Haystack Rock the U.S. The tallest and probably best known Haystack Rock due to its proximity to Portland is in Tillamook County located off Pacific City and near Cape Kiwanda. It stands above the sea and is the fourth tallest sea stack or off-shore monolith in the world. Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach is accompanied by several smaller rocks known as The Needles. The other Oregon coastal Haystack Rock stands above sea level in Coos County near Bandon. Composed of basalt, Haystack Rock was formed by lava flows emanating from the Blue Mountains and Columbia basin about 15-16 million years ago. The
Lava bench Lava bench A lava bench is a volcanic landform with a horizontal surface raised above the level of the surrounding area. They are created when molten lava travels away from a volcanic vent and expands an old shoreline. This is the process that creates new land in the ocean that life can eventually grow on. The Hawaiian islands are an example of land that was formed this way, and the Big Island is currently still expanding due to lava benches. The Kilauea Volcano releases lava that flows down the slope of the volcano and eventually encounters the ocean; this lava