Late August is hot. As the summer dwindles, escape the heat and treat yourself to one last day trip before fall commitments and shorter days return. 

The Hike: Two Rivers Trail, which is a 2.7-mile loop of easy hiking on a secluded coastal nature preserve. The hike takes you to the tip of the peninsula where the two rivers meet and become Nestucca Bay on the sea. Afterward, sit on the beach with a cool drink in hand in nearby Pacific City.

Where: The Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1991, is one of six wildlife refuges that make up a complex of preserves along the Oregon Coast. Its nearly 900 acres of grassland and lush coastal forest straddles a peninsula, with Little Nestucca River on one side and Nestucca River on the other, both of which flow into the bay.

Getting There: It's a two-hour drive from Portland. To reach the trailhead, turn off Highway 101 onto Christiansen Road and proceed up the hill to the second parking lot where the road ends. There are two trailheads here, one of which is Two Rivers Trailhead.

The Trail: As you set out, you’ll notice an abundance of wildflowers like yarrow, goldenrods, and common ragwort which make the early part of the trail feel straight out of a Bob Ross painting. The views change as you continue into the trees and the trail becomes suffocated by ferns and other leafy plants that you might have to bushwhack through a bit to continue forward, but nothing too serious. 

The trail winds up and down for about a mile before another viewpoint overlooking the bay and two rivers (be warned that erosion concerns can sometimes close access to the final few hundred feet of the trail). Turnaround and head back up the trail looking for signs pointing toward the picnic area which will lead you down toward the bay, and a small picnic area with exquisite views across the bay and Nestucca Spit. Another short trail leads down to the water where, if you’re smart and bring a packable fishing rod, you can throw in a line for a chance to catch salmon and steelhead. 

Animals to Spot while You Hike: According to the Oregon Coast Visitors Association, the refuge supports one tenth of the world’s population of dusky Canada geese and 100 percent of the rare subpopulation of Aleutian Canada geese. 

In August, you’re more likely to see birds like herring gulls, osprey, cormorants, and bald eagles, as well as loads of Oregon silverspot butterflies—a threatened species which the US Department of Fish and Wildlife began breeding at the refuge back in 2017.  

Other wildlife sightings might include spotted frogs and western toads jumping through the brush, black-tailed deer feasting on flowers, and banana slugs strewn across trails (careful where you tread). 

Easier Hike Option: The second trailhead in the parking lot leads to the Pacific View Trail, a quarter-mile hike to a viewpoint overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the wildlife refuge to the north. It's a great vantage for seeing the Nestucca Spit across the bay, and Pacific City’s Haystack Rock off in the distance. It's above a meadow strewn with caterpillar/butterfly enclosures meant to help the rebounding species successfully breed without predators.

What to Do Next: Drive 10 minutes North to Pacific City for a bite to eat. We suggest the fish tacos at Ben & Jeff’s Burgers and Tacos, a small restaurant right on Cape Kiwanda Drive near the town’s public parking lot. Stop in at Pelican Brewing’s to-go window for beers to share with your hiking buddies (we’re digging the Sunrise Surfer Blonde Ale these days), and then hit the beach. If you’ve timed things just right, you might be at the perfect place to build a small bonfire and watch the sun go down over Cape Kiwanda before heading back to Portland.