The first arch that comes to mind while driving through Arch Cape is that of the tunnel — once the longest on the Oregon Coast — that carries travelers along U.S. Highway 101 through a headland with the same name.

Before the Arch Cape Tunnel opened in 1940, getting around the headland to the neighborhood was much more difficult. To get there, people would go inland on slow roads or travel along the beach at low tide, as many did.

According to the Cannon Beach History Center & Museum, Arch Cape got its name from two arched rock formations just behind the headland, south of Arch Cape Creek.

Over time, sand levels have buried these arches a few times, during the construction of the tunnel and after landslides from the cape, and some have crumbled.

The visibility of one remaining arch is dependent on sand levels, and the best chance of exploring around the cape is during especially low tides in the winter after beaches are stripped of sand by storms. This is also a good area to check out tide pools.

From the north side of the headland, a few rocky outcrops are visible from the neighborhood’s long, sandy beach, but for the low tide hike, it’s best approached from the south near Cove Beach.