One afternoon in Cannon Beach, I took a long walk south as I waited on the negative tide.

I wandered through stairways and neighborhood streets and stopped for a coffee and açaí bowl in Tolovana Park. When I found myself again at Haystack Rock, it was in the tide pools, surrounded in the late afternoon by bright green sea anemones, walls of blue mussels and colorful, clinging starfish.

Between boulders and sand bars on the sides of the rock lay beautiful ponds, reflecting sunlight and teeming with life.

It’s not difficult to see why this area is both a National Wildlife Refuge and one of seven Marine Gardens along the Oregon Coast. These are beautiful places to observe and learn about life in the intertidal zone, but they also require special care from visitors.

The rocks, covered in barnacles and soft anemones, are best observed before taking a step, as to not disturb the delicate creatures that live on them.

Climbing on Haystack Rock itself isn’t allowed, and for good reason. It’s the home of many nesting seabirds, as well as a hazardous place for falling rock, and is protected as a Wildlife Refuge up to an altitude of 500 feet.

More importantly, these are delicate ecosystems. To preserve them, we must take care of them as visitors. To help, the Haystack Rock Awareness Program offers interpretive programs throughout the year at the base of Haystack Rock.

The program’s guides also help visitors to identify the shellfish, shorebirds, and more that call the rock home. The program also offers beach wheelchairs, available for checkout at Bahama Boards on Hemlock Street.

While exploring, it’s important to observe safety tips. Stay aware of rip currents, drifting logs, and incoming tides. I decided to visit an hour before low tide, a good time to avoid incoming waves.

Exploring the tide pools is one of my favorite pastimes on the Oregon Coast and a great way to connect with the sea. Next time you find yourself in the region, check the tides first.