Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, Oregon, United States

4.5 (1.847 reviews) Spent Ranking #1 in Oregon Nature & Wildlife Areas

America the Beautiful Pass works here

From exploring tide pools teeming with life to witnessing Oregon's tallest lighthouse, there is something for every visitor at Yaquina Head. Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area extends out from the Oregon coast, one mile into the Pacific Ocean. Standing 93 feet tall at the westernmost point of the basalt headland, the lighthouse has been a bright beacon of the night, guiding ships and their supplies along the west coast since the light was first lit on August 20, 1873. The offshore islands are a year-round refuge for harbor seals and a spring-summer home for thousands of nesting seabirds. Gray whales can be spotted during their annual migrations to Mexico (late fall-early winter) and Alaska (late winter-early spring). During the summer months some gray whales take the opportunity to feed in the shallow waters around the headland. Cobble Beach is compiled of millions of round basalt rocks that produce an applause-like sound as the waves roll in. When the tide is low a vibrant ocean floor is revealed—pools of colorful animals including orange sea stars, purple sea urchins, and giant green anemones. Rangers are at hand to answer questions and point out all of the amazing plants and animals that call the tide pools home. Visit the Interpretive Center and discover 140 years of lighthouse history and thousands of years of natural and cultural history. Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses, a non-profit organization, offers site-related books, maps, and postcards in their interpretive store. Whether you want to see raging winter storms batter the Oregon coast, learn about the role lighthouses played in the westward expansion of the United States, or watch peregrine falcons at play, visit Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area and experience something wild.
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Address

750 NW Lighthouse Dr, Newport, OR 97365-1347

Mobile

+1 541-574-3100

Website

http://www.blm.gov/learn/interpretive-centers/yaquina

Email

blm

Current local date and time now

Sunday, May 05, 2024, 12:40

User Ratings

4.5 based on (1.847 reviews)

Excellent
77%
Good
19%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%

Reviews

  • 5Jim W. 5:00 PM Jul 31, 2022
    Great views + a large visitors' center
    After (mistakenly) visiting the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, we drove the few miles here to Yaquina Head Lighthouse. The approach road intersects with Hwy 101 and there are signs for this. You proceed about a mile to the large parking lot for the visitors' center. You then have the option to drive the remaining 1/3 mile to the much smaller lot adjacent to the lighthouse or you can walk on a pedestrian trail which has great views of both the ocean and the lighthouse as you approach it. We checked out the visitors’ center first. They had some exhibits on the construction and function of the lighthouse, plus local wildlife including whales. This was popular with families with shcool-age kids. The ranger on duty advised us that parking could be an issue out at the lighthouse, so we then opted to just walk the rest of the way. It was a sunny day and we had jackets against the wind. It turned out to be a nice walk with good opportunities to photograph the lighthouse. You also can see the hill which rises just behind the visitors' center; there appeared to be paths up to the summit, though we did not hike that. Parking did seem scarce at the small lot at the end of the road. There were quite a lot of people at the large circular plaza around the base of the lighthouse. Most were checking out a large rock with thousands of birds. However, there was also a passing whale, which you could see every couple of minutes as it came to the surface for a breath. I had never seen a while in the wild before, so it was an extra treat! The ranger indicated that (depending on the season) it was a good spot to see whales. I thought this was a highly worthwhile stop on our drive.
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  • 5Mark T 5:00 PM Mar 12, 2022
    great place to visit if the weather cooperates
    the wife and I stopped in briefly as we were staying in Newport. the admittance fee for the area was $7 per car but can be used for 3 days. the views are spectacular. Admission to the interpretive center is included in the admission fee. the center gives you a nice history of the lighthouse and the sea life in the area

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