Oregon is full of some of the country’s most fantastic roadside attractions, from larger-than-life lumberjacks to bona fide weather machines. But as a state that’s known for its incredible natural beauty, it’s only appropriate that Oregon would have an epic roadside attraction made by Mother Nature herself. This is what you’ll find up in Tillamook County: a tree that’s quite possibly the coolest roadside attraction in all of Oregon!
You’ll find some of the most spectacular scenery at the Cape Mears State Scenic Viewpoint and National Wildlife Refuge in Tillamook – and the wonders extend beyond the shores, deep into the coastal forest.
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For hiding in the temperate rainforests of the North Oregon Coast, there is a natural phenomenon that’s easily the coolest thing you’ll ever see in Oregon.
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This is the Octopus Tree, an unwieldy, tentacled tree that looks like some sort of fantastical forest creature.
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What is this mollusk-shaped marvel? It’s a Sitka spruce tree that’s thought to be 250 to 300 years old, with sprawling limbs and branches which extend 100 feet into the air.
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In addition to the moniker “Octopus Tree,” this natural wonder is known by almost as many names as the tentacles of its namesake: Candelabra Tree, Monstrosity Tree, and Council Tree… just to name a few.
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No one is completely sure how the tree grew in such a strange shape: it has a 50-foot base, but no single trunk. Many historians believe that the tree was shaped by Tillamook tribes as a ceremonial tree: while the tree was very young, its branches were forced downward until they grew horizontally, then the branches were allowed to resume their upward growth.
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In fact, the tree may have been a sacred spot for rituals and ceremonies. This explanation is considered the most likely for the tree’s unusual shape.
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Another theory explains the tree’s odd shape as merely the product of natural forces: high tides, coastal winds, and powerful storms.
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But the cause for this natural wonder is beside the point, really. The Octopus Tree is a marvelous, magical roadside attraction in Oregon that’s worth checking out in person. We promise, you’ll be totally awestruck by this massive, mollusk-shaped Sitka spruce!
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Have you visited the Octopus Tree before? What’s your favorite roadside attraction in Oregon? This tree truly is a magnificent, mollusk-shaped marvel that’s wholly unique to the Beaver State.
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You’ll find this amazing natural wonder at Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint.
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Address: Octopus Tree, Cape Meares Lighthouse Dr, Tillamook, OR 97141, USA
