Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

As the morning sun cut through a veil of fog, an ancient forest emerged from the sand, covered in sea life and enshrouded in mystery.

Known as the “ghost forest” of Neskowin, this group of some 100 stumps and snags is all that’s left of a 2,000-year-old stand of Sitka spruce, once buried by an earthquake, now revered as one of the most remarkable natural phenomena in Oregon.

This past weekend, an extraordinarily low tide uncovered much more of the trees than is typically visible, a beautiful scene that attracted photographers, tourists and locals alike, all quietly exploring the remains of an ancient, cataclysmic destruction.

READ MORE: 10 low-tide treasures on the Oregon coast

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Researchers aren’t sure when the forest was buried, but by most accounts it was likely a massive Cascadia subduction zone earthquake that did it in – the last one hit in the winter of 1700, and the next one is expected someday soon. Some locals attest that the forest was visible for decades, but it didn't gain popularity until the winter of 1997-1998, when storms pummeled the coast and uncovered some of the trees.

Today, the ghost forest can be seen year-round during low tide, though exceptionally low tides (ones that approach minus two feet) reveal far more of the trees than is usually seen. From the Neskowin Beach parking lot, walk south along the beach past Proposal Rock, cross through a small stream, and you’ll see the stumps rising out of the sand.

Created by the same kind of massive earthquake expected to strike Oregon in the near future, the ghost forest is not only a reminder of the past, but a chilling omen for what destruction may lay ahead. Sometimes the true power of nature lies dormant, its devastation resting just beneath our feet.

--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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