Mile 8

Harris Beach SP picnic area, Goat Island
Curry County

Latitude: 42.069679931845
Longitude: -124.316579798560
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Vehicles:
  • Motor vehicles are prohibited from Meyers Creek (42° 18.4422', Mile 23), southerly to the Oregon-California border (41° 59.9208', Mile 1).
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Harris Beach SP picnic area, Goat Island
Mile 8 Reports (18)

2019

December 5, 2019 - lovlielovie

Calm, low tide. Hazy air from local controlled burns. Quiet Thursday for Harris Beach. Really not much to report. Debris was minimal, I expected more since the Bomb Cyclone was just last week. read more
August 16, 2019 - lovlielovie

Found today 10-12’ decomposing body of a sea lion washed up on the rocks at the cove at the most northern point of mile 8 

appears to have been dead for some time and is very fragrant 

Turkey vulture activity has been high here for the last several days and I guess...read more
April 24, 2019 - lovlielovie

A very calm, foggy negative tide - .3 feet as I was unable to put in the - in the report tide section.  Effectively able to walk the entire mile with only some bouldering and logs across creeks. Saw about 20 people on the southern section of the mile just walking it sitting and...read more

2017

December 4, 2017 - DewPoint Dave

King Tide (8.6 ft.) at 11:13 am kept most of the people in their cars at Harris Beach State Park.

Note: Photo has been submitted to the 'King Tide Project."read more
September 23, 2017 - DewPoint Dave

Mile 8, Harris Beach SP Picnic Area was full of activity this beautiful Saturday morning with plenty of sunshine and fresh air. The amount of beach sand brought in by Mother Nature this summer in this area is more than I have seen in the past 8 years. Most of...read more
May 14, 2017 - DewPoint Dave

After several days of rain families and individuals were enjoying a sunny morning at Harris Beach State Park. Five Black Oystercatchers were observed feeding near the shoreline and these were reported to the coordinator of the Black Oystercatcher Abundance Study.read more

2016

December 14, 2016 - DewPoint Dave

Mile 8, Harris Beach SP Picnic Area, King Tide (+8.7 ft) at 10:00 am left very little beach area for recreation.read more
May 13, 2016 - DewPoint Dave

240 7th Grade students from Medford greatly increased the head count on Mile 8 on May 13, 2016. The students enjoyed playing beach volleyball, football toss, playing in the surf, and beachcombing. Beach erosion was observed at the north end of Mile 8 and the normal beach sand recovery which...read more

  • 240 7th Grade students from Medford enjoying volleyball and other beach activities at Harris Beach State Park.
  • Seasonal beach erosion exposing rocks where beach sand normally covers the landscape. Bird Island is in the background.

2015

June 5, 2015 - [email protected]
I covered the miles both North and South of Harris Creek and was pleasantly surprised at the health of the sea star population.read more
  • Good indicator of how far out the tide was
  • Chiton
  • Another Ochre Sea Star
  • Another view of the previous sea Star
  • Pair of Ochre Sea Star
February 22, 2015 - DewPoint Dave
Another beautiful February day welcomed a number of beachgoers at Harris Beach State Park. The beach area was vast at low tide and the surface had been swept clean of debris by the recent King Tides. Only a few pieces of wood were found in the driftline. Tidepool observations included...read more
  • Mile 8, King Tide (+8.2 FT) at Harris Beach State Park on January 19, 2015. Bird Island is in the upper left corner of the photo, and the lower parking area at Harris Beach State Park is on the right side of the photo.
  • Mile 8, King Tide (+8.3 FT) at Harris Beach State Park on January 20, 2015. Bird Island is in the background, and the walking ramp leading from the lower parking lot at Harris Beach State Park to the beach is in the upper right area of the photo.
  • Low tide (+1.0 FT) at Harris Beach State Park on February 24, 2015. Bird Island is in the background, and the walking ramp leading from the lower parking lot at Harris Beach State Park to the beach is in the upper right area of the photo.
  • A very clean beach at Harris Beach State Park with very little debris was found on February 22, 2015. This may be the result of the recent King Tides as well as the absence of recent major storms in the area.
  • Beautiful sea anemones and ochre sea stars were plentiful in the tidepools at Harris Beach State Park, Mile 8, during low tide.
  • Beautiful sea anemones (pink?) were found in the tidepools at Harris Beach State Park, Mile 8, during low tide.
  • A leather sea star waiting anxiously for the tide to come in so it could relax more in it's normal sub-tidal environment.
  • A gumboot chiton, also known as "the wandering meatloaf," was observed in the tidepools during low tide at Harris Beach State Park, Mile 8.
  • Black Katy chitons were found in several of the tidepools during low tide at Harris Beach State Park, Mile 8.
  • A beautiful blood star was found in one of the tidepools during low tide at Harris Beach State Park, Mile 8.
  • A "white" sea star, approximately 1 inch in diameter, was observed at low tide on March 10, 2015 in a tidepool at Harris Beach State Park, Mile 8.

2014

December 30, 2014 - DewPoint Dave
A cool but beautiful morning at low tide was being enjoyed by 21 people and 5 dogs on Mile 8 at Harris Beach S. P. picnic area, Goat (Bird) Island. Eight cars and one RV were counted in the lower parking area above the beach. The driftline contained very little...read more
  • Seagulls enjoying the fresh water of Harris Creek in front of Bird Island at low tide (+2.0 FT)
  • Very clean beach at low tide (+2.0 FT) at Harris Beach S.P. picnic area with Bird Island in the background.
  • Giant log resting on rocks and tree limbs after wave action from December King Tides and high surf from recent storms.
  • Giant log resting on rocks and tree limbs after wave action from December King Tides and high surf from recent storms. Bird Island is in the background.
  • A beach monster, a giant spider, a catapult, or ???
  • Giant log resting on rocks and tree limbs after wave action from December King Tides and high surf from recent storms. Bird Island is in the background.
  • Mixture of conglomerate, sandstone, shale, and volcanic rock make up this rock art.
September 9, 2014 - DewPoint Dave
Twenty-six people and eleven dogs were seen enjoying the sunny weather along Mile 8 at Harris Beach State Park. Twelve cars and trucks were counted in the parking area above the beach. The natural ponding of Harris Creek made it a little more difficult for people to access the beach...read more
  • View of Goat Island (Bird Island) taken from parking area at Harris Beach S.P. at high tide (+7.6 FT) on Sept 10, 2014. Note that the ponding of Harris Creek in the foreground is being breached by the high tide.
  • View of low tide (+2.0 FT) looking south from parking area at Harris Beach S.P. Note the natural ponding of Harris Creek making it difficult for people to access the beach area from the parking lot.
  • View at high tide (+7.6 FT) on Sept 10, 2014 looking south from parking area at Harris Beach S.P. Note that the ponding from Harris Creek is being breached by the high tide.
  • View of accumulation of seagrass and kelp at the northern end of mile 8 at Harris Beach S.P. Picnic Area.
  • View looking south at Harris Beach S.P. picnic area at low tide (+2.0 FT). Note the clean beach area, relatively free from seagrass, kelp, and other debris.
  • View at low tide (+2.0 FT) showing the beginning of seasonal beach erosion at Harris Beach S.P. Picnic Area, Goat Island (Bird Island).
  • Mesoglea jelly, varying in size from an inch to 6 inches in diameter, was found in the driftline at over a dozen places along mile 8 at low tide (+2.0).
July 4, 2014 - [email protected]
At least two whales spouting and breaching South of Goat Island at a distance of between 1/2 and 1 mile offshore. Assume these are residents who are not migrating Northread more
May 20, 2014 - DewPoint Dave
Nineteen people and four dogs (on leashes) were seen enjoying a beautiful day and a very clean beach area at Harris Beach State Park. All 16 cars and 1 RV were located in the parking lot above the picnic area at Harris Beach. The driftline contained very little debris and...read more
  • Photo taken at low tide (minus 0.1) from the beach area below the parking lot at Harris Beach SP - looking west toward Bird Island.
  • Photo of an Arch Rock taken at low tide (minus 0.1) near the south end of Mile 8.
  • Harbor Seals taking a rest at low tide (minus 0.1) on the east, or shore side, of Bird Island at Harris Beach State Park.
  • View at low tide (minus 0.1) of Mile 8, looking north from a bluff at Harris Beach S.P.
  • View at low tide (minus 0.1) of Mile 8 looking south from a bluff adjacent to the parking area at Harris Beach State Park
  • Metal Buoy was found on an on-shore rock near the north end of Mile 8. It apparently had washed ashore earlier in May and had been placed on a high rock by someone. I collected the buoy and moved it to my home in case someone wants it.
  • Map of Mile 8 with Metal Buoy location (see other photo of metal buoy and description).
  • Walkers enjoying a beautiful day at Harris Beach State Park. Note how clean the beach is at low tide (minus 0.1). Bird Island is on the left side of photo.

2011

September 19, 2011 - George
A busy afternoon at Harris Beach despite the fog. Nothing alarming to report. First sighting by this observer of a semipalmated plover at this location.read more
June 21, 2011 - George
Harris Beach was a scene of bustling activity, human and natural, on a clear warm day. The beach itself was remarkably free of litter and ocean debris. Sand levels have been restored since the tsunami of 3/11. Heavy fishing activity by pelicans and cormorants in and around kelp beds. First...read more
March 16, 2011 - George
At Harris Beach the tsunami of 3/11/11 consisted of ebb and flow from the normal highest tide to much lower than the normal lowest tide on a cycle of 7 - 8 minutes for at least 6 hours. The appearance of smooth red rocks which I have never seen before...read more
  • Usually one sees only rough gray rocks at Harris Beach. Theses smooth red ones were uncovered by the constant surges of the 3/11/11 tsunami.

2010

December 20, 2010 - George
A stormy day with just a few storm watchers and relatively little other activity. Lots of driftwood movement in recent storms. Access ramp from parking lot has much improved a hazardous access path, but is somewhat unsightly from the beach (see photo). Lots of bits of plastic in driftline.read more
  • A bit of the driftwood washing up on Harris Beach during the recent storms.
  • Relatively new access ramp and protective riprap at Harris Beach.