Oregon's Once-Thriving Resort 'Town That Fell Into The Sea' Is Now A Hauntingly Quiet Coastal Gem

The Oregon coast is known for its rugged beauty with places like the Devils Punchbowl, a mesmerizing natural wonder right off of Highway 101, and Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach, which you might recognize from the film, "The Goonies." It's such a wild place that sometimes, even with the best of intentions, an entire city could possibly fall into the sea. Such is the case with Bayocean on Tillamook Bay. It was, for a short time, to be the "Queen of Oregon Resorts," but it turned into "the town that fell into the sea," per the Oregon Encyclopedia. But all was not lost, you can still visit and explore the dunes and forests of this Oregon coast treasure.

It was in the early 1900s that Thomas B. Potter and his son Thomas I. Potter decided to promote and develop the 4-mile long spit along the western edge of the bay and next to the ocean into a vacation getaway, inspired by Atlantic City, the New Jersey seaside resort town. It was such a beautiful place, and the Potter father and son team billed it as, among other things, "the playground of millionaires," via the Oregon Encyclopedia.

More than 1,600 lots were sold for homes and development by 1914, and 2,000 people lived there. Along with admiring the incredible views, residents had plenty to do. There was a movie theater, dance hall, hotel, bowling alley, and more. However, you could only get to Bayocean via boat at that time, and it could be a bumpy and sometimes delayed journey. So, a jetty was built with the goal making it easier for boats. But it was that same jetty that caused the literal downfall of the city.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recommended that Bayocean, Oregon build two jetties, but just one was built. That one jetty changed the currents in the bay, which in turn, started to erode the sand upon which the city was built. Houses ended up being literally swept away by the ocean. In 1970, a second jetty was built, which helped stabilize the spit, but the last house had been gone for 10 years at that point.

Bayocean is now a recreation area where you can take in the wild beauty of the area. There are a number of trails along the dunes. And if you want to see as much of the spit as you can, the Bayocean Split Loop Hike is 7.8 miles, and it takes you out towards the edge of the spit and back around. The trail takes you along the dunes and through the forest with beautiful views of both the bay and the ocean as you go. It's typically a quiet and uncrowded spot, so it seems incredible to think that there was once a thriving community here not all that long ago. Along with hiking, it's fantastic for wildlife watching. Gray whales migrate by the area in spring and fall, so look for the telltale heart shaped spouts. Birders, keep an eye out for brown pelicans, great blue herons, bald eagles, and more.

Bayocean is a little over two hours from Portland. While you're in the area, stop by the Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint with its lighthouse and unique "octopus tree." Another good spot nearby is Tillamook, known for its famous cheese and great kayaking.