Storms uncover ancient 'ghost forest' along Oregon Coast

Storms uncover ancient 'ghost forest' along Oregon Coast

01:20 PM MDT on Wednesday, April 9, 2008

By TERESA BLACKMAN / KGW.com

NESKOWIN BEACH, Ore. - High winds, heavy rain and powerful surf pounding the Oregon Coast recently uncovered a ghost forest known mostly through legendary tales in the small community of Neskowin.


The ancient tree stumps are usually covered in deep sand. But recent storms washed away a great deal of the beach and once again uncovered the ancient tree stumps that locals call “the ghost forest.”


An article in the “Oregon Coast Beach Connection” described the ghost forest as a “downright spectacular oddity.”


“They [tree stumps] look somewhat like old, ragged pilings leftover from something manmade - but they are, in fact, stumps of a forest some 2,000 years ago or so. As many as 100 are sometimes visible in various shapes and sizes.”


According to the article, the theory is that “around 2,000 years ago a massive, cataclysmic earthquake abruptly dropped this forest possibly more than 25 feet. Then, somehow, they [tree stumps] were preserved by sand and mud, rather then being destroyed and scattered, as natural erosion might've done… Either a tsunami brought the sand in or the earthquake rattled up so much soil and sand it covered the forest.”


Neskowin Beach is located between Oceanside and Lincoln City in Tillamook County, Ore. It’s about a 90-minute drive from Portland.


The most prominent feature in Neskowin is the large beach where Slab creek empties into the Pacific Ocean. Just offshore is the tree-lined basalt sea-stack known as Proposal Rock.


The Nestucca Valley is nicknamed the “Corridor of Mystery” and a popular destination for tourists.


In the town of Neskowin, you’ll find a general store, restaurant and two golf courses and numerous beach homes. A short drive north will lead you to Nestucca Bay, which is excellent for non-motorized water sports, such as canoeing and kayaking. Neskowin also offers easy access to the Cascade Head Trail which takes you through wonderful stands of spruce and views of the ocean.


[link to www.ktvb.com]