald West was an American politician, a Democrat, who served most notably as the 14th Governor of Oregon. Called "Os West" by Oregon writer Stewart Holbrook, who described him as "by all odds the most brilliant governor Oregon ever had."- Early life and career :West was born in Ontario, Canada...
, the 14th Governor of Oregon
Governor of Oregon
The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....
and the man who led preserving Oregon's beaches for public use. A memorial marker for Matt Kramer, a journalist whose articles helped shift public opinion to preserve the beaches, sits at the trail divide between Short Sands beach and Cape Falcon.
Camping
Oswald West is currently a day-use area only, though the park has 30 walk-in tent sites with picnic tables, fire rings, water, and flush toilets nearby, located 0.25 mile (0.402335 km) from the parking lot between the Short Sand Creek and the Necarney Creek. The campsite is surrounded by giant old-growth Sitka spruce, Douglas-firDouglas-fir
Douglas-fir is one of the English common names for evergreen coniferous trees of the genus Pseudotsuga in the family Pinaceae. Other common names include Douglas tree, and Oregon pine. There are five species, two in western North America, one in Mexico, and two in eastern Asia...
, western hemlock and western red cedar
Thuja plicata
Thuja plicata, commonly called Western or pacific red cedar, giant or western arborvitae, giant cedar, or shinglewood, is a species of Thuja, an evergreen coniferous tree in the cypress family Cupressaceae native to western North America...
, as well as smaller brush including red huckleberry
Vaccinium parvifolium
Red Huckleberry is a species of Vaccinium native to the western North America, where it is common in forests from southeastern Alaska and British Columbia south through western Washington and Oregon to central California. In the Oregon Coast Range, it is the most common Vaccinium...
, salmonberry and salal
Salal
Gaultheria shallon is a leathery-leaved shrub in the heather family , native to western North America. In English it is known as salal, shallon, or in Britain simply Gaultheria.-Ecology:...
bushes.
During the Summer of 2008, a large Sitka Spruce fell with no warning in the campground. The state immediately conducted a survey of other trees in the park and determined there were several other trees that could fall at any moment. Subsequently, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department decided to close the campgrounds indefinitely citing public safety. Although camping is currently not permitted, the park is still open with full access.