Firstly, I wish I had some wonderful tale of pirates and buccaneers to explain how this spot got its colorful name, but honestly I have no idea how it got its name, but feel free to regale your children with whatever swashbuckling epic captures their interest and sparks their imagination. Dead Man's Cove is located on the walk up to the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse (which is described in detail on another of my "Insider" websites) near Ilwaco, Washington. This is a very small inlet where the Pacific Ocean has eaten its way into the cliffs that the Lighthouse and the visitor's center is located and formed, in my humble opinion, one of the most beautiful spots on earth. You have to hike down a rather steep, but wooden stepped, trail to actually reach the beach of the cove, but you can view the cove in its entirety from the road and trails above. There is a
single large rock located near the middle of Dead Man's Cove with a wind-warped tree growing on the top of it. You can access this rock and even climb up to this tree during low tide, but make sure you watch the tide so you don't get stuck on this rock. During low tide there are also many tide pools to explore and see some of the colorful species of animals that live along the Pacific Coast. If you go to this location around sunset the sun is perfectly framed by the cliffs on either side of the cove's inlet to the Pacific Ocean. It is a glorious site to behold and a photographers dream. To get to this location you must cross the Astoria-Megler Bridge to the Washington side. When you exit the bridge make a left hand turn and continue straight until you enter the town of Ilwaco, Washington. This drive in itself is beautiful as you will have amazing views of Astoria from the middle of the Columbia River, including close up views of the sand bars located in the middle of the river which are responsible for so many ship wrecks over hundreds of years. From the Washington side you get a unique view of Astoria and the Oregon side of the river, and while driving to Ilwaco you will see pilings which a huge cannery industry was supported upon and great views of the Columbia River. Once you are in Ilwaco follow the signs to Cape Disappointment, which is also a working Coast Guard base and training center. Once there simply start to hike, following the signs, up to the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse and you cannot miss Dead Man's Cove. I cannot recommend a more beautiful spot to visit. For more information on Cape Disappointment Lighthouse and the things it has to offer please visit my other websites.Jeremy's Insider Tips-
You absolutely must bring a camera, and if you can, visit a little before sunset to set up for the best sunset pictures the coast has to offer. A light jacket is always recommended, as well as decent shoes if you plan to go down the trail to the cove beach and especially if you plan to climb up on the rock mentioned above. There are nice big logs that have been washed up onto the beach of the cove and they make a perfect spot to lay out a picnic and enjoy the amazing view. There is also some nice little pieces of driftwood to be collected to bring a small bag if you plan on bring some of this back with you.
If you enjoyed this website you might also enjoy some of my other websites about the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Just click on one of the links below, and thank you for visiting my website!
An Insider's Recommended Visitor's Guide to the Beautiful Astoria, Oregon Area
http://guidetoastoriaoregondining.blogspot.com/
An Insider's Guide to Recommended Quick Trips in Astoria, Oregon
http://quickastoriaoregontrips.blogspot.com/
An Insider's Guide to Recommended Dining in the Astoria, Oregon Area
http://guidetoastoriaoregon.blogspot.com/
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