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Sandy beach
No
Hike-in Required
No
Surfing
No
Snorkeling / SCUBA
No
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area is a concentration of cultural and natural treasures not easily rivaled.  It is a year-round bird watcher's paradise, a home to some of the most vibrant and dense tidal pools on the entire coast, and a hangout for harbor seals, sea lions, and even the occasional gray whale.

Further, Oregon’s tallest and second oldest lighthouse remains rooted and reaching high on this grassy headland.  The lighthouse has been operational since its construction in 1872 and continues to guide mariners along the coast today.  Now managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the lighthouse is not only operational, but it is also protected and valued for education and research.  In their work on the site, for example, Heritage Research Associates from Eugene found archaeological evidence that the land was home to a Native American village for about 1,200 years before it was abandoned about 2,000 years ago. 

In addition to the lighthouse, explore the park by taking one (or several) of the walking trails to a grassy vantage point or a Sitka spruce forest.  A visit to Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area is not complete, however, without spending some time exploring the tide pools of Quarry Cove and Cobble Beach.  You’ll see an abundance of sea stars, giant green anemones, purple sea urchins, mussels, barnacles, and hermit crabs, among other inter-tidal dwellers.  Off shore, adult harbor seals and barking sea lions can be seen year round.  Outstanding indeed! 

Logistics + Planning

Congestion

High

Parking Pass

General Day Use Fee

Pros

Some of Oregon best tide pools. Seals. Historic lighthouse.

Cons

Heavy use year round.

Features

Lighthouse
Picnic tables
Tide pools
Wildlife
Whale watching
Bird watching

Location

Nearby Lodging + Camping

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A profound concept originally envisioned by governor Oswald West, in 1967 the Oregon legislature ultimately realized his vision of making the entire Oregon Coast forever open to the public in a piece of landmark legislation titled the Oregon Beach Bill, officially making all 363 miles public land. "The People's Coast" is truly a one-of-a-kind coastline, a unique blend of mountains and rocky stacks, towering old growth forests, marine sanctuaries, tide pools and kelp forests, charming towns, historic fishing communities, world-class golfing, breweries, and simply jaw-dropping scenic beaches. We encourage you to plan your next trip at visittheoregoncoast.com or by calling (541) 574-2679.

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