Bridging Cultures & Healing Hearts video: How uncovering the story of Amanda has resulted in the bridging of cultures on the Central Oregon coast. (Click to see Youtube slideshow) (This Powerpoint slideshow was created as part of a panel presentation at the October 2022 Oregon Outdoor Recreation Summit).
The story of Amanda has had a deep and lasting spiritual impact on many residents and visitors to the Yachats area. Amanda’s story was first commemorated through the naming of the Amanda Trail, then placement of the Amanda statue, naming of the Amanda Creek, building of the Amanda Gathering Area, installation of interpretive signs, and three Amanda Bridges. A visit to the area is more than a visit, it is an experience that is both educational and spiritual.
The Amanda Story
- Amanda’s Trail of Sorrow Open the link to read the historical truth of Amanda’s story
- The Amanda Story – A beautiful photo-video of the Amanda story told by Patricia Whereat Phillips, Miluk Coos Tribal member, linguist, of the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians (CTCLUSI). Prepared for the 11th Annual Yachats Peace Hike.
The Amanda Trail
In 1988 just prior to the 804 Trail opening, Norman and Joanne Kittel had bought a piece of property on Highway 101 just south of Yachats and thought it would be great to have the Oregon Coast Trail pass through it to connect Cape Perpetua to the town. At that time the city was not interested in trails, not comprehending how that could support tourism. So, with no city support forthcoming, Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept (OPRD) took the lead with the Kittel’s to work with the Siuslaw National Forest to build a 2.7-mile trail from the top of Cape Perpetua to the north end of the Kittel property. Completion of the trail took 10 years, and the hard work of a large group of mostly dedicated volunteers and Angell Job Corps who built it with zero dollars. That 2.7-mile section was opened in 1998 with the biggest dedication in OPRD history. The Kittel’s insisted that the trail kept the name “Amanda” that was originally proposed by a federal forest employee, to depict the true and very sad story about our local First Nation history. (See details as how the Amanda Trail was built including another 15 years to get it connected to the City under “Amanda Trail” in the Yachats City website under “Trails https://www.yachatsoregon.org/290/Amanda-Trail “. Also included is an article about our local First Nation history written under Tribal supervision.)
The interest in trails including the Amanda trail waned for years, with not much use. OPRD kept up the 804 North Trail. Joanne Kittel kept up 2.7 miles of the Amanda Trail with occasional help from volunteers. Around 2003, a statue depicting Amanda was dedicated along the Amanda Trail, and by word of mouth people started to come. By 2005, new personnel at the SNF did their part to maintain the federal side of the Amanda Trail as the public interest was growing and demanded its use.
By the mid-2000’s there were several individuals who were extremely supportive to the early development of trails in Yachats. One was Lee Corbin, who became the Mayor of Yachats, and two businesspeople, Linda Hetzler who bought and developed the Drift Inn and Drew Roslund of the Fireside and Overleaf Resorts. The Chamber of Commerce also began to recognize the value of trails to tourism and got on board. Mayor Corbin was instrumental in the mediation to get the 804 South Trail dispute resolved and trail built. He also was also responsible for having the Oregon Dept. of Transportation (ODOT) move Highway 101 over by about 6 feet to allow safer walking and bike passage between Ocean View Drive and the bridge over the Yachats River. When his four-year term was up, the Yachats City Council created a position called, “Trails Czar” which Lee was appointed to continue his trail development. In 2006, he created a small ad-hoc group of individuals who were going to develop more trails in and around Yachats. Jerry and Kathleen Sand, Andrea Scharf, and eventually a newcomer by the name of Ron Brean (and future Mayor) joined.
This little informal group took on some remarkable trail projects in addition to the Prospect Trail.
In 2005, when Yachats resident Leslie Carter found out Joanne Kittel was taking care of the Amanda Trail for years by herself, she was incensed. Leslie created the first Trails crew to help maintain the Amanda trail. That little crew was made up of Leslie, Joanne, Nancy McCarty, Greg and Nan Scott, Jerry and Kathleen Sand, and Don Niskanen. Betty Bahn provided botanical advice as she had done during the construction of the Amanda and Prospect Trails. Several times a year this group would maintain the portion of the Amanda Trail on the Kittel property. OPRD was grateful and provided materials. That little group morphed into a larger group which took on building the Prospect Trail.
- Amanda Trail History, a Solemn and Spiritual Path (View the PDF file.) A description of the people and partners involved in the 25 year effort to complete the Amanda Trail written by Joanne Kittel.
The Amanda Bridges
The original bridge over the Amanda creek was installed in September 1997. It was replaced with a fiberglass bridge in 2011.
In 2015 the second Amanda Trail fiberglass bridge was destroyed along with the Amanda statue from a major mud slide. The trail reopened with the bridge temporarily patched in 2016 thanks to the work of 78 people from seven organizations and governmental bodies. A plan for a permanent replacement
bridge got underway. Oregon Parks & Recreation Department (OPRD), in consultation with Joanne Kittel, came up with a more durable bridge option, a 145-foot-long suspension bridge to connect the Amanda Trail to the Oregon Coast Trail. View the Future raised $70,000 for the project. Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund and Three Rivers Foundation all contributed as did Discover Your Northwest, (the 501(c)(3) org for Cape Perpetua). Over $50,000 was raised in donations. The primary financial contributors were FEMA and OPRD. Angell Job Corps, Siuslaw National Forest, and Yachats Trails Committee gave countless hours of volunteer labor. So many starts and stops for the project; then the pandemic, and the terrible losses to OPRD. Initially, the suspension bridge project was tabled indefinitely, but only for 5 weeks. The Director of OPRD, Lisa Sumption with the support of Dennis Comfort, Coast Manager stated that this project was too important and resurrected it. With so few staff doing so much, progress was finally made including an expansion of the original trail conservation easement, archaeological evaluation, auxiliary access road created, and final plans solidified. The expanded trail easement will give OPRD ownership of the south 2 acres of the Kittel property where the new Amanda Bridge is located. OPRD will have full authority to maintain that bridge and protect it from any potential problems like leaning trees within its footprint. Most important, the new Amanda Gathering Area and statue will be finally in public protection.
The Amanda Trail Story of Three Bridges (photo montage)
This photo montage was created for the 2022 Dedication of the Amanda Trail Suspension Bridge. It includes the first two Amanda bridges; one that was temporary and later replaced, and the second that was destroyed in a clear-cut related mudslide in 2015.
Bridging Cultures & Healing Hearts: Photos of the 2022 dedication of the new Amanda Trail Suspension Bridge.
Speakers at the Bridge Dedication This 40 minute YouTube video includes speakers at the bridge dedication including: Lisa Sumption, Director of Oregon Parks and Recreation Department Claire Hall, Lincoln County Commissioner Michele Holman, District Ranger, Central Coast Ranger District- Oregon Dunes NRA, Siuslaw National Forest. Robert Kentta, Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians Joanne Kittel, Chair, View the Future, Yachats Trail Leader, and Landowner Greg Scott, Yachts City Councilor Dennis Comfort, Coast Manager, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
The Amanda Gathering Area
The area surrounding the Amanda Statue has become a spiritual place of reflection 
used by hikers and people coming directly to the site. Recent improvements have made it also useful for educational gatherings as well. The trail from the bridge leads to interpretive signs that tell the Amanda Story and to split log benches placed around the Amanda statue next to the Amanda Creek.
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