Pronounced “Ha – SEE – Ta” by most, “HECK – ah – Ta” by others, yet everyone agrees Heceta Head is one of the most beautiful lighthouses in the world. The Heceta Head Lighthouse and Light Keeper’s house are circa 1894. Both are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.The lighthouse is a working lighthouse. From a height of 205 feet above the ocean, its “first order” Fresnel lens, casts it’s beams some 21 miles out to sea. It is the brightest light on the Oregon coast. It is said to be the most photographed lighthouse in the United States. ... Learn more
Heceta Head State Park (which includes Devils Elbow State Park) is located in a cove at the mouth of Cape Creek. There are picnic tables sheltered from the wind and a great view of the ocean. A short trail leads to the historic Heceta Head lighthouse and lighthouse keeper's house. A recently-completed trail gives you a spectacular view of the coast north to Cape Perpetua.Heceta Head trail is part of a 7-mile network. Trails of varying difficulty feature beach and wildlife viewing areas. Wildlife refuge islands feature a view of puffins, cormorants, ... Learn more
Darlingtonia State Natural Site is the only Oregon state park property dedicated to the protection of a single plant species. Concurrently, the plants it protects are the only carnivorous flora in the system. This 18-acre botanical park provides parking and a boardwalk trail out into a fen that is home to Darlingtonia californica. Also called a cobra lily, the rare, strangely-shaped plant is the only member of the pitcher plant family (Sarraceniaceae) in Oregon. Besides its parking area and boardwalk, Darlingtonia State Natural Site offers a small ... Learn more
The Cummins Creek Wilderness features the only old-growth Sitka Spruce forest in the Oregon wilderness system. The Cummins Ridge Trail (approximately 5.8 miles) cuts through the center of the Wilderness area and ascends more than 1,000 feet through towering stands of Sitka spruce, Western hemlock and Douglas-fir. Watch for wildlife along the way. It is the only trail within the wilderness area. Overhung with alder and maple, Cummins and Bob Creeks drain west through this dense rainforest Wilderness, where Sitka spruce sometimes reach nine feet in ... Learn more
Camping, picnicking, hiking, sightseeing, whale watching, and a visitor center with daily programs are all available within the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area. There are twenty-six miles of interconnected hiking trails in old growth forests which lead to Pacific Ocean tidal pools.[1][8] One of the trails leads to a 600 year old Giant Sitka Spruce known as the Silent Sentinel of the Siuslaw. Along the Cape Perpetua coastline there are several unique features as well. The Devil's Churn is a long crack in the coastal rock that fills with each ocean wave, oc ... Learn more
The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area occupies just over 40 miles of the Oregon coast line, with Florence at its north end. The sand dunes and the surrounding landscape are constantly being reshaped by the forces of wind and water, creating many opportunities for outdoor recreation. Hiking trails in the Oregon Dunes NRA will take you through forests, around wetlands, along the beach, or among the dunes. The Oregon Dunes are a popular destination for OHV enthusiasts (OHVs include such recreational vehicles as dirt bikes, all-terrain vehicles, and ... Learn more
Start with a casual romp through lush rainforest and a beaver pond meadow, traverse a coastal headland to an historic lighthouse, then delve down through “Middle Earth” to a mystic beach on this 6-mile loop hike. Mile Post 177.3 It begins at a poorly marked (but free) parking pullout on the east side of Highway 101. From the pullout, walk 100 feet north and cross the highway to find a Hobbit Trail post. The Hobbit Trail leads to a quiet and pristine beach and connects to a number of other trails and to Carl G. Washburne State Park. 0.4 mile one-way. ... Learn more
South of Yachats, the road makes a one-mile loop, exposing one of the most scenic viewpoints on the coast: the Yachats Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Park along the loop and enjoy access to the sandy beach, tidepools, blowholes, summer sunsets and whale watching. Learn more
A few miles south of Waldport and north of Yachats on the central coast, this small, exquisite destination campground is right alongside miles of broad, sandy beach that makes the park perfect for kite flying and whale watching. Every campsite is mere seconds from the beach, which makes the park perfect for watching storms and sunsets. Beachside is an excellent mid-point stop as you take a jaunt on the coast. Within 30 miles in either direction, you'll find visitor centers, tide pools, hiking and driving tours, three lighthouses, crabbing, clamming, ... Learn more
South of Yachats, the road makes a one-mile loop, exposing one of the most scenic viewpoints on the coast: the Yachats Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Park along the loop and enjoy access to the sandy beach, tidepools, blowholes, summer sunsets and whale watching. Learn more
Newport’s Historic Bayfront District has long been the economic center of Newport. The harbor is home to Oregon’s largest commercial fishing fleet, which routinely brings in a variety of Pacific Ocean seafood (including salmon, Pacific shrimp, albacore tuna and Dungeness crab – Newport officially refers to itself as “the Dungeness Crab Capital of the World”). Visitors can visit the docks, and even purchase the catch of the day right off the fishing boats. The more adventurous can charter an ocean fishing or whale-watching trip. The Newport Bayfront ... Learn more