Pacific Northwest adventures Archives - Pechluck's Food Adventures

Easy Guide to Samuel Boardman Scenic Corridor

The Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor is an iconic area of the Oregon Coast and is a state park that you can travel to between Bandon and Brookings offering miles of rock formations among lush green forests with cliff overlooks, sea stacks and arch formations, and quiet beaches. And, it’s all free- no park pass needed. You can make this a day trip as it is just a 2 hour drive between these two seaside towns, but expect to add on a few hours with the many scenic stops and hikes available before and within Samuel Boardman State Park. Even if you do not want to do much hiking, it is still worth a visit as most viewpoints are easy accessible right along the corridor that you can park and do very short walks to viewpoints. Here’s my guide to Samuel H Boardman Scenic Corridor based on my day trip. This was a leisurely drive from after sleeping in and breakfast and first walking Circle in the Sands, to a lunch to go, no hike more then 30 minutes roundtrip, and then returning back to Bandon with a stop at Prehistoric Gardens, all in time for watching sunset at Coquille Point.
Guide to Samuel H Boardman Scenic Corridor: Secret Beach

I covered Circle in the Sands and the sunset views at Coquille Point already at the linked posts, so this post will focus on my take on a guide to the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor iconic views, whimsy nostalgia of the Prehistoric Gardens experience, along with a lunch with a famous hot dog!

Don’t worry whether the weather is sunny which will look beautiful with blue skies and blue seas in your views, or if it is a gloomy grey day that is also IMHO atmospheric: I think all weather conditions make the scenic viewpoints look special. I recommend driving from north to south for the trip so you are always pulling to the right side into the viewpoints.
Guide to Samuel H Boardman Scenic Corridor: Secret Beach

A Famous Oregon Coast Hot Dog

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Circles in the Sand at the Oregon Coast

I always like to plan one of the trips to the Oregon Coast, only a few hours away from Portland, during the minus tides (low tides so low that it is measured negatively on the tide charts), and last year a photographer we talked to briefly while visiting the Neskowin Ghost Forest I posted about last year shared recommended Bandon for the minus tides. This year the Strawberry Supermoon also coincided with minus tide (in this case -2.5 feet in Bandon) and having it juxtaposition a 8.26 feet high tide, and a 12 foot swing high to low in the span of seven hours, sealed the deal for our Bandon trip. We visited the area for 4 days (staying 3 nights), which also gave us time to experience other southern Oregon coast activities. I will share a few posts on that, and this first one starts out with Circles in the Sand at the Oregon Coast.

Bandon, Oregon Coast

Circles in the Sand at the Oregon Coast – this post
Sunrise and Moonset at Face Rock Viewpoint
Sunset at Coquille Point
Samuel H Boardman Scenic Corridor
Art and Eats in Bandon

Did you know about Circles in the Sand on the Oregon Coast? Usually drawn at Face Rock Scenic Viewpoint in Bandon Oregon, this free labyrinth was inspired by founder Denny Dyke’s walking meditations. Now in its 8th season in 2022, each labyrinth or what they also call “dreamfield” are available only until the tide comes in. Each labyrinth is unique, drawn freehand and organically. I was able to visit the two different days of June 16 and 17th. They are created by Face Rock Scenic Viewpoint. Here’s a glimpse of some of the sand art.
Circles in the Sand at the Oregon Coast at Face Point Scenic Viewpoint in Bandon, draw from June 16 2022

I particularly enjoyed taking photos of some of the sand art with Face Rock and the Cat and Kittens rock formations in the background. Can you see the face – it is an upturned face of an Indian princess, so goes the legend, with her hair flowing on the left side downward. To the right some call those scatterings of rocks together the Cat and Kittens, which were with the princess when she became trapped by the sea.
Circles in the Sand at the Oregon Coast - looking down at the labyrinth from Face Point Scenic Viewpoint in Bandon, draw from June 16 2022