The sights along the 400-mile long Oregon Coast Trail (OCT) might surprise the average backpacker.
Instead of towering mountain peaks or wildflowers, this unique trail showcases Oregon’s rugged coastline along with the smell of briny saltwater and roar of the Pacific Ocean.
Rather than bear and squirrels on trail, the typical wildlife along the OCT leans toward seals, crabs, starfish, and pelicans.
And one more thing that makes the OCT especially unique. The lighthouses. The Oregon Coast is currently home to eleven lighthouses!
So, if you’re thinking about hiking the OCT in the future, here’s a complete list of the Oregon Coast’s lighthouses, in the order you’ll encounter them when hiking south (or SOBO):
#1 – Tillamook Rock Lighthouse
The Tillamook Rock Light might be the most unique lighthouse in the entire state. Known as Terrible Tilly, it was built on a tiny basalt island more than a mile off the Oregon Coast. Construction took more than 500 days because of the horrible weather conditions and its remote location. And once the 62-foot lighthouse was completed in 1881, it was considered one of the more mentally difficult and isolated assignments for lightkeepers to endure. The lighthouse was decommissioned in 1957, and briefly put into private hands where it was turned into a sea columbarium (a place where urns of cremated remains are stored). But, now it’s part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
- Where to see this lighthouse. Because of its distance off-shore, OCT hikers will need a clear day to catch a good view of the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse. The two best locations to view the it are: (1) near the Hiker Camp on Tillamook Head or (2) from the shores of Indian Beach – approximately 3 miles north of the town of Cannon Beach.
#2 – Cape Meares Lighthouse
The Cape Meares Light is the shortest of the public lighthouses on this list, with a tower that sits a mere 38 feet above the ground. Originally built in 1890, it guided ships toward Tillamook Bay with its kerosene powered light. The light transitioned to electricity in 1934, and was then deactivated in 1963 before it was turned over to the Oregon State Parks and subsequently placed on the National Register of Historic Places. This lighthouse made the news in early 2010, when two young men from Oceanside, Oregon, drove their vehicle down to the lighthouse, drunkenly fired off a number of rounds from their guns, and broke 15 of the lighthouses windows. The men were apprehended within a month’s time, and the county judge ordered them to pay $100,000 and serve time in jail.
- Where to see this lighthouse. The OCT’s route takes hikers directly past the Cape Meares Light. The lighthouse is located at the end of a 0.2-mile paved path on the cliffs of Cape Meares State State Scenic Viewpoint, which is approximately 10 miles west of Tillamook. While visiting, make sure to take in Cape Meares’ other highlights including the Octopus Tree, nesting peregrine falcons, and even the occasional migrating whale or two.
#3 – Yaquina Head Lighthouse
The Yaquina Head Light sits atop a headland just north of Newport, Oregon. Originally built in Paris, France, this lighthouse was shipped to Oregon and lit in 1873. Yaquina Head is the tallest lighthouse tower on the Oregon Coast, standing at 93 feet tall. Although the light was eventually automated in 1966, it is still active, and the surrounding area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management, with an interpretive center and museum located nearby. The Yaquina Head lighthouse might look familiar to some visitors because it served as a backdrop in several major movies, including the 2002 horror film, The Ring.
- Where to see this lighthouse. OCT hikers can see the outline of the lighthouse and its repeating light bursts as they walk south from Beverly Beach toward Yaquina Head. If you want a close-up look though, you’ll need to make an additional 1.1-mile trek (each way) up from Highway 101 to the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area. Although admission is charged for most visitors, hikers arriving on foot are 100% free. This lighthouse sits just above Agate Beach in Newport.
#4 – Yaquina Bay Lighthouse
The Yaquina Bay Light is barely five miles farther down the coast at the mouth of the Yaquina River. This historic lighthouse was built in 1871 – back when Yaquina Bay was one of the largest and busiest ports between California and Washington. Although this lighthouse is 51 feet tall and sits on the bluff over the river, it isn’t the typical tower-style structure like the other lighthouses on the Oregon Coast. Instead the light was attached just above the roof of the lightkeeper’s living quarters. Once the taller lighthouse was built on Yaquina Head in 1873, the Yaquina Bay Light became redundant and was decommissioned. It was scheduled for demolition in 1946, but the Lincoln County Historical Society rescued the building, and it subsequently listed on the National Register of Historic Places on the year of its 99th birthday.
- Where to see this lighthouse. Located in Yaquina Bay State Recreation Site, in Newport, the OCT’s route takes hikers right past this lighthouse. In fact, the historical building is just steps from the northern end of the the Yaquina Bay Bridge.
#5 – Cleft of the Rock Lighthouse
The Cleft of the Rock Light is the first of two privately built lighthouses on this list. It was built in 1976 by a former Tillamook Head attendant and lighthouse historian, James A. Gibbs. Located near the base of Cape Perpetua, the 34-foot structure was designed to resemble a square wooden tower of the Fiddle Reef Light in British Columbia, Canada. The light was recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard as a navigation aid, however, it was actually part of Gibbs’ home. The property also included a private museum, containing historical items from other lighthouses on the Oregon Coast, including a stair railing from the Yaquina Head Light and oil cans from the Tillamook Rock and Heceta Head Lighthouses.
- Where to see this lighthouse. The Cleft of the Rock Light is located approximately 1.8 miles south of Yachats. Hikers will need to detour off the OCT near the trailhead for the Amanda Trail, and walk south on Highway 101 for an additional 0.3 miles (each way). The lighthouse has been closed to the public since Gibbs’ death in 2010, but hikers can catch a glimpse of it from the roadside viewpoint on Highway 101 just south of mile marker 166.
#6 – HEceta Head Lighthouse
The Heceta Head Light is the most photographed lighthouse on the entire Oregon Coast and is named after the Spanish explorer Bruno de Heceta, who explored the Pacific Northwest in the 18th century. Standing 56 feet tall, the white tower with its distinctive red metal roof, was built in 1894. The light was subsequently automated in 1963, and is still operational today. Once automation eliminated the need for a constant lightkeeper presence, one of the two distinctive white Queen Anne-style lightkeeeper’s houses was dismantled. The other one was painstakingly restored, placed on the National Register of Historical Places, and is now operated as a scenic bed and breakfast for visitors to enjoy.
- Where to see this lighthouse. The OCT’s route takes hikers directly above and beside the Heceta Head Light, near the end of the Heceta Head section of the trail. The lighthouse is located approximately 13 miles south of Yachats and just north of the Arch Creek tunnel.
#7 – Umpqua River Lighthouse
Located at the mouth of Winchester Bay, the Umpqua River Light was the first lighthouse built on the Oregon Coast in 1855. Unfortunately, its original location was too close to the Umpqua River and erosion caused the lighthouse to collapse in 1863. It took Congress 25 years to fund a new lighthouse, which now sits on the bluffs 100 feet above the river. If this 61-foot lighthouse looks and feels familiar, you’re not mistaken. It was constructed during the same time as the Heceta Head Light, and it was built from the same plans, so the two lighthouses are virtually identical (although this one is five feet taller). Automated in 1966, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977, the Umpqua River Light now sits within the boundary of the local Coast Guard station.
- Where to see this lighthouse. OCT hikers who spend the night at the hiker-biker camp at Umpqua River State Park will walk directly past the lighthouse on their way back down to the ocean. Otherwise, take Lighthouse Road up from Winchester Bay (approximately 5 miles south of Reedsport). The nearby Coastal History Museum also operates guided tours of the lighthouse between May and September.
#8 – Cape Arago Lighthouse
The Cape Arago Light is the only lighthouse on this OCT owned by the indigenous people of Oregon. Originally built on an isolated island off the coast in 1866, the light started out as a meager 25-foot tower guiding sailors toward Coos Bay. Exposure to the elements and demand for a better light led to construction of a second 100-foot tower in 1909. This lighthouse also had a limited life thought, and a third (and final) tower was built in 1933. This 44-foot tower and the hexagon-shape building is the one that currently remains on what is not known as Chief’s Island. The light was decommissioned in 2006, and transferred to the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw in 2013.
- Where to see this lighthouse. Hikers who hope to visit this lighthouse will need divert from the main OCT route and take the Cape Arago Highway approximately 3.5 miles beyond the town of Charleston. The bridge that once connected the lighthouse’s island to the mainland was dismantled to restore the shoreline to its natural condition. Thus, the best place to view the light is from a viewpoint 0.7 miles west of Sunset Beach on Cape Arago.
#9 – Coquille River Lighthouse
The Coquille River Light was originally built in 1895 to assist ships entering the river. Unfortunately, a massive forest fire swept through the town of Bandon in 1936, consuming nearly the entire town. The lighthouse was spared, thanks to it location on the opposite side of the river. Nonetheless, once the town went bankrupt in 1938, the Coast Guard decommissioned the lighthouse. Bandon was eventually rebuilt over time, but the nearby lighthouse lay abandoned for several decades years until the state of Oregon established Bullards Beach State Park. Later, the Army Corps of Engineers and local agencies launched a joint restoration project for the lighthouse, and a solar powered light was placed in the tower as part of Bandon’s 100th anniversary celebration in 1991. With the exception of its stucco color, the 47-foot tower and hexagon-shaped lighthouse appears very similar to the Cape Arago Light located 20 nautical miles to the north.
- Where to see this lighthouse. Located on the mouth of the Coquille River, OCT hikers can view this lighthouse during their walk from Old Town Bandon toward the beach. However, if you’d prefer a close-up view though, plan to stop at Bullards Beach State Park before heading into Bandon. The lighthouse is located on the river’s northern jetty approximately 1.5 miles from the park’s hiker-biker camp.
#10 – Cape Blanco Lighthouse
The Cape Blanco Light sit atop one of the windiest headlands on the Oregon Coast, with wind speeds up to 100 mph. Cape Blanco was originally named by Spanish explorers for its chalky white cliffs that just a mile and a half into the Pacific Ocean. In 1869, builders convinced Congress that manufacturing bricks locally would be more cost effective than bringing them in from San Francisco, so this 59-foot lighthouse is has more than 80,000 Oregon-made bricks within its structure. In 1903, Mabel Bretherton (one of the few female lightkeepers in Oregon) was appointed second assistant keeper for Cape Blanco. This lighthouse was eventually turned over to the Coast Guard in 1967, but it wasn’t automated until 1980, making it the final lighthouse in the state to be automated.
- Where to see this lighthouse. In good weather, hikers should begin seeing the 20-second flashes from this light somewhere north of Floras Lake. After crossing the Sixes River, the OCT climbs the steep bluffs of Cape Blanco, and a paved path takes hikers the final 0.3 miles to the lighthouse on the top of the cape. This lighthouse is located approximately 9 miles north of Port Orford.
#11 – Pelican Bay Lighthouse
The Pelican Bay Light is the final lighthouse on the OCT, and second of two private lighthouses the Oregon Coast. Attached to the existing home of Bill and Jo Ann Cady, this small 35-foot tower sits at the Port of Brookings. Because it’s a private home, the short tower makes it looks more like kitschy nautical-themed restaurant than a typical lighthouse. Nonetheless, it can signal up to 12 miles out to sea and was recognized as a navigational light by the U.S. Coast Guard in 1999.
- Where to see this lighthouse. Located on the south side of the Chetco River, OCT hikers only need to detour about 200-feet of their route along the harbor to catch a good view of this lighthouse. The best views are in parking lot of the Best Western Beachfront Inn. Once there, just adjust your gaze upward on the bluff, and you’ll see small white octagon-shaped turret affixed to corner of a two-story house.
Final thoughts
So there you have it. The 11 lighthouses of the Oregon Coast Trail. If you want to delve more into the fascinating history of these lighthouses before your hike, checkout some of these helpful resources:
- Oregon Lighthouses (Lighthouse Friends)
- An Overview of the Oregon Lighthouses (Oregon Coast Visitor Assn.)
And if you’re interested in learning more about the Oregon Coast Trail itself, check out some of my other blog posts on the OCT: