You have probably seen photos of Haystack Rock all over your social media feeds. It is an iconic landmark for the Oregon coastline and has helped Cannon Beach become quite the tourist destination. No matter the mood of the coastline, Haystack Rock always seems to show off majestically. Okay, so my guess is if you’re here, you are looking for the best time to visit or maybe a few tips for snapping a Pixel Perfect photo of Haystack Rock. Well, I created this guide to help make your trip to Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach as easy as possible. So let’s jump in!
How to get to Haystack Rock
The first piece of the puzzle is how to actually access Haystack Rock. But before we navigate to our main attraction, let’s be sure you made it to Cannon Beach, Oregon. Cannon Beach is small coastal town about 80 miles west of Portland, Oregon. The best option would be to fly into Portland International Airport (PDX) and rent a car. Seattle International Airport would be your next best bet if traveling from afar. This option would be about a 4 hour drive to Cannon Beach. If you are not able to rent a car, you can travel via Amtrak from Portland to Cannon Beach.
Alright, now that you have made it to Cannon Beach, let’s navigate to Haystack Rock. This unique rock is right on the beach and can be seen from many different vantage points. If you are wanting to get right up close and personal with Haystack Rock, I recommend parking along South Hemlock Street. Just be sure to pay attention to parking and residence signs so you don’t come back from the beach with a parking ticket. There is a free small parking area near Haystack Lane and E Chena Street.
Once you park, you are going to want to find a set of stairs off of the street between Forest Lawn Road and Viewpoint Terrace. The stairs lead you down a path between houses and take you to the beach right in front of Haystack Rock. Another option is to find parking along the beach and walk along to water until you reach Haystack Rock, you can’t miss it!
When to Visit Haystack Rock
The other thing you will want to consider is what time of year and time of day you’ll want to visit, especially if you are planning around a photo. As with most beaches, the best time to visit is during the summer. If you are wanting warmer weather and less chance for rain, I would recommend visiting between July and September.
Now when considering the time of day to take your Pixel Perfect photo, it is going to depend on what you are wanting to capture. Some people prefer sunset photos, others prefer some action shots of people enjoying the beach. So, just think about what you are envisioning and settle on venturing out then, or spend the whole day and capture various options. Keep in mind the tide around Haystack Rock might impact your photo composition, so keep reading for more on tides.
Haystack Rock Sunset Photo Tips
If you are wanting to capture your shot during sunset and you are visiting in the summer months, you will want to set up on the beach south of Haystack Rock to capture your photo. Also, keep in mind the sun sets quicker in the summer months. If you are visiting in the winter months hoping to capture the sunset, then you will want to set up east of the Rock.
As always for any sunset photo, you want to be sure you arrive with plenty of time before sunset to set up your camera and any other gear you may have. It also is beneficial to show up early because unless you have a secure parking spot, you never know how far you might have to walk to your photo location.
BE FLEXIBLE! You may have the perfect plan to capture your Pixel Perfect photo of Haystack Rock at sunset. You figured out where to park, where to set up your camera and what time to catch the sun go down. But the thing we can’t always plan for is the weather. If your travel plans are not flexible and you only planned a day or two to be in this area, you can’t always guarantee the weather is going to cooperate.
I was that person. I researched everything and was ready to get a picture of Haystack Rock like the ones I saw when researching this beautiful spot. Guess what? The night I had planned to take sunset photos during our PNW road trip, it was misty, cold, windy and gloomy. So all that to say, you are in the PNW and sometimes weather doesn’t allow things to go according to plan. However, you can still get some great shots, they might just be different than you envisioned.
Tides
One thing I didn’t realize before visiting, was how vastly different the world around Haystack Rock changes depending on the tide. Most of the time, water is surrounding the Rock and you are advised not to walk or swim near Haystack. You can view the amazing structure from more of a distance. However, when it is low tide you are introduced to a whole new world of marine life around Haystack Rock.
March through October the Haystack Rock Awareness Program is set up to help educate and show beachgoers what they are seeing. They set up barriers to encourage people not to disturb the marine life. Even during the months they are not there, I encourage you to continue to not disturb the ecosystem. At low tide, you can get up close and personal with Haystack Rock and capture it from a different perspective. Check out tide information here!
So if you are able to, stick around and snap some photos of Haystack Rock when the tide is in and at low tide.
Visiting Cannon Beach
Haystack Rock is definitely a unique spot to visit, but after you take your Pixel Perfect photo and enjoy the sunset, you might wonder what else there is around. If you want to check out what else Cannon Beach has to offer check our Complete Visitor’s Guide to Cannon Beach. It covers recommendations for restaurants, where to stay, things to do and even some day trip ideas.
As always when visiting be sure you leave the beach better than you found it so we can all enjoy coming back over and over again.
Happy Exploring!
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