Oregon’s lighthouses are without a doubt a joy to behold. Their red and white, rising appearances add to the rugged and unspoiled feeling that this western coast is oozing, especially since many of the lighthouses are perched on the outer (and therefore more difficult to reach…) cliffs. All of them have their own unique story and history and if you’re a lighthouse enthusiast such as myself, it for sure is worth cruising down (or up!) the windy Oregon coast for a couple of days!
Although the lighthouses are nowadays unoccupied, due to the arrival of modern technology, visiting these classic buildings is a great way to understand how tough life must have been along the coast during previous centuries. Most of the lighthouses were erected between 1870 and 1896 on prominent places to support fishing and shipping. The idea was to have a line of beacons along the coast, to make sure that no more ships would run aground on the rocks, which unfortunately happened from time to time.
Most of the lighthouses have a small museum with fascinating insight stories and pictures from back in the days. You can also often climb to tower watch rooms. Add a little imagination to that and you feel how it must have been like to work up there day and night high on the cliffs, being surrounded only by the sounds of crashing waves, the cold of the wind and the soaring seabirds.
Visiting many of these lighthouses for sure helped me imagine a bit better how life must have been before the Highway 101 was constructed. This road, officially known as the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway didn’t exist prior to the 1930s. The 101 know easily connects the old-fashioned fishing villages, the pristine beaches and the famous sand dunes of Oregon. But just imagine reaching the cliffs after days and days of walking through the dunes and forests.
Due to their remote location, the lighthouses are also excellent spots for watching wildlife. Sea birds, seals and migrating whales of all kinds – there’s a big chance you’ll be surprised along the way. That is unless it’s super foggy (such as often was the case at the time of our visit unfortunately..)
From the northern tip of California all the way to the southern end of Washington, here are some lovely gems to spot during your road trip:
Battery Point Lighthouse
Alright alright alright, this lighthouse is indeed not situated in Oregon, but chances are if you’re making a big road trip all the way along the coast that you might head onwards from or into California as well. And you should.
Perched on a small wannabe island right in front of Crescent city, this lighthouse is a Wes Anderson (enthusiast)’s dream. Though not that big, I think it’s basically the quirky items in and around the house and its picturesque outlook that may brighten your day. The little bay around the lighthouse is fun too, if only for sea treasure browsing.
Unfortunately, as it is an isle, you can only get to the lighthouse at low tide – so plan accordingly!
Cape Blanco Lighthouse
Situated between Port Orford and Bandon, this lighthouse is a bit of a drive from the highway 101. But it’s worth a detour I think, if only because you’ll be driving to Oregon’s westernmost point.
The conical tower of Cape Blanco is located 256 feet above sea level and the views from the lantern room on the bay below are worth climbing the stairs.
Conveniently enough, the lighthouse keepers of Cape Blanco – the oldest standing lighthouse on the Oregon coast by the way – give explanations all day long. So you can just show up and ask for a guided tour which comes at the very lovely price of $2,- per person.
Umqua River Lighthouse
Darn, I forgot to picture this one.. sorry about that :). Although the lighthouse itself isn’t that spectacular, it’s worth visiting the area of Umqua. If only for a little while, because it’s situated so super close to the 101.
Some benches in front of the lighthouse provide ample opportunity for a picnic and whale watching. The blackberries in the area furthermore will guarantee a nice snack during the late summer months, so don’t forget to bring a bucket along!
Heceta Head Lighthouse
If you can only make it to one of the lighthouses along the coasts, make it to this one. Heceta is iconic for sure, mainly due to its rugged location. The place is also a nesting site for birds and a popular habitat of sea lions.
You can already see the lighthouse from the highway: make a pitstop just south from the lighthouse, not just because of the Instagram worthiness of the views, but also be you can see the seals better from up there too.
If you have the time, the parking lot from the lighthouse is easily reached from the highway. But to get to the lighthouse itself you have to make a little bit of an effort though, walking half a mile up to the cliff. But it’s well worth the visit, even on foggy days in my opinion. From the trail itself you’ll also have pretty views upon the bay and the bridge, which I’m sure are even more spectacular on a sunny day. At least we could still hear the seals :).
The historic assistant light keeper’s house, built in 1893, now is a bed & breakfast too! How awesome is that! Staying here isn’t cheap though. A quick view on the website shows that the cheapest rooms are around $200,- a night. Moreover you need to book far in advance probably, so keep all of that in mind!
Yaquina Bay Lighthouse
Although this lighthouse has only been in service for three years (from 1871 to 1874, before the bigger and brighter Yaquina Bay lighthouse replaced its function), perhaps this building reflects the best upon how the life of the lighthouse keeper and his family must have been. You can’t visit the lantern room, but the house right beneath it is preserved as if the family is still living there. Totally fascinating it is to see and to read how the daily routine looked and what items people used back them. You can guide yourself around at no charge, though donations are happily accepted.
This lighthouse is easily reached and on the edges of the town of Newport. From the southern side you also have a lovely view upon the Newport bridge. Moreover, if you bring your binoculars you may get to see spouting whales too from up here!
Yaquina Head Lighthouse
The tower of the newer Yaquina lighthouse is the biggest in Oregon – and so are its visitor numbers. Although I didn’t necessarily thought this lighthouse was the prettiest, the area around it and the visitor center are impressive for sure.
The visitor center is the place where you’re forced to stop first on your way to the lighthouse itself. It gives a lot of information about the history of Yaquina, the coastal area of Oregon and its underwater life. If you want to go on a guided tour, this is also the place to arrange it. Be in time though, as the tours (usually held every hour) fill up fast. Also check out in here if they’ve spot whales lately in the area – you might see them too!
Cape Meares Lighthouse
Cute and tiny, this lighthouse is a bit of a detour, but rises high above the sea. Again this is a spot where you might see whales. The most impressive thing to see however might be the so-called “Octopus tree”. A nice forest trail leads to this giant tree that for some kind of reason has an extremely weird shape. Not sure if I’ve ever seen a tree so odd.
Tillamook Rock Lighthouse
The most northern lighthouse of the Oregon coast is an infamous one. It mustn’t have been pleasant being a lighthouse keeper on “Terribly Tilly”. The fierce storms and waves crashing against the cliffs of this basalt rock islet gave the lighthouse its nickname.
It’s not possible to visit the Tillamook lighthouse, but you can still see it, fortunately, from many places close to Cannon.
Bonus lighthouse: Cape Disappointment lighthouse
Although Cape Disappointment technically isn’t Oregon, the most southwestern point of Washington state does offer some impressive views over the bay and the northern tip of Oregon.
The lighthouse itself is a bit in decay, but the 2 miles trail from the parking lot towards the beacon is very lush for sure. After a mile you’ll encounter the pretty Deadman’s Cove in here (I prefer not to know where the name is derived from). Worth it, if you have some extra time to kill and want to get a taste of Washington!
Two historical fellows that I didn’t visit were Cape Arago Lighthouse (closed to the public on the inside, but you see it from the Sunset Bay campground) and Coquille River Lighthouse (this tower is also closed to the public, but it does have an interpretive center).
My schedule didn’t permit it, but I hope you have some extra time to see these ones as well! Enjoy your lighthouse quest!
