Coastal Oregon Lighthouses... Monuments to Oregon's Maritime Heritage
Oregon's surviving coastal lighthouses serve as visible links to the past - monuments to Oregon's maritime heritage. Aided by interpretive displays and historical accounts, gain some insight about what life was like for the light keepers who lit the way for mariners off Oregon's perilous coastline.
Climb to the lantern or tower watch rooms at some of these Oregon lighthouse locations and experience the panoramic sights once enjoyed by the light keepers. Most Oregon lighthouse locations also serve as excellent wildlife viewpoints. A few lighthouses tower above their sites, several being outstanding locations for whale and storm watching.
Yaquina Head Lighthouse (pictured, 25.2 mi) and Yakina Bay Lighthouse (28.1 mi) are closest to Surftides Inn & Conference Center.
Oregon coast lighthouse locations are listed by distance from the hotel:
Yaquina Head Lighthouse • 25.2 miles
Yaquina Head Lighthouse's 93-foot-high tower is the tallest on the Oregon coast, standing 162 feet above sea level. It is located off the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway just north of downtown Newport. Trails to the tide pools are accessible year-round.
Yakina Bay Lighthouse • 28.1 miles
Yakina Bay Lighthouse is located at Yaquina Bay State Recreation Site on the north end of the Yaquina Bay Bridge in Newport. Yaquina Bay Lighthouse is the second oldest standing lighthouse structure on Oregon's coast. It is open as a museum daily, May-September, and on weekends year-round.
Cape Meares Lighthouse • 51.8 miles
Cape Meares Lighthouse is locaated 10 miles west of Tillamook and the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway. Cape Meares Lighthouse can be viewed from the Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint. Standing 217 feet above the Pacific Ocean, its 38-foot tower makes it the shortest lighthouse on the Oregon coast. Trailheads from the main parking are to the lighthouse and viewpoints overlooking offshore islets inhabited by sea lions and nesting seabirds.
Cleft of the Rock (Cape Perpetua) Lighthouse • 53.7 miles
The Cleft of the Rock Lighthouse was built in 1976 by former lighthouse attendant and noted historian Jim Gibbs. Made of redwood siding painted driftwood grey, it stands 34 feet tall, 110 feet above sea. This light at Cape Perpetua was not originally considered for a lighthouse designation because ocean traffic at this point travels well offshore, but in 1979, just over 200 years from Captain Cook's day of discovery, the light was made an official navigational aid.
Heceta Head Lighthouse • 64.9 miles
Located 12 miles north of Florence, Heceta Head Lighthouse is located on a breathtaking bluff 150 feet above the sea. It is one of the most visited lighthouses in the United States drawing thousands of visitors each year to sense its history, romantic aura, and spectacular view. Construction of the lighthouse began in 1892, becoming operational in March, 1894. The trail to the lighthouse is part of a 7-mile network with trails varying in difficulty. Many offer beach and wildlife viewing areas.
Cost: Day-use fee $3 per vehicle or annual permit.
