I drove quickly to make sunset on the Oregon coast not far from the beautiful resort town of Seaside. As I took a turn off the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway, I discovered a hidden west coast jewel: Oregon’s Ecola State Park.

After cruising through a lush Sitka spruce forest, the road opened up to a grassy bluff with spectacular views of the roaring Pacific Ocean during sunset. More than 200 years earlier, this is probably the same sight that the great American explorers Lewis and Clark drank in at sunset as they finally reached the great shining sea. But just for one moment, this secluded promontory overlooking the cove and nearby Cannon Beach under a golden sunset was my discovery.