Shore Acres Gardens Trail

Shore Acres Gardens Trail loops through the remarkable botanical gardens that occupy the former estate of Oregon timber baron Louis Simpson, whose Shore Acres mansion and gardens were created in the early twentieth century as a showplace of horticultural ambition on the wild Oregon coast. Simpson acquired this spectacular headland property in 1906 and developed formal gardens featuring plants from around the world, a Japanese lily pond, and extensive rose collections that still bloom magnificently each summer. The estate was acquired by Oregon state parks in 1942 and the gardens have been meticulously maintained and expanded by an active volunteer organization that tends the plantings year-round. The trail winds through formal garden sections where hundreds of rose varieties, dahlias, rhododendrons, and ornamental trees create an extraordinary display from spring through fall, with the winter holiday light display attracting tens of thousands of visitors each November and December. The garden's position on the headland above the Pacific creates dramatic juxtapositions of manicured horticulture against wild oceanic backdrop, particularly during storm season when massive waves crash against the sandstone cliffs below. A glass-enclosed storm watching shelter at the cliff edge provides a safe and comfortable vantage point for observing winter storms that regularly produce waves exceeding 30 feet. The combination of botanical beauty and dramatic ocean scenery makes Shore Acres one of Oregon's most distinctive state park experiences.