Mountain Lion visits Haystack rock in Cannon Beach

One of the best summertime vacations in the Pacific Northwest is visiting the Oregon Coast. The highlight and must-do-item is checking out Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach. The key is to visit Haystack at low tide. 

This is what a mountain lion did on a recent Sunday morning (July 16th.) 

Early morning beachcombers reported a cougar up wandering on Haystack Rock. Low-tide that morning was at 6:46am.

A beachcomber named Khula Makhalira took this pic of the Cougar walking on Haystack Rock.

The big cat's stay on Haystack, extended into the afternoon, leading Cannon Beach authorities to close down the beach. The closing of the beach was ordered for safety to the public and to allow the mountain lion room to vacate the area.

A typical Sunday in the month of July brings in a big number of tourists to the extremely popular beaches of Cannon Beach. On Monday morning, Wildlife experts believed that the Cougar left, leading to a reopening of the beaches.

KGW Portland reported: 

Police, fire crews and state wildlife officials were all on-scene, ‘working to ensure public safety and the welfare of the animal.’ Cannon Beach police requested that the public avoid the area until otherwise notified. -KGW

Here is the city of Cannon Beach's official statement on the Cougar's visit to Haystack Rock.

In 1990, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service gave Haystack Rock a designated wilderness area protected as part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Beachgoers prohibit climbing above the barnacle line that would disturb nesting birds. The City of Cannon Beach provides educational seminars at the rock during low tide between the months of February to October.

The Oregon Coast is known territory for mountain lions.

This past Friday (July 14th.) several mountain lions were spotted in an area 16 miles to the south of Cannon Beach. These sightings caused the Oregon State Parks and Rec to close a section of trail near Nehalem Bay State Park.

INFO: KGW, Oregon State Parks, Oregon State Parks and Recreation