Kayak the bays, estuaries, and lakes of the central Oregon coast, hike to some of the best Pacific Ocean beaches, and play on giant sand dunes. In the evenings we’ll return to yurts at Honeyman State Park to cook and hang out together. You will have access to flushing toilets and showers shared with others camping at the park. On this trip you may see otter, elk, beaver, deer, eagles, great blue herons, and sandhill cranes. Whether you’ve never kayaked before or you’re an experienced paddler, this trip will be filled with fun adventures and beautiful scenery.
(actual itinerary will be adjusted to the weather and group)
Thursday: Arrive to campus in the morning, meet your group and collect any outdoor gear you are borrowing from College Outdoors. Eat lunch on campus, then drive about 3.5 hours to the yurts.
Friday: Paddle Day One: Safety Talk, 3 hours on the water
Saturday: Hike One: 4 miles
Sunday: Paddle Day Two: Some paddling, plus playing paddle games and having fun!
Monday: Hike Two: Dunes! 1-2 miles, jumping and frolicking on the dunes, and time on the beach. Also LC night! Learn about Lewis & Clark from current students.
Tuesday: Return to campus, clean up gear, move into residence halls
The Oregon Coast has some of the most spectacular scenery in North America. Temperate rainforests house
millions of species of flora and fauna, and ancient, towering dunes line the coast of the Pacific Ocean. The salt spray hangs in the air and you can actually smell the marine environment here. Groves of ancient forests, surviving the loggers who arrived from Europe, still command a cathedral-like presence and offer every possible shade of green. The Oregon coast is known for its numerous offshore rocks and islands that are designated as wildlife refuges as well as its seemingly endless expanses of sand dunes. The rich coastal
forests and waterways are the traditional lands of the Chinook, Willapa, Lower Chinook, Clatsup, Kathlamet, and Nahalem tribes. Keep an eye out for colorful starfish, tuffed puffin, dinosaur-like cormorants, elusive seals, enormous sea-lions, curious otter, and Roosevelt elk.
Each day we’ll alternate between kayaking in the lake and hiking along the Pacific coast in ancient forests, on beaches, and across the dunes. The trails we’ll be hiking are rated moderate, with more strenuous trails and longer mileage as options for people who’d like the challenge. The group expects to hike about 4 to 8 miles a day wearing daypacks.
If you have never kayaked before, you’ll find that the calm water is the perfect place to learn, and we’ll teach you everything you need to know!
Break in your boots:Since we’ll be day-hiking remember that new boots can cause painful blisters. It is very important to break in your boots by wearing them with appropriate socks for extended periods prior to your trip. If you borrow hiking boots from College Outdoors, our boots are synthetic leather, fairly lightweight, and tend not to cause many blisters.
Get moving: Although this trip is designed for beginners and rated as moderate physical rigor, it’s a great idea to walk or run this summer to get yourself into shape.
We eat well on this trip! Some examples of typical meals include: pizza, burritos, and mac & cheese, and we love delicious snacks! This trip can accommodate any dietary restrictions and allergies, as long as you let us know about them ahead of time. For vegan and other non-medical specialty diets, there is an additional $5/day meal charge. There is no extra cost for vegetarian diets or medical allergy restrictions.
Cost: $1125. Financial aid is applied for high-need students who qualify. Vegan and non-medical specialty diets have an additional $30 charge. Vegetarian diets and food allergies do not have an additional fee.
These forms can be completed only after you have received a trip placement email, and are due by Tuesday, June 25th. You will need to log into your L&C Portal to complete these forms.
Coastal lagoon kayaking
Students pose in the wind at the beach
students hike up a sand dune
