On good weather days, the short trails leading down to the rugged, rocky shores of Cape Perpetua are often crowded. A good, shady respite is to take this loop up to follow a wooded ridge and creek in the coastal foothills. The main attractions here are the massive old growth Sitka spruce and Douglas-fir, the latter more inland, the spruce closer to the coast. Little sunny glades intersperse the stands of tall trees on Cooks Ridge, while Gwynn Creek burbles below a gradually descending trail on the return loop. The connector to the Cape Perpetua Trailhead is via the Oregon Coast Trail, which follows an old wagon route and offers a few views of the dramatic shoreline below.