Cook's Ridge Trail at Cape Perpetua –

Siuslaw National Forest

The Cape Perpetua Scenic Area includes 2,700 acres. Much of this area is covered in Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and Sitka spruce forest. While some of this forest near the Visitor Center was logged in the past, the majority of the area has not been. The native forest here has been re-growing since the last fire swept through the area over a century ago. Giant legacy trees that survived past fires, hundreds of years old, are found throughout the area and along the Cook’s Ridge Trail. Also in the area: In the nearby Cape Perpetua Campground, there is a 600-year-old Giant Sitka Spruce known as the Silent Sentinel of the Siuslaw. This tree stands more than 185 feet (56 m) high, and has a 40-foot (12 m) circumference at its base. On September 15, 2007, this ancient spruce was designated an Oregon Heritage Tree by the State of Oregon to recognize its exceptional age and size and ensure its protection.