Most tourists at Cape Perpetua merely pause at the parking pullouts and drive on. They’re missing a lot. Trails fan out from the visitor center toward old-growth forests, tidepools, and viewpoints you’ll never see from a car window. The three easy hikes described here are short enough that a sturdy hiker can cover them all in an afternoon. If you don’t already have a parking pass, expect a $5-per-car fee.

English explorer Captain Cook named the cape in 1778 while sailing into the teeth of a storm. Irritably, he noted in his journal that the same cape had loomed before him for five days straight.  It was March 11, the holy day of St. Perpetua, and the faith-tested martyr’s name apparently struck a chord.

Start by driving Highway 101 south . . .

For the next easiest hike from . . .

For the most difficult and most rewarding of the three short hikes described here, follow the . . .

This chapter is an excerpt from 100 Hikes : Oregon Coast